Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:84

Surah At-Tawbah (9): Verse 84

And never pray [the funeral prayer] for any one of them who dies, nor stand at his grave.

Know that the Almighty commanded His Messenger (PBUH) to strive for their demoralization, humiliation, and abasement.

1. The Previous Prohibition: What was mentioned in the first verse (restricting them from going out with him for battle) was a strong means of humiliating and degrading them.
2. The Current Prohibition: What is mentioned in this verse—prohibiting the Messenger from praying over anyone who dies among them—is another strong means of their humiliation and demoralization.

Narration regarding Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul:

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (RA) that when Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul fell ill, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) visited him. He asked the Prophet (PBUH) to pray over him upon his death and stand at his grave. He then sent to the Messenger asking for his shirt to shroud him. The Prophet (PBUH) sent him his outer shirt. He returned it and requested the shirt closest to his skin for shrouding. Umar (RA) said: "Why do you give your shirt to that impure wretch?" The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "My shirt will not avail him anything with Allah, but perhaps Allah will convert a thousand people to Islam through it."

The hypocrites never left Abdullah. When they saw him requesting this shirt and hoping it would benefit him, a thousand of them embraced Islam that day.

When he died, his son, known for his piety, came to identify him. The Prophet (PBUH) told his son: "Pray over him and bury him." The son replied: "If you do not pray over him, O Messenger of Allah, no Muslim will pray over him." The Prophet (PBUH) stood up to pray over him, but Umar (RA) stood between the Messenger of Allah and the Qibla to prevent him from praying over him. Then, this verse was revealed. Jibril (AS) took hold of his garment and said: {And never pray for any one of them who dies, ever.}

The Virtue of Umar (RA):

This verse indicates a great virtue of Umar (RA), as revelation descended in agreement with his opinion in many verses, such as:

1. The verse concerning taking ransom for the captives of Badr (previously explained).
2. The verse prohibiting wine.
3. The verse changing the Qibla.
4. The verse commanding women to observe Hijab.
5. This very verse.

The revelation conforming to Umar's saying established a high rank and elevated status for him in religion. This is why the Prophet (PBUH) said concerning him: "If I had not been sent as a Prophet, Umar would have been sent as a Prophet."

Objection: How can it be permissible for the Messenger to desire praying over him after knowing he was an unbeliever who died upon his disbelief? The Messenger's prayer implies reverence and glorification. Furthermore, praying for him is supplicating for him, which is forbidden, as Allah informed him that He will never forgive disbelievers. Also, giving him the shirt implies honoring him.

Answer:

1. Reason for the Desire to Pray: When he requested the shirt that touched his skin to be buried in, it led the Prophet (PBUH) to suspect that he had converted to faith. This was a time when sinners repent and disbelievers embrace faith. Seeing his outward display of Islam and this sign suggesting his entry into Islam, the Prophet (PBUH) based his desire to pray on this assumption. When Jibril (AS) descended and informed him that he died upon his disbelief and hypocrisy, he refrained from praying over him.

2. Reasons for Giving the Shirt (Several Views):
   • First: When Al-Abbas, the uncle of the Messenger (PBUH), was taken captive at Badr, they found no shirt for him as he was a tall man, so Abdullah clothed him with his shirt.
   • Second: On the Day of Hudaybiyyah, the polytheists told him: "We will not submit to Muhammad, but we will submit to you." He replied: "No, I have an excellent example in the Messenger of Allah." The Messenger (PBUH) thanked him for this.
   • Third: Allah commanded him not to reject a beggar based on the verse: {But as for the one who asks, do not repel him} (Ad-Duha 93:10). When he requested the shirt, he gave it for this reason.
   • Fourth: Withholding the shirt is unbecoming of generous people.
   • Fifth: His son, Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Ubayy, was righteous, and the Messenger honored him because of his son.
   • Sixth: Perhaps Allah revealed to him that giving his shirt would be a catalyst for a thousand hypocrites to enter Islam, so he did it for this purpose. It is narrated that when they witnessed this, a thousand hypocrites embraced Islam.
   • Seventh: Mercy and compassion overcame him, as stated: {And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds} (Al-Anbiya 21:107) and {And by the Mercy of Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them} (Al 'Imran 3:159). Thus, he refrained from praying over him out of obedience to Allah's command, but gave him the shirt to show mercy and compassion.

Regarding the phrase: {And never pray...}

Al-Wahidi said that the word {مَاتَ} (māta - died) is in the genitive case (jar) because it is an adjective for an indefinite noun, as if it meant: "over anyone among them who is dead." The word {أَبَدًا} (abadan - ever/forever) is related to {أَحَد} (aḥad - anyone), meaning: "And never pray ever over anyone among them."

The phrase {ولا تصل أبدا} (And never pray ever) can imply either confirming the negation or confirming the negated object. The intended meaning is the former: preventing him from praying over any of them completely and permanently, as indicated by the context of these verses.

Regarding the phrase: {nor stand at his grave}

There are two interpretations:

1. Al-Zajjaj said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to stand at the grave after burial and supplicate for the deceased. He was prohibited from doing so here.
2. Al-Kalbī said: It means do not stand to manage the affairs of his grave. This is derived from the saying: "So-and-so stood for the matter of so-and-so," meaning he took care of his affairs.

The Reason for the Prohibition:

Allah then provided the reason for prohibiting the funeral prayer and standing at the grave: {Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient [fasiqun].}

Question 1: Hypocrisy (fisq) is a lesser state than outright disbelief (kufr). Since the reason for this prohibition is stated as disbelief, what is the benefit of describing them afterward as fāsiqūn (defiantly disobedient)?

Answer: A disbeliever might be righteous within his own creed. However, a hypocrite might be disobedient and detestable within his own community. Lying, hypocrisy, deceit, plotting, and scheming are reprehensible in all religions. Since the hypocrites were characterized by these traits, Allah described them as fāsiqūn after describing them as disbelievers, to indicate that the path of hypocrisy is condemned by all people of the world.

Question 2: Is the hypocrite not prayed over if he outwardly professes faith, even though disbelief remains within him?

Answer: Religious obligations are based on outward appearances. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "We judge by the outward appearance, and Allah alone takes charge of the secrets."

Question 3: The statement {That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger} explicitly states the reason for this prohibition. This implies that the ruling of Allah is being explained by a contingent cause. This is impossible, as the ruling of Allah is eternal (qadīm), while this cause is created (muḥdath). Explaining the eternal by the created is impossible.

Answer: There is a lengthy scholarly debate on whether explaining the rulings of Allah by public interests (maṣāliḥ) is permissible or not. However, this verse clearly suggests it.

{And never let their wealth and their children impress you. Allah only intends to punish them therewith in this worldly life and that their souls depart while they are disbelievers.}