ﱓ ﱔ ﱕ ﱖ ﱗ ﱘ ﱙ ﱚ ﱛ ﱜ ﱝ ﱞ ﱟ ﱠ ﱡ ﱢ ﱣ ﱤ ﱥ
And whenever a surah is revealed, there are among the hypocrites those who say, "Which of you has this increased faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing.
Tafsir
Verse range: 9:124
"And whenever a Surah is revealed"—that is, one of the Surahs of the Qur'an—"there are some among them"—meaning, among the hypocrites, as has been narrated by Qatada and others—"who say"—by way of denial and mockery towards their brethren, to confirm them in their hypocrisy, or towards the weak-hearted believers, to divert them from faith—"Which of you has this (Surah) increased in faith?"
Ubayd ibn Umayr recited ayyakum (Which of you) in the accusative case (nasb), based on the assumption of a verb explained by what is mentioned, and it is placed later because the interrogative particle holds the position of precedence. That is: Which of you has this Surah increased? Regarding the first of the two possibilities for the addressees, the increase is considered in light of the believers' conviction.
"As for those who believed"—this is an answer from the side of Allah, Glorified be His Majesty, a verification of the truth, and a specification of their state, both presently and in the future. Some exacting scholars have stated: The verse indicates that they are mocking, and that their mockery is an abominable act. Therefore, the words of the Almighty, "As for those who believed, and as for those in whose hearts is a disease..." (verse 125) serve as an elaboration of these two groups. Al-Tayyibi made this an elaboration of an elided clause, explaining it in a way that the heart does not incline toward. Regardless, the response to "whenever" (idha) is the sentence "there are some among them...", and this, along with what follows it, is not a conjunction to it.
"As for those who believed"—in Allah, Glory be to Him, and in what has come from Him—"it increased them in faith"—that is, in conviction, for that is what is immediately understood from "faith," as established in its proper place. The acceptance of conviction itself to increase, decrease, intensify, and weaken is a position held by a group of verifying scholars, and it is the view I uphold due to the apparent meanings of the verses and traditions. (Were the veil to be lifted from me, my certainty would not increase). Those who do not accept that faith itself accepts increase, and who do not include deeds within faith, say: "Its increase is through the increase of its objects and that which is believed in." This is what the words of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) point to. It has been said: A consequence of this is that faith does not increase today because the completion of the religion means there are no new objects of belief. There is a critique regarding this, even if it is stated by one whose virtues are renowned and whose words are held in high esteem. As for those who do not accept this [interpretation] and do include deeds [in faith], then increase—as well as its opposite—is manifest to them.
"And they rejoice" at its revelation, because it is a cause for the increase of their perfection and the elevation of their ranks; indeed, by my life, it is more beneficial than the scattering of the staff.
