| At-Tawbah (The Repentance): (63) Do they not know...

Know that the purpose of this verse is also to explain the condition of the hypocrites who held back from the Battle of Tabuk. There are several issues in the verse:

Issue 1: The meaning of the address: The scholars of meaning (Ahl al-Ma'ani) state that the phrase, {Do you not know} (أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ), is addressed to someone whom one has tried to teach for a long time, exerted much effort in teaching, yet they still have not learned. It is then said to them: "Do you not know after these long hours and extended period?" This phrasing is appropriate because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stayed with them for a long time, and his warnings against disobeying Allah and encouragements toward obedience were frequent.

The pronoun in {that it is He} (أَنَّهُ) refers to the matter/affair (ضمير الأمر والشأن). The meaning is: "The matter/affair is such and such." The benefit of using this pronoun is that if the subject and predicate were mentioned immediately after the word أَنَّ (that), it would not carry much weight. However, when you say, "The matter/affair is such and such," it imparts greater solemnity and awe to the statement.

Regarding {whoever opposes Allah} (مَنْ يُحَادِدِ اللَّهَ): Al-Layth said: "I opposed him" (حاددته) means I contradicted him. Muhādada is like avoidance, enmity, and contradiction. Its derivation is from hadd (boundary/limit). The meaning of "So-and-so opposed so-and-so" (حادَّ فلانٌ فلاناً) is that he entered a boundary other than the boundary of the other person, similar to His saying: "He split from him" (شاقه), meaning he entered a split other than his split.

The meaning of {whoever opposes Allah} (مَنْ يُحَادِدِ اللَّهَ) is that he enters a boundary other than the boundary of the allies of Allah through opposition. Abu Muslim said: Muhādada is derived from hadīd (iron), the material of weapons.

The commentators here have several expressions: some say it means he allies himself with Allah (يحالف الله), some say he wages war against Allah (يحارب الله), some say he defies Allah (يعاند الله), and some say he shows enmity toward Allah (يعاد الله).

Then He said: {then indeed, for him is the Fire of Hell} (فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ). There are several interpretations for this:

1. The implied meaning is: "Then it is right that for him is the Fire of Hell."
2. It means: "Then for him is the Fire of Hell," with the repetition serving for emphasis.
3. We can say that the response to the conditional particle man (مَنْ) is omitted. The meaning is: "Do they not know that whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger will perish, then indeed, for him is the Fire of Hell."

Al-Zajjaj said that it is permissible to read أَنَّ (that) with a kasra (i.e., إِنَّ) as a new sentence following the fa' (فَـ), and the reading with fath (أَنَّ) is also valid. Al-Ka'bi narrated in his Tafsir that the reading with kasra is also attested.

Abu Muslim said: Jahannam is one of the names of the Fire. The people of language report that Arabs call a very deep well al-Jahnam. Thus, it is possible that Jahannam is derived from this word, and the meaning of its deep pit is that its punishment has no end. Khālid (خَالِدِينَ) means eternal. Khizy (خِزْيٌ) can mean regret/remorse or shame. Regret is more appropriate here, due to His saying: {And they will conceal their regret when they see the punishment} (وَأَسَرُّوا النَّدَامَةَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَذَابَ).

! 7 < { The hypocrites fear that a Sura might be sent down concerning them, informing them of what is in their hearts. Say, "Mock on! Indeed, Allah will bring forth that which you fear." } > 7 !

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