سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 97
ٱلْأَعْرَابُ أَشَدُّ كُفْرًا وَنِفَاقًا وَأَجْدَرُ أَلَّا يَعْلَمُوا۟ حُدُودَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿97﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The bedouins are the worst in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely to be in ignorance of the limits (Allâh’s Commandments and His Laws) which Allâh has revealed to His Messenger. And Allâh is All-Knower, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلْأَعْرَابُ
al-aʿrābu
The bedouins
أَشَدُّ
ashaddu
(are) stronger
كُفْرًۭا
kuf'ran
(in) disbelief
وَنِفَاقًۭا
wanifāqan
and hypocrisy
وَأَجْدَرُ
wa-ajdaru
and more likely
أَلَّا
allā
that not
يَعْلَمُوا۟
yaʿlamū
they know
حُدُودَ
ḥudūda
(the) limits
مَآ
mā
(of) what
أَنزَلَ
anzala
Allah (has) revealed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah (has) revealed
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
to
رَسُولِهِۦ ۗ
rasūlihi
His Messenger
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلِيمٌ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
حَكِيمٌۭ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
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.
97. The desert Arabs are more severe in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely to be unaware of the limits [108] that Allah has revealed to His Messenger. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
[108]
The Traits of the Bedouin Disbelievers and Hypocrites:
The number of Bedouins living in the wilderness, deserts, and villages was greater than that of the urban population, and all of them were such people who had no purpose in life except to somehow fill their stomachs. Their lives were on the level of animal existence; beyond this, they neither ever felt the need to think nor were they capable of thinking. When the foundation of the Islamic state was laid in Madinah, such broad news would reach them as well. These people had no moral ideology at all. They were only observing the confrontation that had begun between these Muslims and the Quraysh of Makkah, to see which of them would prevail so that they could join the victorious side. In this way, after the conquest of Makkah, they accepted Islam, but this was merely akin to saluting the rising sun. This did not create any lofty vision in their morals or objectives. In matters of understanding the religion, the villagers are more uncouth: they accepted Islam only because now it seemed more beneficial to do so, but the restrictions imposed by Islam—such as regular observance of prayer, payment of zakat, striving with life and wealth in the way of Allah, and patience and endurance in the face of hardships encountered in this path—these things they were not mentally prepared for. Such people, due to their desert life, possess a roughness and harshness in their nature, and being distant from gatherings of knowledge and wisdom, they are much less receptive to the influence of culture and refinement and the light of knowledge and gnosis. Therefore, their hypocrisy is also harsher than that of the urban hypocrites. Then, they rarely get such opportunities to remain in the company of the people of knowledge and reform, so that they may learn those rules and laws of Islam which Allah Almighty has revealed to His Messenger. Because the knowledge of religion is the very thing that softens a person's heart and makes him civilized, and those who are so deeply immersed in ignorance—neither can softness be created in their hearts, nor are they capable of understanding the wisdom behind the Shariah rulings.
[108]
The Traits of the Bedouin Disbelievers and Hypocrites:
The number of Bedouins living in the wilderness, deserts, and villages was greater than that of the urban population, and all of them were such people who had no purpose in life except to somehow fill their stomachs. Their lives were on the level of animal existence; beyond this, they neither ever felt the need to think nor were they capable of thinking. When the foundation of the Islamic state was laid in Madinah, such broad news would reach them as well. These people had no moral ideology at all. They were only observing the confrontation that had begun between these Muslims and the Quraysh of Makkah, to see which of them would prevail so that they could join the victorious side. In this way, after the conquest of Makkah, they accepted Islam, but this was merely akin to saluting the rising sun. This did not create any lofty vision in their morals or objectives. In matters of understanding the religion, the villagers are more uncouth: they accepted Islam only because now it seemed more beneficial to do so, but the restrictions imposed by Islam—such as regular observance of prayer, payment of zakat, striving with life and wealth in the way of Allah, and patience and endurance in the face of hardships encountered in this path—these things they were not mentally prepared for. Such people, due to their desert life, possess a roughness and harshness in their nature, and being distant from gatherings of knowledge and wisdom, they are much less receptive to the influence of culture and refinement and the light of knowledge and gnosis. Therefore, their hypocrisy is also harsher than that of the urban hypocrites. Then, they rarely get such opportunities to remain in the company of the people of knowledge and reform, so that they may learn those rules and laws of Islam which Allah Almighty has revealed to His Messenger. Because the knowledge of religion is the very thing that softens a person's heart and makes him civilized, and those who are so deeply immersed in ignorance—neither can softness be created in their hearts, nor are they capable of understanding the wisdom behind the Shariah rulings.
