سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 40
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿40﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
If you help him (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) not (it does not matter), for Allâh did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two; when they (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه) were in the cave, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to his companion (Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allâh is with us." Then Allâh sent down His Sakînah (calmness, tranquillity, peace) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allâh that became the uppermost; and Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِلَّا
illā
If not
تَنصُرُوهُ
tanṣurūhu
you help him
فَقَدْ
faqad
certainly
نَصَرَهُ
naṣarahu
Allah helped him
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah helped him
إِذْ
idh
when
أَخْرَجَهُ
akhrajahu
drove him out
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
ثَانِىَ
thāniya
the second
ٱثْنَيْنِ
ith'nayni
(of) the two
إِذْ
idh
when
هُمَا
humā
they both
فِى
fī
(were) in
ٱلْغَارِ
l-ghāri
the cave
إِذْ
idh
when
يَقُولُ
yaqūlu
he said
لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ
liṣāḥibihi
to his companion
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَحْزَنْ
taḥzan
grieve
إِنَّ
inna
indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
مَعَنَا ۖ
maʿanā
(is) with us
فَأَنزَلَ
fa-anzala
Then Allah sent down
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Then Allah sent down
سَكِينَتَهُۥ
sakīnatahu
His tranquility
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
upon him
وَأَيَّدَهُۥ
wa-ayyadahu
and supported him
بِجُنُودٍۢ
bijunūdin
with forces
لَّمْ
lam
which you did not see
تَرَوْهَا
tarawhā
which you did not see
وَجَعَلَ
wajaʿala
and made
كَلِمَةَ
kalimata
(the) word
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ
l-suf'lā
the lowest
وَكَلِمَةُ
wakalimatu
while (the) Word
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
هِىَ
hiya
it (is)
ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ
l-ʿul'yā
the highest
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَزِيزٌ
ʿazīzun
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
40. 1. Those who hold back from jihad or try to avoid it are being told that if you do not help, Allah is not in need of your help. Allah helped His Messenger even when he took refuge in the cave and said to his companion (i.e., Abu Bakr Siddiq), "Do not grieve, Allah is with us." The details of this are mentioned in the hadith. Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when we were in the cave, I said to the Prophet ﷺ, "If these polytheists (who are pursuing us) look at our feet, they will surely see us." The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two whose third is Allah?" (Sahih Bukhari)
40. 2. These are the two forms of help that have been mentioned, by which Allah helped His Messenger ﷺ: one is tranquility (sakinah), the other is the support of angels.
40. 3. By the word of the disbelievers is meant shirk, and by the word of Allah is meant tawheed. As mentioned in a hadith: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "A person fights to show bravery, another fights out of tribalism and zeal, and another fights for display. Which of these is fighting in the way of Allah?" He replied, "The one who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted, he is in the way of Allah."
40. 2. These are the two forms of help that have been mentioned, by which Allah helped His Messenger ﷺ: one is tranquility (sakinah), the other is the support of angels.
40. 3. By the word of the disbelievers is meant shirk, and by the word of Allah is meant tawheed. As mentioned in a hadith: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked, "A person fights to show bravery, another fights out of tribalism and zeal, and another fights for display. Which of these is fighting in the way of Allah?" He replied, "The one who fights so that the word of Allah is exalted, he is in the way of Allah."
