Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 122

(Ayah 122) {وَ مَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ لِيَنْفِرُوْا كَآفَّةً … : ’’ نَفَرَ يَنْفِرُ ‘‘} generally comes in the meaning of setting out for battle, as He said: «{ مَا لَكُمْ اِذَا قِيْلَ لَكُمُ انْفِرُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ اِلَى الْاَرْضِ }» [ التوبۃ : ۳۸ ] and He said: «{ اِنْفِرُوْا خِفَافًا وَّ ثِقَالًا }» [ التوبۃ : ۴۱ ] and He said: «{ اِلَّا تَنْفِرُوْا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ }» [ التوبۃ : ۳۹ ] and He said: «{ وَ قَالُوْا لَا تَنْفِرُوْا فِي الْحَرِّ }» [ التوبۃ : ۸۱ ]. And this surah from beginning to end is filled with mention of jihad, so the meaning of {’’ لِيَنْفِرُوْا ‘‘} as “set out for battle” is most appropriate to the context. In the Battle of Tabuk, there was a general call to arms, meaning all Muslims were ordered to go out, and it was said that the people of Madinah and the surrounding Bedouins had no right to stay behind from the battle with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Now in this verse, such occasions are mentioned in which not everyone is ordered to go out, but rather, it is sufficient for some people to go. Thus, it is said that it is not possible for all Muslims to go out for battle, because it is also necessary for some people to stay behind for the protection of the cities and management of the homes, and some people cannot go out due to other necessary excuses. Therefore, from every large group, according to the need of the battle, it is obligatory for some people to go out for jihad, so that during the journey of jihad, its stops, during ribat, and in the battlefield, they may strive to gain understanding of the religion, and upon returning, warn their people about what plans the enemy is making, how prepared he is, and what measures should be taken to counter him, so that in the future they may be fully prepared and able to overcome the enemy. Here, {’’تفقه في الدين‘‘} means what has been explained, whereas nowadays among us, “tafaqquh fi al-din” is understood to mean only the issues of prayer, fasting, etc., and understanding the enemy’s plans, conspiracies, tricks, and actions, and taking measures to avoid them or to attack them rather than just defend, has been excluded from “tafaqquh fi al-din.”

A few points are clearly understood from this verse: (1) In every battle, it is neither necessary nor possible for all Muslims to go out; rather, the principle of division of labor will be followed, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said when sending an army to Banu Lihyan: “Out of every two men, one should go out, and the reward is equal for both (so that one goes to the field and the other supervises the affairs of himself and his brother in his absence).” [ مسلم، الإمارۃ، باب فضل إعانۃ الغازی… : 1896/138 ] Yes, if due to necessity the leader gives a general call to arms, then it will be necessary for all to go out. (2) Firqah is large and ta’ifah is small, even the word ta’ifah is used for a single person, as He said: «{ وَ اِنْ طَآىِٕفَتٰنِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ اقْتَتَلُوْا }» [ الحجرات : ۹ ]. This verse applies to even two fighting men; whether more people from a group go out for battle or just one, the word ta’ifah applies to all.

(3) {’’ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوْا فِي الدِّيْنِ ‘‘} Tafaqquh is from the form taf‘ul, meaning to strive and make effort to gain a good understanding. Here, two meanings of din can be intended: one is qital fi sabilillah, i.e., fighting in the way of Allah, as narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When you engage in ‘inah (a form of usury through trickery), become content with agriculture, and abandon jihad, Allah will impose upon you such humiliation that He will not remove from you [ حَتّٰی تَرْجِعُوْا اِلٰی دِيْنِكُمْ ] until you return to your religion.” [ أبوداوٗد، البیوع، باب فی النھی عن العینۃ : ۳۴۶۲، و صححہ الألبانی ] Here, din means qital fi sabilillah, and tafaqquh in this can only be attained in the battlefields. Even if one sits on the seat of Shaykh al-Hadith for a hundred years, this tafaqquh will never be attained; no matter how many military books and enemy strategies you read at home, school, college, university, academy, or dar al-ulum, or read about the battles of the warriors of Islam, without going to the battlefield, the true and real understanding of the religion (battle) can never be attained, nor can a person properly warn his people of the enemy’s danger and alert them to avoid it.

The second meaning of din is general, i.e., the entire religion of Islam. For attaining tafaqquh in this as well, it was necessary to go to the fields of jihad, because the source of religious knowledge was the person of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and after the migration to Madinah, he was mostly on journeys for jihad fi sabilillah, or he would send a knowledgeable and understanding companion as a leader. Many miracles and rulings and commands occurred or were revealed during journeys, so when the conditions of the Companions are mentioned, their capability and virtue are described as: {’’شَهِدَ الْمَشَاهِدَ كُلَّهَا‘‘} that he was present in all the battles, and it is said: {’’ شَهِدَ الْبَدْرَ اَوِ الْحُدَيْبِيَةَ اَوْ فَتْحَ مَكَّةَ اَوْ حُنَيْنًا اَوْ تَبُوْكَ ‘‘} that so-and-so participated in Badr, Hudaybiyyah, the conquest of Makkah, Hunayn, or Tabuk. And it is obvious that acquiring knowledge and understanding while entangled in household affairs is not possible in the same way as it is by freeing oneself from everything and joining the army of Islam. See how many Qur’an reciters and scholars and jurists were martyred in the battle against Musaylimah the Liar. The fighting lasted only a short while, the rest of the time during the journey, stay, and ribat was spent in teaching and learning, i.e., tafaqquh fi al-din, in which, along with learning the skills of fighting, all matters of life were taught and learned, and all people would learn religion from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr, Umar, the ten promised Paradise, and other eminent Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) during jihad, and upon returning to their people, they would teach them other religious matters as well as warn them of the humiliation of this world and the Hereafter due to abandoning jihad, and encourage them to protect themselves from the enemy. If you reflect on {’’ لِيُنْذِرُوْا ‘‘} and {’’ يَحْذَرُوْنَ ‘‘}, the matter will become quite clear as to which thing, by not attaining tafaqquh in it, has resulted in the current miserable state of Muslims in the world.

The leader of the commentators, Imam Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him), and many other commentators have preferred this meaning, although the evidence for taking din to mean jihad in {’’ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوْا فِي الدِّيْنِ ‘‘} as: [ حَتّٰی تَرْجِعُوْا اِلٰی دِيْنِكُمْ ] they have not mentioned.

The second meaning of the verse is that when, in Surah Tawbah, Allah expressed severe displeasure at those who stayed behind from the Battle of Tabuk, every Muslim’s effort and desire was that in the future, we will surely go out in every battle. Upon this, this verse was revealed that all Muslims should not go out for every expedition, lest the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remain alone in Madinah; rather, some people from every tribe should also come and be present with him in Madinah, so that they may fulfill the duty of guarding Madinah and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and also acquire knowledge, and upon returning, adorn their people with the teaching of religion. Similarly, some people should also go out to study in religious schools, so that they may gain a good understanding of the religion with focus, and then return and teach their people the religion. Yes, if due to circumstances the leader of the believers gives a general call to arms, then everyone must go out, because when it is time to stand, prostration is not done. Many commentators have also stated this meaning.

122. 1. According to some commentators, this is also related to the command of jihad. The meaning is that in the previous verse, when a severe warning and condemnation was mentioned for those who stayed behind, the noble Companions became very cautious, and whenever the stage of jihad came, all of them tried to participate in it. In this verse, they were commanded that not every jihad is of such a nature that participation of every person is necessary (as it was necessary in Tabuk), rather, participation of a group is sufficient. That is, one group should go for jihad and one group should stay behind to acquire knowledge of the religion. And when the mujahideen return, they should also be informed of the commands of the religion and be warned. The second interpretation is that this verse is not related to jihad, but rather, it commands to leave one's home and belongings to acquire knowledge of the religion, to go to schools and centers of knowledge and acquire it, and then return and admonish and advise their people. To acquire understanding in religion means to gain knowledge of commands and prohibitions so that one can fulfill the commands of Allah and stay away from prohibitions, and also fulfill the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil within their own people.

122. It is not possible for all the believers [139] to go forth together. So why does not a group from every section of them go forth to gain understanding in religion, so that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware of evil?

[139]
Acquiring Knowledge of the Religion is a Collective Obligation (Fard Kifayah):

Two meanings of this verse are mentioned, and both are correct. One is that this verse is related to jihad. And from this verse, it is also understood that jihad is not an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), but when the Islamic government makes a general announcement of jihad, then at that time, jihad becomes an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn) upon those who are capable, as happened in the Battle of Tabuk. In such a situation, those who stay behind from jihad become sinful, and it is not possible for everyone to go; rather, sometimes it is necessary for a part of the Muslims to stay behind so that they can protect the capital or other important places from the enemy, and when needed, send supplies and reinforcements to the army. Besides this, there are also various disabled individuals in society. In this case, the meaning of this verse would be that it is necessary for some people from every town and every tribe to go with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so that by staying in his company, they may gain understanding of the religion, and when they return to their homes, they may inform those who did not go for jihad about the hundreds of incidents and events. And if the Prophet ﷺ himself did not go to war, then those who stayed behind and learned religious matters and understanding from the company of the Prophet ﷺ should inform those who had gone for jihad. It is the responsibility of the government to remove the ignorance of the people. And some scholars say that this verse is not related to jihad, but rather to acquiring knowledge of the religion, meaning that it is not possible for all Muslims, especially the Bedouin tribes (about whom in verse 97 of this surah it was mentioned that they cannot understand the limits and wisdoms of the religion), to all come to Madinah to acquire knowledge and understanding of the religion. Therefore, in order to create religious awareness and understanding among the people, it is necessary that some people from every tribe, nation, and town come to Madinah and benefit from the company of the Prophet ﷺ, and then, after returning, teach the knowledge of religion to the people of their own town, nation, or tribe, so that their ignorance is removed and a correct awareness of the Islamic system of life is created among them, and they try to mold their way of life according to it.

True Knowledge is the Knowledge of Religion:

This verse was revealed at a time when Islam had become dominant over most of Arabia. The Bedouin tribes were entering Islam in large numbers, but neither had their ignorant beliefs ended, nor had true awareness of the religion yet developed among them. In this verse, the importance of knowledge is made clear, and it is explained that the task of the Islamic government is not merely to conquer territories, but at the same time, it is just as necessary to remove the ignorance of the people and to train them according to Islamic beliefs as jihad is necessary. Incidentally, from this verse it is also understood that true knowledge is only that which creates understanding of the religion, and which can be used in the propagation and dissemination of the religion. As for other sciences, no matter how beneficial they may be for worldly life, they cannot be called true knowledge. Whether this verse is related to going out for jihad or to going out to acquire knowledge of the religion, both interpretations are correct, because going out to acquire knowledge of the religion is also a type of striving in the way of Allah (jihad fi sabilillah), and for the establishment of the Islamic system of life, both these fields are extremely important and are collective obligations (fard kifayah).