وَأَذَٰنٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلنَّاسِ يَوْمَ ٱلْحَجِّ ٱلْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَرِىٓءٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ۙ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ۚ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِى ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ 3
Translations
And [it is] an announcement from Allāh and His Messenger to the people on the day of the greater pilgrimage that Allāh is disassociated from the disbelievers, and [so is] His Messenger. So if you repent, that is best for you; but if you turn away - then know that you will not cause failure to Allāh. And give tidings to those who disbelieve of a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Wa adhānun min-Allāhi wa rasūlihī ilā an-nāsi yawm al-hajji al-akbar anna Allāha barī'un min al-mushrikīn wa rasūluh, fa-in tubtum fa-huwa khayrun lakum wa-in tawallītum fa-'lamū anna-kum ghayru mu'jizī Allāh, wa bashshir alladhīn kafarū bi-'adhābin alīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah conveys an announcement (adhān) from Allah and His Messenger to the people on the Day of the Greatest Pilgrimage (Day of Arafah during Hajj) that Allah disassociates Himself from the polytheists, and His Messenger does likewise. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to the proclamation made by Ali ibn Abi Talib on behalf of the Prophet (peace be upon him) during the Hajj of 9 AH, formally breaking the treaty with polytheists and announcing they could no longer perform Hajj alongside Muslims. The ayah then offers repentance as a path to salvation while warning that those who persist in disbelief cannot escape Allah's punishment.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah, which deals with the breaking of treaties and a shift in Allah's command regarding polytheists. It specifically relates to the ninth year of Hijrah when the Prophet sent Ali ibn Abi Talib to announce at the Ka'bah that polytheists could no longer perform Hajj and that treaty obligations with them were voided, marking a decisive turn in the Islamic state's policy toward idolaters.
Related Hadiths
Imam At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Jarir report that Ali ibn Abi Talib was sent to announce Surah At-Tawbah on the Day of Arafah during the Hajj. Another relevant hadith in Sahih Bukhari describes how the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared at the Farewell Pilgrimage that polytheists would no longer be permitted near the Sacred Mosque.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that while Allah's judgment against those who reject His oneness is severe, the door of repentance remains open until the final hour; believers should recognize the seriousness of shirk (polytheism) and understand that avoiding divine punishment ultimately depends on turning back to Allah in sincere repentance and obedience.
Related Ayahs
وَإِن نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَـٰنَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ فَقَـٰتِلُوٓا۟ أَئِمَّةَ ٱلْكُفْرِ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَآ أَيْمَـٰنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ
And if they break their oaths after their treaty and defame your religion, then combat the leaders of disbelief, for indeed, there are no oaths [sacred] to them; [fight them that] they might cease.
قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ وَأَزْوَٰجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلٌ ٱقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَـٰرَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَـٰكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَآ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَجِهَادٍ فِى سَبِيلِهِۦ فَتَرَبَّصُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
Say, [O Muḥammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allāh and His Messenger and jihād [i.e., striving] in His cause, then wait until Allāh executes His command. And Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."
وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٱسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَـٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُۥ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ
And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allāh [i.e., the Qur’ān]. Then deliver him to his place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.
فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.