Surah At-Tawbah (9): Verse 6

Issues in the Verse:

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas that a polytheist said to Ali ibn Abi Talib: "If we wish to approach the Messenger after this specified term ends to hear the word of Allah or for another need, will we be killed?" Ali replied: "No, for Allah Almighty said: {And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection} (9:6), meaning grant him security until he hears the word of Allah."

The rationale for this statement is as follows: When Allah obligated the killing of polytheists after the sacred months elapsed, it indicated that Allah's proof (Hujjah) had been established against them. The previous signs and clear proofs presented by the Messenger were sufficient to remove any excuse from them. This implies that if any polytheist requested further proof or argument, he should not be entertained; rather, he should be asked either to accept Islam or face death. Since this situation was likely to arise in people's minds, Allah mentioned this verse to remove this doubt.

The purpose of the verse is to clarify that if a disbeliever comes seeking proof, evidence, or wishing to listen to the Qur'an, it is obligatory to grant him respite, it is forbidden to kill him, and he must be escorted to a place of safety.

This indicates two things:

1. The ultimate goal of legislating the killing (of those who refuse faith) is the acceptance of religion and the affirmation of Tawhid (monotheism).
2. Contemplation (Nazar) upon the religion of Allah is among the highest stations and ranks. The disbeliever whose blood was otherwise forfeit (due to his disbelief) has that forfeiture removed when he shows himself to be a seeker of contemplation and reasoning. Thus, the Messenger is obligated to convey him to safety.

The word أحد (Ahad, "any one") is in the nominative case (marfu') due to an implied verb, which is then explained by the explicit phrase: i.e., "if any one seeks your protection." It cannot be nominative by being the subject (Mubtada') because Inna (إنّ) is one of the particles that acts upon verbs (i.e., it governs a nominal sentence, but here it is followed by a verb structure).

Objection: If the implied structure is as you mentioned (i.e., Wa in istajaraka ahadun), what is the wisdom in abandoning the actual grammatical order?

Answer: The wisdom, as stated by Sibawayh, is that they prioritize what is most important or what they are currently concerned with. We have already established that the apparent meaning of the preceding verses implies the permissibility of shedding the polytheists' blood. Therefore, mentioning this exception first demonstrates the greater care taken to protect their blood from being shed unjustly.

Al-Zajjaj said: The meaning is: "If any one of them asks you for protection from killing until he hears the word of Allah, then grant him protection."

The Mu'tazilah argued: This verse proves that the Word of Allah is heard by the disbeliever, the believer, the heretic, and the righteous. Since what the masses hear consists only of these letters and sounds, it proves that the Word of Allah is only these letters and sounds.

It is self-evident that letters and sounds cannot be eternal (Qadim). Allah's speaking these letters must either occur simultaneously or sequentially:

1. Simultaneously: If they occurred all at once, this organized speech would not be formed, as speech only results from letters appearing successively. If they appeared simultaneously without sequence, organization would not occur, and thus speech would not result.
2. Sequentially: If they occurred sequentially, the preceding sound must cease for the succeeding one to occur, which necessitates that the speech is created (Muhdath).

They concluded: Therefore, this proves that the Word of Allah is created. If you argue that the Word of Allah is something distinct from these letters and sounds, this is false, because the Messenger, by saying "the Word of Allah," was only referring to these letters and sounds.

As for the Hashawiyyah (literalists) and the foolish people, they said: This verse proves that the Word of Allah is only these letters and sounds, and it also proves that the Word of Allah is eternal. Therefore, we must affirm the eternity of letters and sounds.

Scholarly Discussion: Know that the scholar Abu Bakr ibn Furak claimed that when we hear these letters and sounds, we have simultaneously heard the Word of Allah. However, the rest of the scholars rejected this view. This is because that eternal Word is either identical to these letters and sounds, or it is something else distinct from them.

1. The First Case (Identity): This is the view of the rabble and the Hashawiyyah, which is unsuitable for the rational.
2. The Second Case (Distinction): This is false because, under this assumption, when we hear these letters and sounds, we must have heard something else different from the essence of these letters and sounds. Yet, we know necessarily that upon hearing these letters and sounds, we heard nothing other than them, nor did our sense of hearing perceive anything else distinct from them. Thus, this argument fails.

The Correct Response to the Mu'tazilah: We say: What we hear is not the essence of the Word of Allah according to your doctrine. Because, according to you, the Word of Allah is only the letters and sounds that He created initially. Rather, those initial letters and sounds have passed away, and what we hear now are letters and sounds created by human beings. Therefore, the consequence you attribute to us is actually incumbent upon you.

Know that Abu Ali al-Jubba'i, due to the strength of this refutation, adopted a strange position: He said the Word of Allah is something distinct from the letters and sounds, and it remains present with every reciter's recitation. The Mu'tazilah unanimously rejected this view. (And Allah knows best.)

This verse proves that mere imitation (Taqlid) is insufficient in religion; contemplation and reasoning (Istidlal) are necessary. If imitation were sufficient, this disbeliever would not need to be given respite; instead, he would be told: "Either believe, or we kill you." Since he was not told this, but rather was granted respite, relieved of fear, and obligated to be escorted to safety, we know this was only because imitation in religion is insufficient; proof and evidence are necessary. Thus, he was given respite so that he might have time for contemplation and reasoning.

Once this is established, we say: The verse does not specify the duration of this respite. Perhaps its measure is known only by custom (Urf). Whenever signs appear on the polytheist indicating he is seeking the truth and investigating the path of reasoning, he is given respite and left alone. But if he shows aversion to the truth, pushing away the time with lies, he is not heeded. (And Allah knows best.)

What is mentioned in the verse is seeking to hear the Qur'an. We say that this is joined by seeking to hear the proofs, and seeking answers to doubts. The evidence for this is that Allah qualified the obligation of granting protection by stating the reason: {because they are a people who do not know} (9:6, implied context). The meaning is: "Grant him protection because he is seeking knowledge and guidance to the truth." Whoever possesses this characteristic, granting him protection is obligatory.

Regarding the phrase {until he hears the word of Allah}: There are several interpretations:

1. It means hearing the entire Qur'an, because the completion of the proof and clear evidence is contained within it.
2. It means hearing Surah Bara'ah (At-Tawbah), because it contains the manner of dealing with the polytheists.
3. It means hearing all the proofs. The Qur'an was specified because it is the Book containing the majority of the proofs.

The phrase {Then deliver him to his place of safety} means: Convey him to the lands of his people where they are safe in terms of their lives and property. Only after that is it permissible to fight them and kill them.

The jurists stated: If a hostile disbeliever enters the land of Islam, he and his wealth are considered spoils of war (Maghnum), unless he enters seeking a legitimate purpose, such as:

1. Seeking to hear the Word of Allah in hope of accepting Islam.
2. Entering for trade.

If a minor or an insane person enters under a guarantee of safety (Aman), their guarantee is treated as a doubtful guarantee (Shubhat Aman), and he must be escorted to his place of safety—meaning he must be conveyed safely, with his life and property secured, to a place where he is safe.

If one of them enters as an envoy (Rasul), the status of being an envoy grants him security (Aman). If one enters to retrieve property belonging to him that is in the land of Islam, that property grants him security (for the purpose of retrieval). (And Allah knows best.)

Surah At-Tawbah (9): Verse 7