I'll also add that Ibn Kathir's tafsir of 9:123 provides an interesting interpretation in light of the imperialist expansionism of Mohammad and his immediate successors...
verse 9:123 www.tafsir.com/default.as...&tid=22240
[[i]b]The Order for Jihad against the Disbelievers, the Closest, then the Farthest Areas[/b]
"Allah commands the believers to fight the disbelievers, the closest in area to the Islamic state, then the farthest. This is why the Messenger of Allah started fighting the idolators in the Arabian Peninsula. When he finished with them and Allah gave him control over Makkah, Al-Madinah, At-Ta'if, Yemen, Yamamah, Hajr, Khaybar, Hadramawt and other Arab provinces, and the various Arab tribes entered Islam in large crowds, he then started fighting the People of the Scriptures. He began preparations to fight the Romans who were the closest in area to the Arabian Peninsula, and as such, had the most right to be called to Islam, especially since they were from the People of the Scriptures...[...]"[/i]
verse 9:123 www.tafsir.com/default.as...&tid=22240
[[i]b]The Order for Jihad against the Disbelievers, the Closest, then the Farthest Areas[/b]
"Allah commands the believers to fight the disbelievers, the closest in area to the Islamic state, then the farthest. This is why the Messenger of Allah started fighting the idolators in the Arabian Peninsula. When he finished with them and Allah gave him control over Makkah, Al-Madinah, At-Ta'if, Yemen, Yamamah, Hajr, Khaybar, Hadramawt and other Arab provinces, and the various Arab tribes entered Islam in large crowds, he then started fighting the People of the Scriptures. He began preparations to fight the Romans who were the closest in area to the Arabian Peninsula, and as such, had the most right to be called to Islam, especially since they were from the People of the Scriptures...[...]"[/i]
