This section was revealed, or applied, after Muhammads return from Tabuk. In 9:111 Muhammad commends those who went with him to Tabuk, and describes their duty: They fight in Allahs cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. This verse exposes the liars who claim that jihad is merely an internal struggle. The loyal Islamic community as a whole is described next in v. 112.
Verse 116 echoes Psalm 89:11 and Deuteronomy 32:29.
Verse 117 begins, in the Hilali-Khan translation, by saying that Allah has forgiven the Prophet. This statement initially seems to collide with the persistent insistence of Islamic teachers that Muhammad was sinless. It looks plain to me that Muhammad believed that he had made a mistake by allowing so many of the men of Medina to remain behind, but by the time he had restored order in Medina after returning from Tabuk, he felt like things had worked out nevertheless, and he understood this as a sign that Allah had forgiven his error. But later interpreters have taken advantage of the flexibility of the Arabic term used here so as to interpret to mean that Allah had promoted Muhammad and those who had gone with him to Tabuk.
The same vagueness can be appealed to to resolve a discrepancy between what Muhammad said earlier -- when assuring his troops that the able-bodied men in Medina who had refused to go to Tabuk were doomed to hell -- and what is said in v. 118 about the three men who were forgiven by Allah. One must either say that the first statement was abrogated by the second -- in which case the first statement declared by Muhammad turned out to be incorrect -- or else conclude that the forgiveness mentioned here is merely a raise in rank -- not necessarily a promotion from being hellbound to being heavenbound, though.
Verses 119-121 are yet another rebuke of those who stayed behind, combined with a commendation of those who went on jihad. Among the things for which the jihadists are commended are the act of taking steps to raise the anger of disbelievers and inflicting injuries upon the enemy.
Though military jihad is so highly rewarded, v. 122 makes it clear that it is not -- as of the proclamation of thise verse -- incumbent upon all able-bodied Muslim men. Some men may remain behind to teach Islam and guard the homefront.
As the surah begins to end, v. 123 echoes v. 73, and verses 124-127 provide details about the expressions of disdain which the Hypocrites of Medina made when they heard Muhammads revelations; this was alluded to in v. 64. It is interesting to consider 9:123 and 2:256 ("There is no compulsion in religion") side-by-side. Even if one does not regard 2:256 as an abrogated verse, the synthesis of these two verses is that an Islamic government will not use physical force to compel Jews or Christians to become Muslims, but it will consider it a religious duty to prohibit them from inviting Muslims to Judaism or Christianity, and to make the prospect of remaining Judaic or Christian difficult in every way. For an example of how this is done, see the article about the oppression of Christians in Egypt, at www.challenging-islam.org...d/copt.htm .
The surah closes with verses 128-129, which, as mentioned in the introductory comments about this surah, are disputed, and were lacking in the form in which the surah was spread by everyone except Abu Khuzaima Al-Ansari. Verse 128 is a commendation of Muhammad: he is described as anxious over you, full of pity, kind, and merciful. It is understandable that Muhammad did not convey this to his close companions who were already aware of his character, but shared it with some who did not know him as well.
There is some ambiguity about how part of v. 128 should be translated: does the second sentence mean It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty, or He is grieved by your iniquities? Perhaps the meaning is that Muhammad was grieved both by disobedience to his instructions and by the negative consequences of disobedience.
This surah begins and ends with passages that include Muhammads claim to be Allahs Prophet. This claim is implied or asserted throughout the surah; Muhammads prophetness is referred to in v. 1, 7, 24, 26, 29, 33, 59, 61, 73, 88, etc. (Would Muhammad do this to grind the idea into the minds of those who heard him? Yes, I think he would -- and it probably had the effect of reinforcing his own view of himself too.)
Note: besides the flimsy attestation for verses 128-129 among the text-collectors and the lack of the Bismillah from the beginning of this surah, theres another indicator that this surah did not achieve its final form until after Muhammads death: the shift between the end of 9:39 (where he = Allah) and the start of 9:40 (where he = Muhammad).
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
Verse 116 echoes Psalm 89:11 and Deuteronomy 32:29.
Verse 117 begins, in the Hilali-Khan translation, by saying that Allah has forgiven the Prophet. This statement initially seems to collide with the persistent insistence of Islamic teachers that Muhammad was sinless. It looks plain to me that Muhammad believed that he had made a mistake by allowing so many of the men of Medina to remain behind, but by the time he had restored order in Medina after returning from Tabuk, he felt like things had worked out nevertheless, and he understood this as a sign that Allah had forgiven his error. But later interpreters have taken advantage of the flexibility of the Arabic term used here so as to interpret to mean that Allah had promoted Muhammad and those who had gone with him to Tabuk.
The same vagueness can be appealed to to resolve a discrepancy between what Muhammad said earlier -- when assuring his troops that the able-bodied men in Medina who had refused to go to Tabuk were doomed to hell -- and what is said in v. 118 about the three men who were forgiven by Allah. One must either say that the first statement was abrogated by the second -- in which case the first statement declared by Muhammad turned out to be incorrect -- or else conclude that the forgiveness mentioned here is merely a raise in rank -- not necessarily a promotion from being hellbound to being heavenbound, though.
Verses 119-121 are yet another rebuke of those who stayed behind, combined with a commendation of those who went on jihad. Among the things for which the jihadists are commended are the act of taking steps to raise the anger of disbelievers and inflicting injuries upon the enemy.
Though military jihad is so highly rewarded, v. 122 makes it clear that it is not -- as of the proclamation of thise verse -- incumbent upon all able-bodied Muslim men. Some men may remain behind to teach Islam and guard the homefront.
As the surah begins to end, v. 123 echoes v. 73, and verses 124-127 provide details about the expressions of disdain which the Hypocrites of Medina made when they heard Muhammads revelations; this was alluded to in v. 64. It is interesting to consider 9:123 and 2:256 ("There is no compulsion in religion") side-by-side. Even if one does not regard 2:256 as an abrogated verse, the synthesis of these two verses is that an Islamic government will not use physical force to compel Jews or Christians to become Muslims, but it will consider it a religious duty to prohibit them from inviting Muslims to Judaism or Christianity, and to make the prospect of remaining Judaic or Christian difficult in every way. For an example of how this is done, see the article about the oppression of Christians in Egypt, at www.challenging-islam.org...d/copt.htm .
The surah closes with verses 128-129, which, as mentioned in the introductory comments about this surah, are disputed, and were lacking in the form in which the surah was spread by everyone except Abu Khuzaima Al-Ansari. Verse 128 is a commendation of Muhammad: he is described as anxious over you, full of pity, kind, and merciful. It is understandable that Muhammad did not convey this to his close companions who were already aware of his character, but shared it with some who did not know him as well.
There is some ambiguity about how part of v. 128 should be translated: does the second sentence mean It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty, or He is grieved by your iniquities? Perhaps the meaning is that Muhammad was grieved both by disobedience to his instructions and by the negative consequences of disobedience.
This surah begins and ends with passages that include Muhammads claim to be Allahs Prophet. This claim is implied or asserted throughout the surah; Muhammads prophetness is referred to in v. 1, 7, 24, 26, 29, 33, 59, 61, 73, 88, etc. (Would Muhammad do this to grind the idea into the minds of those who heard him? Yes, I think he would -- and it probably had the effect of reinforcing his own view of himself too.)
Note: besides the flimsy attestation for verses 128-129 among the text-collectors and the lack of the Bismillah from the beginning of this surah, theres another indicator that this surah did not achieve its final form until after Muhammads death: the shift between the end of 9:39 (where he = Allah) and the start of 9:40 (where he = Muhammad).
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
