From verse 73 onward, the text seems to be a supplemented transcript of things spoken by Muhammad during the return from Tabuk and afterwards. Throughout verses 73-89, he continues to castigate the men who refused to go on jihad to Tabuk. Verse 73 opens with the command -- presented as if given by Allah to Muhammad -- O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them. This statement can be used cleverly by moderate Muslims who wish to convince people that jihad is merely an internal struggle, because although the term for Strive hard in 9:73 is jahada, Muhammad did not proceed -- for the most part -- to violently punish the disobedient men of Medina. However, that is a bit like saying that because combat can be used to refer to verbal combat, that is what its meaning must be limited to.
An old report implies that the first part of v. 74 is a supplement, stated when Muhammad was interrogating a man named al-Jallas ibn Suwaid. Al-Jallas had said that the disobedient men of Medina were worse than donkeys. When Muhammad asked him if he had really said this, al-Jallas first swore that he had not. But then when this revelation was delivered, he confessed.
Muhammad, it seems, did not have a hard time forgiving him. However, while that may have been the occasion on which these words were first spoken, they seem to have been transformed into part of a denunciation of the Hypocrites. The phrase that which they were unable to carry out in the second part of v. 74 probably refers to a plot by 15 men to kill Muhammad one night after his return from Tabuk. However, an alarm was sounded as the would-be assassins approached, and they rapidly departed.
Verses 75-79 describe the immoral actions of the Hypocrites: they promise to pay zakat if they become wealthy, but then they become wealthy and try to avoid paying it. And they taunt those who give lots of money to the cause, as well as those who can only afford to give a little. (It is said that one man had donated only a bag of dates, but because it was half of what he had collected in a full nights date-collection, Muhammad prized this gift; the moral of this story resembles the moral of Luke 21:1-4 regarding the widows mite.)
Their punishment is plainly stated: they are destined for the fires of hell ~ So He [Allah] punished them by putting hypocrisy in their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him. In other words, they become reprobate -- incapable of true repentance. Verse 80 describes the logical next step: where such souls are concerned, intercession attempted by Muhammad will be inconsequential. This verse probably originated as something which Muhammad delivered at the funeral of Abd Allah ibn Ubayy (who died not long after the Tabuk expedition), who had caused many problems for Muhammad.
Verse 81 describes a brief exchange between Muhammad and some men who refused to go to Tabuk: they said that the journey was too hot. Muhammad said that hell-fire is hotter. If it was not already obvious, this verse should make it clear to normal readers that only by joining the jihad and marching forth with Muhammad could the able-bodied men of Medina hope to retain salvation. The next two verses state that those who ignored the call-to-arms the first time will not be allowed to go out to fight the enemy in the future.
Verse 84 is a supplement. The son of Abdullah ibn Ubayy had requested Muhammad to come and pray for his father, who had been a leading Hypocrite of Medina, at his funeral. Muhammad was not been sure whether he should pray for that Hypocrites departed soul or not. After all, Abdullah ibn Ubayy had not gone to Tabuk. The revelation which Muhammad stated then reflected his uncertainty. But later it became clear to Muhammad that it would appear inconsistent for him to pray for people whom he had already declared that Allah had destined for hell-fire; thus this verse was revealed to him. A bit later, verses 113-114 reinforce this sentiment; what had been said regarding polytheists who died in unbelief (such as Muhammads own uncle Abu Talib) -- was applicable for hypocrites who died in hypocrisy. For this reason it is forbidden for a Muslim to participate in the funeral of a non-Muslim.
(A variation on the story about Muhammads actions at the funeral of Abdullah ibn Ubayy states that Muhammad was about to pray for him, when verse 84 was revealed to him and he did not pray. But it seems to me that this is certainly an alteration; it seems much more likely that the story would be changed so as to align Muhammads behavior to the texts instructions than so as to deviate from them. Another possibility is that two different occasiona are involved: the occasion of Abdullah ibn Ubayys death, and later the occasion of his funeral.)
Verse 85 repeats v. 55.
Verses 86-89 continue to castigate those who refused to join the expedition to Tabuk, and to commend those who strove hard and fought with their wealth and their lives. The idea is that those who followed Muhammad on a long journey into the northwestern desert, only to discover that the people back in Medina who had hinted that Muhammad was leading them on a wild goose chase had been correct, were heroes for doing so. And those who, lacking their expected target, made targets of the benign Christian, or quasi-Christian, towns near Tabuk and subjugated them via brazen threats of violence, kidnappings, and manslaughter, were exemplary warriors, not thugs.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
An old report implies that the first part of v. 74 is a supplement, stated when Muhammad was interrogating a man named al-Jallas ibn Suwaid. Al-Jallas had said that the disobedient men of Medina were worse than donkeys. When Muhammad asked him if he had really said this, al-Jallas first swore that he had not. But then when this revelation was delivered, he confessed.
Muhammad, it seems, did not have a hard time forgiving him. However, while that may have been the occasion on which these words were first spoken, they seem to have been transformed into part of a denunciation of the Hypocrites. The phrase that which they were unable to carry out in the second part of v. 74 probably refers to a plot by 15 men to kill Muhammad one night after his return from Tabuk. However, an alarm was sounded as the would-be assassins approached, and they rapidly departed.
Verses 75-79 describe the immoral actions of the Hypocrites: they promise to pay zakat if they become wealthy, but then they become wealthy and try to avoid paying it. And they taunt those who give lots of money to the cause, as well as those who can only afford to give a little. (It is said that one man had donated only a bag of dates, but because it was half of what he had collected in a full nights date-collection, Muhammad prized this gift; the moral of this story resembles the moral of Luke 21:1-4 regarding the widows mite.)
Their punishment is plainly stated: they are destined for the fires of hell ~ So He [Allah] punished them by putting hypocrisy in their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him. In other words, they become reprobate -- incapable of true repentance. Verse 80 describes the logical next step: where such souls are concerned, intercession attempted by Muhammad will be inconsequential. This verse probably originated as something which Muhammad delivered at the funeral of Abd Allah ibn Ubayy (who died not long after the Tabuk expedition), who had caused many problems for Muhammad.
Verse 81 describes a brief exchange between Muhammad and some men who refused to go to Tabuk: they said that the journey was too hot. Muhammad said that hell-fire is hotter. If it was not already obvious, this verse should make it clear to normal readers that only by joining the jihad and marching forth with Muhammad could the able-bodied men of Medina hope to retain salvation. The next two verses state that those who ignored the call-to-arms the first time will not be allowed to go out to fight the enemy in the future.
Verse 84 is a supplement. The son of Abdullah ibn Ubayy had requested Muhammad to come and pray for his father, who had been a leading Hypocrite of Medina, at his funeral. Muhammad was not been sure whether he should pray for that Hypocrites departed soul or not. After all, Abdullah ibn Ubayy had not gone to Tabuk. The revelation which Muhammad stated then reflected his uncertainty. But later it became clear to Muhammad that it would appear inconsistent for him to pray for people whom he had already declared that Allah had destined for hell-fire; thus this verse was revealed to him. A bit later, verses 113-114 reinforce this sentiment; what had been said regarding polytheists who died in unbelief (such as Muhammads own uncle Abu Talib) -- was applicable for hypocrites who died in hypocrisy. For this reason it is forbidden for a Muslim to participate in the funeral of a non-Muslim.
(A variation on the story about Muhammads actions at the funeral of Abdullah ibn Ubayy states that Muhammad was about to pray for him, when verse 84 was revealed to him and he did not pray. But it seems to me that this is certainly an alteration; it seems much more likely that the story would be changed so as to align Muhammads behavior to the texts instructions than so as to deviate from them. Another possibility is that two different occasiona are involved: the occasion of Abdullah ibn Ubayys death, and later the occasion of his funeral.)
Verse 85 repeats v. 55.
Verses 86-89 continue to castigate those who refused to join the expedition to Tabuk, and to commend those who strove hard and fought with their wealth and their lives. The idea is that those who followed Muhammad on a long journey into the northwestern desert, only to discover that the people back in Medina who had hinted that Muhammad was leading them on a wild goose chase had been correct, were heroes for doing so. And those who, lacking their expected target, made targets of the benign Christian, or quasi-Christian, towns near Tabuk and subjugated them via brazen threats of violence, kidnappings, and manslaughter, were exemplary warriors, not thugs.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
