Surah At-Tawbah (The Repentance): Verse 112

The Repentant, The Worshipers, The Praisers...

Know that when Allah mentioned in the first verse that He has "purchased from the believers their lives and their properties in exchange for Paradise" (9:111), He clarified in this verse that those believers are the ones described by these nine attributes.

There are two main issues concerning this verse:

Issue 1: The Grammatical Status (Rafa') of "The Repentant, The Worshipers, The Praisers..."

There are several interpretations regarding the nominative case (Rafa') of the phrase: {التائبون العابدون الحامدون السائحون} (The Repentant, The Worshipers, The Praisers, The Travelers/Fasters...).

1. As a Commendation (Madḥ): The implied structure is: "They are the Repentant," meaning the believers mentioned in the preceding verse (9:111) are these Repentant ones.
2. As a New Subject (Mubtada'): Al-Zajjaj suggested that {التائبون} (The Repentant) is the subject, and the predicate is omitted, implying: "The Repentant, the Worshipers, are also people of Paradise," even if they did not strive (Jihad). This view is strong because it ensures the promise of Paradise applies to all believers. If we treat it as an appositive (تابع) to the beginning of the discourse, the promise applies specifically to the fighters (Mujāhidūn).
3. As an Appositive (Badal): {التائبون} is a subject, or it is in the nominative case as an appositive to the pronoun in {يقاتلون} (they fight).
4. Subject and Predicates: {التائبون} is the subject, and {العابدون} (The Worshipers) until the end of the verse are successive predicates (khabar ba'da khabar). Meaning: The truly repentant from disbelief are those who gather these characteristics.

• Variant Reading: Ubayy and 'Abdullah read it in the accusative case ({التائبين} - The Repentant ones) down to {والصائمات والحافظين} (and the fasting women and the male guardians).
  • Reason 1: It is in the accusative case as an expression of praise (Naṣb 'ala al-Madḥ).
  • Reason 2: It is in the genitive case (Jarr), describing the believers (Sifah lil-Mu'minīn).

Issue 2: Interpretation of the Nine Attributes

• Ibn 'Abbas (RA): They are those who repent from Shirk (polytheism).
• Al-Hasan: They are those who repent from Shirk and Hypocrisy (Nifāq).
• The Scholars of Usul (Principles of Jurisprudence): They are those who repent from every sin. This is preferable because repentance can be from disbelief or from sin, and the definite article (Alif and Lām) in {التائبون} implies generality, encompassing all sins. Restricting it only to repentance from disbelief is mere assumption.

• The Nature of True Repentance: We have elaborated on the reality of repentance in the commentary on Surah Al-Baqarah (2:37). True repentance requires four conditions:
  1. The heart burning immediately over having committed the sin.
  2. Regret for what has passed.
  3. A firm resolve to abandon it in the future.
  4. The driving force behind these three must be the pursuit of Allah's pleasure and servitude to Him. If the motive is to ward off people's blame or gain their praise, or any other worldly goal, then one is not truly repentant.

• Ibn 'Abbas (RA): Those who see the worship of Allah as obligatory upon them.
• The Theologians (Mutakallimūn): Those who perform acts of worship, which is defined as performing an action that signifies the utmost glorification of Allah.
• Ibn 'Abbas (RA) (Alternative): Knowledge of Allah and acknowledging the obligation of obedience to Him is an act of the heart. For the attribute to apply, performing one instance of that category of action is sufficient.
• Al-Hasan: Those who worship Allah in ease and hardship.
• Qatadah: A people who exerted themselves physically day and night.

They are those who fulfill the right of thanking Allah for His blessings, both religious and worldly, and make the expression of this gratitude their habit.

We have previously mentioned that glorification (Tasbīḥ), declaration of oneness (Taḥlīl), and praise (Taḥmīd) are attributes of those who worshipped Allah before the creation of the world (the Angels, who said, "We glorify You with Your praise" before Adam's creation). They are also the attribute of those who worship Allah after the world's ruin, as the people of Paradise will praise Allah (their call therein will be "Subhanaka Allahumma," and their greeting therein will be "Salam"). They are the ones intended by {والحامدون}.

There are several opinions on this:

1. The Majority of Commentators: They are those who fast (Ṣā'imūn). Ibn 'Abbas said that every mention of Siyāḥah (traveling/wandering) in the Qur'an refers to fasting. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The Siyāḥah of my Ummah is fasting." Al-Hasan said this refers to obligatory fasting. Some say it refers to those who fast continuously.
   • Reason 1 for Equating Sā'iḥ with Ṣā'im: Al-Azhari said the faster is called a Sā'iḥ because a traveler devoted to worship often carries no provisions and thus abstains from food, just as the faster abstains.
   • Reason 2: The root of Siyāḥah implies continuous movement, like flowing water. The faster continuously adheres to obedience and abstains from desires (eating, drinking, intercourse).
   • My Own View: When a person refrains from food, drink, and intercourse, closing the doors of desire, the doors of wisdom open, and the lights of majesty become manifest. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Whoever sincerely dedicates himself to Allah for forty mornings, springs of wisdom will flow from his heart onto his tongue." Such a person becomes a traveler (Sā'iḥ) in the realm of Allah's majesty, moving from station to station, achieving a spiritual journey (Siyāḥah) in the realm of the spiritual.

2. Seekers of Knowledge: They are those who travel from land to land seeking knowledge. This is the view of 'Ikrimah. Wahb ibn Munabbih narrated that Siyāḥah existed among the Children of Israel; if a man traveled for forty years, he would see what those before him saw. One man, the son of a prostitute, traveled for forty years and saw nothing. He asked, "O Lord, what is my fault that my mother was wicked?" Then Allah showed him what the travelers saw. Travel has a great effect on perfecting the soul because one encounters various hardships requiring patience, provisions may run out requiring reliance on Allah, one meets different excellent people from whom one gains specific benefits, one may meet great figures and thus humble oneself, and one witnesses the varied states of the world's people, strengthening one's knowledge. In summary, Siyāḥah has strong effects on religion.

3. Those Who Travel for Jihad/Migration: Abu Muslim said {السائحون} means those who travel the earth, derived from Sayḥ (flowing water). This refers to those who go out for Jihad or Hijra (migration). Since the first verse urged believers to Jihad, this verse describes the attributes of the Mujāhidūn, so they should possess all these qualities.

This refers to establishing the prayers (Ṣalawāt).

• Al-Qadi's View: The bowing (Rukū') and prostration (Sujūd) are mentioned as a metaphor for the entire prayer because the other postures (standing and sitting) are common actions. What distinguishes the worshiper is the bowing and prostration, which signify the utmost humility and servitude. Thus, these two are singled out to indicate that the goal of prayer is ultimate submission and glorification.

The detailed rulings concerning enjoining good and forbidding evil constitute a major chapter in the science of Usul (Jurisprudence Principles) and cannot be fully detailed here.

• Implication for Jihad: This implies the obligation of Jihad, as the greatest good is faith in Allah, and the greatest evil is disbelief in Allah. Jihad compels adherence to faith and deters from disbelief, thus falling under enjoining good and forbidding evil.

• The Conjunction 'Waw' (And) in {والناهون عن المنكر}: Why is 'Waw' used here when the preceding attributes were listed without it?
  1. Equivalence in Conjunction: Sometimes conjunctions are used for equivalence, and sometimes they are omitted. Allah says in Surah Ghafir: {Forgiver of sin, Acceptor of repentance, Severe in punishment, Possessor of bounty} (40:3), where some attributes use 'Waw' and others do not.
  2. Emphasis on Jihad: The purpose of these verses is to encourage Jihad. Allah mentioned six attributes, then said: {Enjoining good and forbidding evil}. The implication is that those described by the first six attributes are the enjoiners of good and forbidders of evil. Since Jihad is the head of enjoining good and forbidding evil, the 'Waw' serves to highlight this connection.
  3. Increased Difficulty: The preceding attributes are acts of worship performed for oneself, with no direct relation to others. However, forbidding evil involves others, which can provoke anger, hostility, and even physical assault or murder against the one forbidding. Therefore, forbidding evil is the most arduous form of worship, and the 'Waw' is added to indicate this added hardship and trial.

This means preserving the limits set by Allah. Allah's injunctions are generally divided into two types:

1. Acts of Worship ('Ibādāt): Those established for religious benefit, not necessarily worldly utility (e.g., Prayer, Zakat, Fasting, Hajj, Jihad, freeing slaves, vows, and other acts of righteousness).
2. Dealings/Transactions (Mu'āmalāt): These aim either to bring benefits or repel harms.

A. Bringing Benefits: Benefits are either primary or secondary.

• Primary Benefits (Sensory Pleasures): Related to the five senses:
  • Taste: Covered by the Fiqh chapters on Foods and Drinks. Since animals require specific slaughtering methods, this includes the chapters on Hunting, Slaughtering, and Sacrifices.
  • Touch: Covered by rulings on sexual intercourse (marriage), suckling, necessities of marriage (dower, maintenance, housing), issues of division of time and marital discord, and causes for dissolving marriage (divorce, Khul', Iylā', Ẓihār, Li'ān). Also included are rulings on permissible and impermissible clothing and utensils (like gold and silver vessels).
  • Sight: Rulings on what is permissible or impermissible to look at.
  • Hearing: Rulings on permissible or impermissible listening.
  • Smell: Less discussed by jurists.
• Secondary Benefits (Wealth): Discussed in three ways:
  • Means of Ownership: Sale (exchange of object for object, debt for object, object for debt, or debt for debt—the last being disputed, though debt settlement is permissible). Also includes leasing (Ijarah), commission contracts (Ja'ālah), and partnership contracts (Muḍārabah). Other means include inheritance, gift, bequest, reviving barren land, finding lost items, spoils of war (Fay' and Ghanā'im), and Zakat collection.
  • Means Allowing Non-Owner to Use Property: Agency (Wakālah), deposit (Wadī'ah), etc.
  • Means Preventing Owner from Using His Property: Pledge (Rahn), bankruptcy (Taflees), leasing, etc.

B. Repelling Harms: Harms are categorized into five areas:

1. Harm to Souls (Nufūs): Resulting in retaliation (Qiṣāṣ), blood money (Diyyah), or expiation (Kaffārah) for total harm, or Qiṣāṣ, Diyyah, or compensation (Irsh) for partial harm (e.g., cutting a limb).
2. Harm to Wealth (Amwāl): Through open aggression (Ghaṣb/Usurpation) or stealth (Sariqah/Theft).
3. Harm to Religion (Adyān): Disbelief (Kufr, covered by apostasy rulings) or Heresy (Bid'ah—jurists lack a dedicated chapter).
4. Harm to Lineage (Ansāb): Prohibitions against adultery (Zinā) and sodomy (Liwāṭ) and their prescribed punishments, as well as the rulings on slander (Qadhf) and Li'ān.
5. Harm to Intellect ('Uqūl): (Not explicitly detailed here, but implied in the scope of protecting life/well-being).

The Role of the Ruler and Evidence: Since individuals cannot always enforce their rights or repel harms themselves (especially if weak), Allah established the Imam (Ruler) to implement rulings, supported by deputies (Emirs and Judges). Since no one's word is accepted against another without proof, the Shari'ah established specific forms of evidence, primarily testimony (Shahādah), requiring specific conditions for claims and evidence presentation.

Thus, {الحافظون لحدود الله} comprehensively covers all these detailed rulings and limits established throughout the Qur'an, whether detailed or explained by the Prophet (PBUH).

• Critique of Jurists: The jurists focused their works on the rulings concerning the actions of the limbs (A'māl al-Jawāriḥ). They neglected the rulings concerning the actions of the hearts (A'māl al-Qulūb), failing to establish dedicated chapters for them, despite the fact that actions of the limbs are ultimately sought to achieve the state of the heart. The verse {الحافظون لحدود الله} encompasses both categories, but the rulings of the heart are more important.

Finally, Allah says: {وبشر المؤمنين} (And give good tidings to the believers). This connects back to the earlier verse: {So rejoice in your transaction which you have undertaken} (9:111). By mentioning these nine attributes and then commanding the good tidings, Allah indicates that the glad tidings are reserved only for the believers described by these specific attributes.

Why Detail Eight and Summarize the Ninth?

The first eight attributes (Repentance, Worship, Praise, Travel/Fasting, Bowing, Prostrating, Enjoining Good, Forbidding Evil) are matters that the accountable person is rarely free from during most of their time. Therefore, Allah detailed them. The remaining matters (like rulings on sales, contracts, and criminal law) are things a person might be free from for long periods. Furthermore, the first eight primarily concern the states of the heart (even if some are physical acts), and maintaining the state of the heart is more important than maintaining outward appearances, hence their detailed mention. The rest are summarized in the comprehensive term: {الحافظون لحدود الله}.

Surah At-Tawbah: Verses 113-114

It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of the Hellfire.

And the prayer of Abraham for his father was not but because of a promise he had promised him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed, Abraham was ever compassionate, forbearing.