سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 13
أَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُونَ قَوْمًا نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُمْ وَهَمُّوا۟ بِإِخْرَاجِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths (pagans of Makkah), and intended to expel the Messenger while they did attack you first? Do you fear them? Allâh has more right that you should fear Him if you are believers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَا
alā
Will not
تُقَـٰتِلُونَ
tuqātilūna
you fight
قَوْمًۭا
qawman
a people
نَّكَثُوٓا۟
nakathū
who broke
أَيْمَـٰنَهُمْ
aymānahum
their oaths
وَهَمُّوا۟
wahammū
and determined
بِإِخْرَاجِ
bi-ikh'rāji
to drive out
ٱلرَّسُولِ
l-rasūli
the Messenger
وَهُم
wahum
and they
بَدَءُوكُمْ
badaūkum
began (to attack) you
أَوَّلَ
awwala
first
مَرَّةٍ ۚ
marratin
time
أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ ۚ
atakhshawnahum
Do you fear them
فَٱللَّهُ
fal-lahu
But Allah
أَحَقُّ
aḥaqqu
(has) more right
أَن
an
that
تَخْشَوْهُ
takhshawhu
you should fear Him
إِن
in
if
كُنتُم
kuntum
you are
مُّؤْمِنِينَ
mu'minīna
believers
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
13. Will you not fight against those people who broke their oaths and resolved to expel the Messenger, and they were the ones who started the aggression against you? Do you fear them? Allah has a greater right that you should fear Him, if you are believers.
[12]
Reasons for Emphasis and Encouragement of Jihad After the Declaration of Disassociation:
Before this, Muslims had been encouraged towards jihad multiple times, and Muslims had already fought several battles and wars. Now, after the declaration of disassociation, Allah Almighty, by reminding the Muslims of the previous injustices done to them, gave a strong encouragement to fight against the disbelievers, and there were several reasons for this. For example, even at the time of the declaration of disassociation, the number of polytheists in the Arabian Peninsula was greater than that of the Muslims, so the Muslims might have thought that instead of accepting such humiliation, they should all unite and wipe out the very name of Islam, and with a warlike and brave nation like the Arabs, such a danger was not far from reason. Because, firstly, all their treaties were being declared null and void, and secondly, they were being threatened with exile or challenged to prepare for war. Thirdly, their custodianship of the Ka'bah was ended. Fourthly, their entry into the Ka'bah was declared forbidden, and Makkah was the very trade center upon which, especially, the local polytheists and the surrounding polytheist tribes' economy mostly depended. Fifthly, those who were newly embracing Islam, most of their relatives were still polytheists, and there seemed to be no way to maintain relations with them. Therefore, on the basis of these reasons, it was quite possible that all the polytheists would unite and rise up for a great war against the Muslims, or at least a widespread civil war would begin against the Muslims throughout Arabia. Therefore, it was necessary that at such a time, Muslims should be strongly encouraged towards jihad, and those dangers should be removed from their minds which they saw as a result of implementing this policy, and they should be instructed that they should not fear anything in fulfilling Allah's will.
[12]
Reasons for Emphasis and Encouragement of Jihad After the Declaration of Disassociation:
Before this, Muslims had been encouraged towards jihad multiple times, and Muslims had already fought several battles and wars. Now, after the declaration of disassociation, Allah Almighty, by reminding the Muslims of the previous injustices done to them, gave a strong encouragement to fight against the disbelievers, and there were several reasons for this. For example, even at the time of the declaration of disassociation, the number of polytheists in the Arabian Peninsula was greater than that of the Muslims, so the Muslims might have thought that instead of accepting such humiliation, they should all unite and wipe out the very name of Islam, and with a warlike and brave nation like the Arabs, such a danger was not far from reason. Because, firstly, all their treaties were being declared null and void, and secondly, they were being threatened with exile or challenged to prepare for war. Thirdly, their custodianship of the Ka'bah was ended. Fourthly, their entry into the Ka'bah was declared forbidden, and Makkah was the very trade center upon which, especially, the local polytheists and the surrounding polytheist tribes' economy mostly depended. Fifthly, those who were newly embracing Islam, most of their relatives were still polytheists, and there seemed to be no way to maintain relations with them. Therefore, on the basis of these reasons, it was quite possible that all the polytheists would unite and rise up for a great war against the Muslims, or at least a widespread civil war would begin against the Muslims throughout Arabia. Therefore, it was necessary that at such a time, Muslims should be strongly encouraged towards jihad, and those dangers should be removed from their minds which they saw as a result of implementing this policy, and they should be instructed that they should not fear anything in fulfilling Allah's will.
