Surah At-Tawbah (The Repentance): Verse 53

Know that when Allah (Exalted is He) clarified in the first verse that the consequence for these hypocrites is punishment in this world and the Hereafter, He then clarified that even if they perform some righteous deeds, they will not benefit from them in the Hereafter. The purpose is to show that the causes of punishment in both worlds are combined for them, and the causes of comfort and good are removed from them in this world and the Hereafter. There are several issues in this verse:

Ḥamzah and al-Kisā’ī recited كرها (with a ḍammah on the kāf) here, and in Surah An-Nisā’ and Al-Ahqāf. ‘Āṣim and Ibn ‘Āmir recited it with a ḍammah in Al-Ahqāf (implying hardship/difficulty), but with a fatḥah in An-Nisā’ and At-Tawbah (implying compulsion/coercion). The rest recited it with a fatḥah in all instances.

It is said that they are two linguistic variations. Or, the ḍammah signifies hardship (mashaqqah), and the fatḥah signifies what one is forced to do (ikrāh).

Ibn ‘Abbās said that this verse was revealed concerning Jadd ibn Qays when he said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Grant me leave to stay behind, and this is what I can offer you in aid [i.e., nothing]."

Know that even if the occasion of revelation is specific, the ruling is general. The statement: {Spend willingly or unwillingly} (أنفقوا طوعا أو كرها), although phrased as a command, carries the meaning of a condition and its consequence. The meaning is: Whether you spend willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you.

Know that the imperative (command) and the declarative (statement of fact) are closely related, so it is appropriate for each to stand in place of the other.

1. Imperative standing for a declarative: As is the case here, and as in His saying: {Ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them} (At-Tawbah: 80), and in His saying: {Whoever is in error, let the Most Merciful extend his rope for him} (Maryam: 75).
2. Declarative standing for an imperative: As in His saying: {Mothers shall nurse their offspring} (Al-Baqarah: 233), and {Divorced women shall keep themselves in waiting} (Al-Baqarah: 288). Al-Kuthayyir said:

   "Whether you treat us badly or well, there is no blame upon us, nor will we be shunned if the matter becomes difficult."

The phrase {willingly or unwillingly} (طوعا أو كرها) means willingly or unwillingly. There are two interpretations:

1. Willingly, without compulsion from Allah and His Messenger, or unwillingly due to compulsion from Allah and His Messenger. The compulsion from Allah is termed ikrāh because they are hypocrites, so Allah’s command for them to spend was difficult for them, like coercion.
2. The implied meaning is: Willingly, without coercion from your leaders, or unwillingly due to coercion from them. This is because the leaders of the hypocrites used to compel their followers to spend due to the perceived benefit in it, or they were coerced by their leaders.

Then Allah Almighty said: {it will never be accepted from you} (لن يتقبل منكم). This could mean that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) will not accept those funds from them, or it could mean that they will not be accepted by Allah.

Then Allah Almighty said: {Indeed, you were a people of defiantly disobedient conduct} (إنكم كنتم قوما فاسقين). This indicates that the non-acceptance is attributed to their being fāsiqūn (defiantly disobedient).

Al-Jubbā’ī said that the verse indicates that fisq (disobedience) nullifies acts of obedience. This is because Allah stated that their spending would never be accepted, and He attributed this to their fisq. The meaning of acceptance (تقبل) is reward and praise. If it is not accepted, it means there is no reward or praise. Since this is attributed to fisq, it indicates that fisq affects the removal of this meaning.

Furthermore, Al-Jubbā’ī supported this with their famous proof on this issue: Fisq necessitates perpetual condemnation and punishment, while obedience necessitates perpetual praise and reward. Combining the two is impossible. Therefore, combining the attainment of what is deserved from both is impossible.

Know that it was incumbent upon him [Al-Jubbā’ī] not to mention this line of reasoning after Allah removed this doubt in the most eloquent manner, which is His saying: {And what has prevented their spending from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger} (At-Tawbah: 54).

Here, the Exalted clarified with explicit wording that nothing prevents the acceptance of these deeds except disbelief in Allah and His Messenger. At this point, this statement becomes the clearest proof that fisq does not nullify acts of obedience. This is because when Allah said: {Indeed, you were a people of defiantly disobedient conduct} (إنكم كنتم قوما فاسقين), it is as if a questioner asked: Is this ruling attributed to the general state of those deeds being fisq, or to the specific nature of those deeds being described by that fisq?

Allah clarified by saying what removes this doubt: that the non-acceptance is not attributed to the general state of being fāsiq, but rather to the specific attribute, which is that the fisq is disbelief (kufr). Thus, this reasoning is proven to be invalid.

Translation of Verse 54 (for context): "And what has prevented their spending from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and do not come to prayer except while they are lazy and do not spend except while they are unwilling."