سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 101
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ ﴿101﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And among the bedouins around you, some are hypocrites, and so are some among the people of Al-Madinah who persist in hypocrisy; you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) know them not, We know them. We shall punish them twice, and thereafter they shall be brought back to a great (horrible) torment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِمَّنْ
wamimman
And among those
حَوْلَكُم
ḥawlakum
around you
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَعْرَابِ
l-aʿrābi
the bedouins
مُنَـٰفِقُونَ ۖ
munāfiqūna
(are) hypocrites
وَمِنْ
wamin
and (also) from
أَهْلِ
ahli
people
ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ۖ
l-madīnati
(of) the Madinah
مَرَدُوا۟
maradū
They persist
عَلَى
ʿalā
in
ٱلنِّفَاقِ
l-nifāqi
the hypocrisy
لَا
lā
not
تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ
taʿlamuhum
you know them
نَحْنُ
naḥnu
We
نَعْلَمُهُمْ ۚ
naʿlamuhum
[We] know them
سَنُعَذِّبُهُم
sanuʿadhibuhum
We will punish them
مَّرَّتَيْنِ
marratayni
twice
ثُمَّ
thumma
then
يُرَدُّونَ
yuraddūna
they will be returned
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
عَذَابٍ
ʿadhābin
a punishment
عَظِيمٍۢ
ʿaẓīmin
great
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 101) ➊ {وَ مِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُمْ مِّنَ الْاَعْرَابِ مُنٰفِقُوْنَ … :} First, the mention of the hypocrites among the Bedouin (nomads) was made, then the sincere ones among the Bedouin were mentioned. After them, glad tidings were given to the foremost Muhajirun and Ansar and the people of excellence who followed them, and their high ranks were described (their mention is also in the opening verses of Surah Jumu'ah). Now, after these related discussions, the mention is again made of a group of hypocrites who, while living in Madinah and its surroundings, became so skilled and expert in their hypocrisy {’’ مَرَدُوْا ‘‘} that even the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), despite his sharpest insight and strongest estimation, could not recognize all of them specifically, though he might have recognized some by their tone and other signs or by Allah’s indication. See Surah Muhammad (30). Therefore, the narrations in which it is stated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) told Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) the names of some hypocrites are not contrary to this verse, because here it is said that you do not know all of them, meaning you knew some hypocrites and not others, whereas Allah knows all of them. From this, the reality of the false claim about the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) being the knower of the unseen also becomes clear.
➋ {سَنُعَذِّبُهُمْ مَّرَّتَيْنِ:} One is the punishment of grief, sorrow, and anxiety in this world, in which the hypocrites are always afflicted. It is said: «{ يَحْسَبُوْنَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ }» [ المنافقون : ۴ ] that they feel themselves in danger at every moment, consider every loud sound to be against themselves, and then there is also this disgrace that neither the disbelievers nor the Muslims were willing to consider them as their own. After death, the punishment of the grave is called the second punishment. Or, by {’’ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‘‘} is meant the beating of the angels at the time of death, as it is said: «{ يَضْرِبُوْنَ وُجُوْهَهُمْ وَ اَدْبَارَهُمْ }» [ محمد : ۲۷ ] “They will strike their faces and their backs.” Then the punishment of the grave, and after that, by {’’ عَذَابٍ عَظِيْمٍ ‘‘} is meant the punishment of Hell. The meaning of {’’ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‘‘} is also “repeatedly,” as it is said: «{ ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنْقَلِبْ اِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَّ هُوَ حَسِيْرٌ }» [ الملک : ۴ ] “Then return your gaze again and again, your sight will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.” That is, in the world through wealth and children, worries and humiliations, then at the time of death, then repeatedly punishing in the grave, and finally casting into Hell. This meaning is very comprehensive.
➌ {ثُمَّ يُرَدُّوْنَ اِلٰى عَذَابٍ عَظِيْمٍ:} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: {’’ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‘‘} “That is, they will suffer affliction after affliction in the world, then will be seized in the Hereafter.” (Mawdhih)
➋ {سَنُعَذِّبُهُمْ مَّرَّتَيْنِ:} One is the punishment of grief, sorrow, and anxiety in this world, in which the hypocrites are always afflicted. It is said: «{ يَحْسَبُوْنَ كُلَّ صَيْحَةٍ عَلَيْهِمْ }» [ المنافقون : ۴ ] that they feel themselves in danger at every moment, consider every loud sound to be against themselves, and then there is also this disgrace that neither the disbelievers nor the Muslims were willing to consider them as their own. After death, the punishment of the grave is called the second punishment. Or, by {’’ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‘‘} is meant the beating of the angels at the time of death, as it is said: «{ يَضْرِبُوْنَ وُجُوْهَهُمْ وَ اَدْبَارَهُمْ }» [ محمد : ۲۷ ] “They will strike their faces and their backs.” Then the punishment of the grave, and after that, by {’’ عَذَابٍ عَظِيْمٍ ‘‘} is meant the punishment of Hell. The meaning of {’’ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‘‘} is also “repeatedly,” as it is said: «{ ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنْقَلِبْ اِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَّ هُوَ حَسِيْرٌ }» [ الملک : ۴ ] “Then return your gaze again and again, your sight will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.” That is, in the world through wealth and children, worries and humiliations, then at the time of death, then repeatedly punishing in the grave, and finally casting into Hell. This meaning is very comprehensive.
➌ {ثُمَّ يُرَدُّوْنَ اِلٰى عَذَابٍ عَظِيْمٍ:} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: {’’ مَرَّتَيْنِ ‘‘} “That is, they will suffer affliction after affliction in the world, then will be seized in the Hereafter.” (Mawdhih)
