Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:19

The words as-siqayah (providing water) and al-imarah (maintenance) are verbal nouns derived from asqā (to provide water) and amara (to maintain). The latter is used in its lightened form, for the heavy form (ammara) is said regarding a person’s lifespan, not the maintenance of a structure, as the common folk mistakenly believe. The ya in siqāyah remains firm because it is followed by the feminine ta.

The apparent meaning of the verse involves comparing an action to an agent and an attribute to an entity, which is rhetorically inappropriate here. Therefore, an estimation is necessary, either on the side of the attribute—meaning: "Have you made the people of the siqāyah and imārah like one who believes?" This is supported by the recitation of Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn al-Zubayr, Abu Ja’far, and Abu Wajzah al-Sa’di (who was a reciter, though better known for poetry) as: Ajahaltum suqāt al-ḥājj (Have you made the water-providers of the pilgrims) with a damma on the sin, as the plural of sāqin; and ‘amarat al-masjid with two fathas, as the plural of ‘āmir. Similarly, the recitation of al-Dahhak reads: siqāyat (with a damma also, along with the ya and ta) and ‘amarat, as in the previous recitation. The justification for siqāyat is that it is a plural form based on fi’āl, then made feminine, just as other plurals are made feminine, such as ḥijārah. In both of these recitations, there is a comparison of entity to entity.

Alternatively, the estimation is on the side of the entity—meaning: "Have you made both of these [actions] equal to the faith of one who believes and the striving of one who strives?" It is also said that there is no need for estimation, as the verbal noun is intended in the meaning of the active participle, and the meaning remains the same as in the first instance.

In any case, the address is either to the polytheists, by way of iltifāt (shifting of person), which is the choice of most investigators and the most immediate understanding of the structure. The specification of "faith" on the side of the object of comparison is supported by what Ibn Abi Hatim and Ibn Mardawayh recorded from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), that the polytheists said: "The maintenance of the House of Allah and attending to the water-provision is better than faith and striving." So Allah (may He be exalted) mentioned the superiority of faith in Him and striving with His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) over the polytheists’ maintenance of the House and their attendance to the water-provision. It is also supported by what Ibn Jarir and Abu al-Shaykh recorded from al-Dahhak, who said: "The Muslims turned to al-Abbas and his companions who were taken prisoner on the day of Badr, reproaching them for their polytheism. Al-Abbas said: 'By Allah, we used to maintain the Sacred Mosque, release the captive, veil the House, and provide water for the pilgrims.' So Allah (may He be exalted) revealed the verse: {Have you made...}." This is clear evidence that the address is to them while they were polytheists.

Alternatively, the address is to certain believers who preferred the siqāyah and imārah over migration (hijrah) and striving. This is supported by what Muslim, Abu Dawud, Ibn Jarir, Ibn al-Mundhir, and a group recorded from al-Nu'man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "I was near the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with a group of his companions. One of them said: 'I do not care if I perform no deed for Allah after Islam except providing water to the pilgrims.' Another said: 'Nay, rather the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque.' And another said: 'Nay, rather striving in the cause of Allah is better than what you said.' Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked them and said: 'Do not raise your voices near the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).' This was on a Friday. But when you have finished the Friday prayer, I will enter upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and ask his verdict regarding what you differed about." Then Allah (may He be exalted) revealed the verse up to His saying: {And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people}.

It is also narrated through various chains that the verse was revealed concerning Ali (may Allah be honored) and al-Abbas, for the former said to him: "O uncle, if you were to migrate to Medina..." to which he replied: "Am I not in something better than migration? Do I not provide water for the pilgrims and maintain the House?" This is clear that al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was at that time a Muslim, contrary to what is suggested by some of the aforementioned reports. This view is supported by the fact that it is appropriate in responding to them by explaining that they are not equal before Allah to the second group, and by explaining the superiority of their degree before Allah.

The apparent inclusion of the first group in the response—in a manner that implies they are not entirely deprived of virtue—is due to the superlative form (af'al at-tafḍīl). Making the content an aside to favor those who possessed those qualities over other Muslims is contrary to the apparent meaning. The same applies to the claim that it was prompted to favor them over the providers of water and maintenance among the disbelievers (for even if they have no degree before Allah, it is according to their own claim and assertion). It has been objected that this offers little benefit, for if it does not suggest they are not deprived, it also does not suggest they are deprived. The discussion regarding the first view is a reproach to the polytheists, and its pivot is the denial of comparing themselves—in terms of being characterized by their two aforementioned traits, while ignoring their state of polytheism—to the believers in terms of their characterization by faith and striving. Or, it is the denial of comparing those two traits in and of themselves, while ignoring their accompaniment by polytheism, to faith and striving.

The view of considering the accompaniment [of polytheism] is something that the investigators have avoided because the context rejects it. How could it be otherwise, when their deeds have been declared null (ḥubūṭ) by that very accompaniment, rendering them as non-existent? Thus, to reproach them afterwards for comparing those deeds to faith and striving, then to refute that in a way suggesting they are not entirely deprived of the essence of virtue, is not supported by the noble structure. If that were considered, there would be no need to establish the denial of the comparison and confirm it with anything else, for there is nothing more obviously invalid than relating the non-existent to the existing. It is said: There is no obstacle to considering it, and the abandonment of the aforementioned declaration of nullity and the non-deprivation suggested by it is built upon that—and in that is what is in it.

The meaning is: "Have you made the people of the siqāyah and imārah, in terms of virtue and high degree, like one who believes in Allah and the Last Day and strives in His cause? Or have you made both of these [actions], in that regard, like faith and striving?" And how vast is the difference between them! For although the siqāyah and imārah are in themselves acts of piety and goodness, yet even if they were free of impediments, they are far from being comparable to the people of faith and striving, or from the deeds themselves being comparable to faith and striving. This is [the meaning of] His saying (may He be exalted): {They are not equal before Allah}—meaning the first group is not equal to the second. Its apparent meaning favors the first estimation. If the intention is that they are not equal in their attributes, it returns to the negation of equality in attributes, thus agreeing with the reproach in the second estimation. The attribution of "lack of equality" to the individuals described is because the most important thing is to explain their disparity, and directing the negation here and the reproach in the previous [verse] toward equality and comparison [is fitting], even though the claim of the boasters of the siqāyah and imārah (among the polytheists or believers) is for preference, not equality and similarity, in order to hyperbolize the response to them. For the negation of equality and similarity is a negation of preference a fortiori. However, one should know that the preference claimed by the polytheists suggests the establishment of the essence of virtue for the one who is preferred over, and they are far from believing that. How could it be imagined that there is virtue in their fighting and killing, or that there is virtue in faith which entails deeming their opinion regarding what they are upon as foolish? Therefore, this must be a matter of "concessionary argumentation" (al-mujārāh), so do not be inattentive.

The sentence is a resumption to establish the aforementioned denial and to emphasize it. Abu al-Baqa permitted it to be a state (ḥāl) from the two objects of ja'l (making), with the link being the plural pronoun, as if it were said: "You have equated them while they are disparate before Allah."

{And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people}—They are intended as the polytheists, and by "wrongdoing" is meant polytheism, or placing something in other than its proper place, whether it be polytheism or otherwise. Thus, their wrongdoing in that "making" is included, and this is more hyperbolic in condemnation. The intention by "guidance" is the guidance that leads to the destination, not absolute guidance, because that does not suit the context. This is a judgment from Him (may He be exalted) that He (may He be glorified) does not grant these wrongdoers success in knowing the truth and distinguishing the weightier from the inferior. Perhaps it was prompted to further establish the lack of equality.