Surah At-Tawbah (9): 124-125

Verse 124

It is to be noted that after Allah the Exalted mentioned the disgrace of the hypocrites and their ugly deeds, He said this.

There is a difference of opinion regarding who says this:

1. Some say that some hypocrites say this to others among themselves, intending to keep their people firm in hypocrisy.
2. Others say they say it to some of the Muslims, aiming to divert them from faith.
3. Still others say they mention it mockingly.

All interpretations are plausible. However, it cannot be taken to mean all hypocrites say this, as the narration of a state does not imply generality.

Then, Allah the Exalted responded by stating that two things result from the revelation of this Sūrah for the believers, and two things result for the disbelievers.

What results for the Believers:

1. It increases their faith: This is because upon its revelation, they must affirm it and confess that it is the truth from God. (The discussion regarding the increase and decrease of faith was fully covered at the beginning of Sūrat al-Anfāl.)
2. The rejoicing (الاستبشار) they receive: Some interpret this as the reward in the Hereafter, some as the victory and triumph achieved in this world, and some as the joy and delight resulting from these additional obligations, as these serve as a means to greater reward.

What results for the Hypocrites (those in whose hearts is disease):

1. It increases them in filthiness (رجس) along with their existing filthiness:
   • If al-Rijs refers to false beliefs, it means they were already disbelievers in previous revelations, and now they disbelieve this new Sūrah, so disbelief is added to disbelief.
   • If it refers to blameworthy characteristics, it means they were already engaged in envy, enmity, and devising schemes of deceit, and now these reprehensible traits increase due to the revelation of this new Sūrah.

2. They die upon their disbelief: This state is the opposite of the rejoicing experienced by the believers. This second state is worse and more hideous than the first, because the first state is an increase in impurity, while the second is the persistence in disbelief until death.

A Theological Discussion on Predestination and Free Will:

Our scholars use the phrase "it increases them in filthiness along with their filthiness" as evidence that Allah the Exalted may prevent a person from faith and turn them away from it. They argue that Allah knew that hearing this Sūrah would cause envy and malice in their hearts, and that this envy would cause an increase in their disbelief.

The opposing view argues that the revelation of the Sūrah does not necessitate this increased disbelief, because others heard the Sūrah and their faith increased. Therefore, this impurity is something they brought upon themselves.

Our Response (Al-Razi's position): We do not claim that listening to this Sūrah is an independent cause that tips the scale toward disbelief over faith. Rather, we say that listening to this Sūrah, for a specific soul characterized by a particular disposition and habit, causes disbelief.

The evidence for this is that a person afflicted with envy, if they wished to remove the trait of envy, could refrain from actions that indicate envy. However, the inner state of envy itself cannot be removed by mere will. The same applies to all character traits: the fundamental capacity (al-Qudra) is common to all, but the resulting character traits (al-Khuluq) vary among people.

In summary:

• A pure soul, free from the love of the world and characterized by the dominance of the love of God and the Hereafter, when hearing the Sūrah, its hearing causes an increase in their desire for the Hereafter and aversion to the world.
• However, a soul greedy for the world, consumed by its pleasures, desiring its good things, and heedless of the love of God and the Hereafter—when it hears this Sūrah, which involves striving (Jihad), risking life, and losing wealth—its disbelief increases upon its disbelief.

Thus, the revelation of this Sūrah, in the case of this disbeliever, causes an increase in impurity upon impurity. This proves that the revelation was a cause in strengthening disbelief over the disbeliever's heart, which indicates what we mentioned: that Allah the Exalted may indeed prevent a person from faith and guidance and cast them into error and disbelief.

Remaining Points in the Verse:

1. The phrase "when" (ما) in وإذا ما is an emphatic particle.
2. Rejoicing (الاستبشار) implies a request for good tidings, because whenever the blessing is remembered, gladness occurs. Thus, through the renewal of that remembrance, a renewal of good tidings is sought.
3. The phrase "And as for those in whose hearts is disease" indicates that the spirit (al-Rūḥ) has a disease. Its disease is disbelief and blameworthy characteristics, and its health is knowledge and praiseworthy characteristics. And Allah knows best.

Verse 126