يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ جَـٰهِدِ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ 9
Translations
O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them. And their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination.
Transliteration
Ya ayyuha an-nabiyyu jahid al-kuffara wa-al-munafiqin wa-aghlutz alayhim. Wa-ma'awaahum jahannam wa-bi'sa al-masir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah addresses the Prophet Muhammad, commanding him to strive (jihad) against the disbelievers and hypocrites with firmness and severity in his stance toward them. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this encompasses both spiritual struggle through preaching and, when necessary, physical defense of the faith community. The ayah concludes with a stern warning that the final destination of those who reject the message and harbor hypocrisy is Hellfire, an evil abode.
Revelation Context
This ayah is situated within Surah At-Tahrim (revealed in Medina), which addresses various disciplinary and moral directives to the Muslim community. It comes in the context of the Prophet's ongoing mission to establish Islam against opposition from both open disbelievers (kuffar) and those who claimed faith outwardly while harboring doubt (munafiqun), a particular challenge in the Medinan period.
Related Hadiths
The Hadith of Jibreel (Sahih Muslim 8) discusses the levels of faith and Islam, distinguishing between true believers and those whose faith is questionable. Additionally, the Prophet's directive to 'command the good and forbid the evil' (various collections) relates to the active striving mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that standing firm against falsehood and moral corruption is not merely permitted but commanded, requiring both conviction and appropriate firmness in manner. It reminds us that ultimate judgment belongs to Allah alone, encouraging us to fulfill our responsibilities in upholding truth while leaving outcomes to the Divine.
Related Ayahs
وَمَرْيَمَ ٱبْنَتَ عِمْرَٰنَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَـٰتِ رَبِّهَا وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ ٱلْقَـٰنِتِينَ
And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of ʿImrān, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel [i.e., Gabriel], and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient.
إِن تَتُوبَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ فَقَدْ صَغَتْ قُلُوبُكُمَا ۖ وَإِن تَظَـٰهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰهُ وَجِبْرِيلُ وَصَـٰلِحُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ ظَهِيرٌ
If you two [wives] repent to Allāh, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you cooperate against him - then indeed Allāh is his protector, and Gabriel and the righteous of the believers and the angels, moreover, are [his] assistants.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ إِنَّمَا تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
O you who have disbelieved, make no excuses that Day. You will only be recompensed for what you used to do.
وَإِذْ أَسَرَّ ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِلَىٰ بَعْضِ أَزْوَٰجِهِۦ حَدِيثًا فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَتْ بِهِۦ وَأَظْهَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ عَرَّفَ بَعْضَهُۥ وَأَعْرَضَ عَنۢ بَعْضٍ ۖ فَلَمَّا نَبَّأَهَا بِهِۦ قَالَتْ مَنْ أَنۢبَأَكَ هَـٰذَا ۖ قَالَ نَبَّأَنِىَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْخَبِيرُ
And [remember] when the Prophet confided to one of his wives a statement; and when she informed [another] of it and Allāh showed it to him, he made known part of it and ignored a part. And when he informed her about it, she said, "Who told you this?" He said, "I was informed by the Knowing, the Aware."