يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ جَـٰهِدِ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ 73
Translations
O Prophet, fight 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 alayihim wa-ma'wahum jahannamu wa-bi'sa al-masir
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to strive against both the disbelievers and the hypocrites, adopting a firm and stern approach toward them. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this encompasses both spiritual and physical jihad—spiritual struggle against their falsehoods and, when necessary, military struggle—while making clear that Hell is their ultimate destination for their rejection of truth. The severity of the command reflects the particular danger hypocrites posed to the Muslim community, as they outwardly professed Islam while secretly harboring disbelief.
Revelation Context
Surah At-Tawbah was revealed in the 9th year of Hijrah during a period of intense consolidation of Islamic authority in the Arabian Peninsula. This ayah specifically addresses the internal and external threats the Muslim community faced: external enemies (disbelievers) and internal undermining elements (hypocrites of Madinah). The Medinan context makes this directive particularly relevant to establishing a cohesive and protected Muslim state.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best jihad is a word of truth spoken before a tyrannical ruler' (Sunan Ibn Majah and others), reflecting that jihad against falsehood takes many forms. Additionally, the Prophet emphasized firm but just treatment, as seen in his instruction: 'Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in the heavens will show mercy to you' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that confronting falsehood and corruption—whether external or internal—is a responsibility of Islamic leadership, and that such confrontation must be conducted with clarity and moral certainty, knowing that ultimate judgment belongs to Allah alone. For believers today, it emphasizes the importance of both internal vigilance against compromised faith and principled opposition to ideologies that contradict Islamic truth.