9. Surah At Tawbah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّ اللّهَ اشْتَرَى مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ الجَنَّةَ...   

9: 111. Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their good; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise):

C1361. In a human bargain both sides give something and receive some advantage. In the divine bargain of Allah with man, Allah takes man's will and soul and his wealth and goods, and gives him in return ever-lasting Felicity.

Man fights in Allah's Cause and carries out His will. All that he has to give up is the ephemeral things of this world, while he gains eternal salvation, the fulfilment of his highest spiritual hopes, -a supreme achievement indeed.

... يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَ... 

they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain:

... وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالإِنجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ... 

a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur'án:

C1362. We offer our whole selves and our possessions to Allah, and Allah gives us Salvation. This is the true doctrine of redemption: and we are taught that this is the doctrine not only of the Quran but of the earlier Revelations, -the original Law of Moses and the original Gospel of Jesus.

Any other view of redemption is rejected by Islam, especially that of corrupted Christianity, which thinks that some other person suffered for our sins and we are redeemed by his blood. It is our self-surrender that counts, not other people's merits.

Our complete self-surrender may include fighting for the cause, both spiritual and physical. As regards actual fighting with the sword there has been some difference in theological theories at different times, but very little in the practice of those who framed those theories.

The Jewish wars were ruthless wars of extermination. The Old Testament does not mince matters on this subject. In the New Testament St. Paul, in commending the worthy fruits of Faith, mentions Gideon. Barak, and other warriors of the Old Testament as his ideals, "Who through faith subdued kingdoms... waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens..." (Hebrews, 11:32-34).

The monkish morality of the Gospels in their present form has never been followed by any self-respecting Christian or other nation in history. Nor is it common-sense to ignore lust of blood in unregenerate man as a form of evil which has to be combated "within the limits, set by Allah" (9:112). (R).

... وَمَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ مِنَ اللّهِ... 

and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah?

... فَاسْتَبْشِرُواْ بِبَيْعِكُمُ الَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِ... 

Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded:

... وَذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ﴿١١١﴾  

that is the achievement supreme.

التَّائِبُونَ ...

9: 112. -    Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance:

C1363. We are to rejoice that by giving up such small things as ourselves and our possessions we are to be rewarded with such a great thing as the eternal life of felicity. The truly righteous, whose lives in various aspects are described in this verse, do so rejoice. The good news is to be proclaimed to all Believers, including the weakest among us, so that they may profit by that example.

... الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدونَ... 

-    that serve Him, and praise Him;

-    that wander in devotion to the Cause of Allah;

-    that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer;

... الآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ... 

-    that enjoin good and forbid evil;

وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللّهِ... 

-    and observe the limits set by Allah; (these do rejoice).

... وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١١٢﴾  

So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers.

Asad’s Version:

9: 111 Lo! God has bought from the believers their lives and their wealth because the Garden will be theirs: they shall fight in the way of God and shall slay and be slain. It is a promise which is binding on Him In the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. Who fulfils His covenant better than God? Rejoice then in your bargain that you have made, for that is the Supreme triumph. [pickthall]

[Innalaha-hashtaraa minal Muminiina anfasahum wa amwaa lahum bi anna lahumul Jannah……………wa zaalika huwal fawzul azim.]

9: 112 Those who turn in repentance and who worship and praise, and go on and on*, and bow down and prostrate themselves in adoration, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and keep to the bound set by God. And give you the glad tiding to all believers. [asad]

[* see note]

9: 112 [Triumphant] are those who repentant, those who serve [Him], those who praise, those who fast, those who bow down, those who fall prostrate, those who enjoin the right and who forbid the wrong and those who keep the limits of God – and give glad tiding to believers! [pickthall]

9: 112 Those who turn in repentance; that serve Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the Cause of God; that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; that enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limits set by God. So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers. [ali]