9. Surah At Tawbah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَآخَرُونَ
اعْتَرَفُواْ
بِذُنُوبِهِمْ
خَلَطُواْ
عَمَلاً صَالِحًا
وَآخَرَ سَيِّئًا...
9: 102. Others (there are who) have acknowledged their wrongdoings:
they have mixed an act that was good with another that was evil.
C1352. There were some whose will was weak and succumbed to evil, although there was much good in them. To them is held out the promise of forgiveness if they would repent and undertake all acts of Muslim charity, which would purify their souls, aided by the prayers of Allah's Messenger. Then would they get the Peace that comes from purity and right conduct.
... عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْ...
Perhaps Allah will turn unto them (in mercy):
... إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٠٢﴾
for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
خُذْ مِنْ
أَمْوَالِهِمْ
صَدَقَةً
تُطَهِّرُهُمْ
وَتُزَكِّيهِم
بِهَا وَصَلِّ
عَلَيْهِمْ ...
9: 103. Of their goods take alms, that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them;
and pray on their behalf.
... إِنَّ صَلاَتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ ...
Verily thy prayers are a source of security for them:
... وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿١٠٣﴾
and Allah is One who heareth and knoweth.
أَلَمْ
يَعْلَمُواْ
أَنَّ اللّهَ
هُوَ يَقْبَلُ
التَّوْبَةَ
عَنْ عِبَادِهِ
وَيَأْخُذُ
الصَّدَقَاتِ...
9: 104. Know they not that Allah doth accept repentance from His votaries and receives their gifts of charity,
... وَأَنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ ﴿١٠٤﴾
and that Allah is verily He, the Oft-Returning, Most-Merciful?
9: 105. And say:
"Work (righteousness):
C1353. The repentant should be encouraged, after their repentance, to amend their conduct. The kindly interest of their brethren in them will strengthen them in virtue and blot out their past. When they go back into Eternity, they will understand the healing grace which saved them, just as the evil ones will then have their eyes opened to the real truth of their spiritual degradation (9:94). The similar words, in verse 84 and here, clench the contrast.
... فَسَيَرَى اللّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ...
soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the believers:
... وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَى عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ...
soon will ye be brought back to the knower of what is hidden and what is open:
... فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٠٥﴾
then will He show you the truth of all that ye did."
Other versions:
9: 102 [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, after Tabuk, 9H]
Asad And [there are] others [note 135] –[people who ] have become conscious of their sinning after having done righteous deeds side by side with evil ones [note 136]; [and] it may well be that God will accept their repentance: for verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
Yusuf Ali Others (there are who) have acknowledged their wrong-doings: they have mixed an act that was good with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them (in mercy): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
Pickthall And (there are) others who have acknowledged their faults. They mixed a righteous action with another that was bad. It may be that Allah will relent toward them. Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.
Transliteration Wa a_kharu_na-'tarafu_ bi zunu_bihim khalatu_ 'amalan sa_lihaw wa a_khara sayyi'a_(n), 'asalla_hu ayyatu_ba 'alaihim, innalla_ha gafu_rur rahim(un).
[[ Asad’s note 135 – I.e., neither believers in the full sense of the word not hypocrites, but half-hearted, confused waverers between right and wrong, or between truth and falsehood.]]
[[ Ali’s notes:
1352 There were some whose will was weak and succumbed to evil, although there was much good in them. To them is held out the promise of forgiveness if they would repent and undertake all acts of Muslim charity, which would purify their souls, aided by the prayers of Allah's Messenger. Then would they get the Peace that comes from purity and right conduct. (9.102)]]
9: 103
Asad [Hence, O Prophet,] accept that [part] of their possessions which is offered for the sake of God [note 137], so that thou mayest cleanse them thereby and cause them to grow in purity, and pray for them: behold, thy prayer will be [a source of] comfort to then – for God is all-hearing, all-knowing
Yusuf Ali Of their goods take alms that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them; and pray on their behalf. Verily thy prayers are a source of security for them: and Allah is one who heareth and knoweth.
Pickthall Take alms of their wealth, wherewith thou mayst purify them and mayst make them grow, and pray for them. Lo! thy prayer is an assuagement for them. Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Transliteration Khuz min amwa_lihim sadaqatan tutahhiruhum wa tuzakkihim biha_ wa salli 'alaihim, inna sala_taka sakanul lahum, walla_hu sami'un 'alim(un).
9: 104
Asad Do they not know that it is God alone who can accept that repentance of His servants [ [note 138]……….-and God alonee is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace?
Yusuf Ali Know they not that Allah doth accept repentance from His votaries and receives their gifts of charity and that Allah is verily He the Oft-Returning Most-Merciful?
Pickthall Know they not that Allah is He Who accepteth repentance from His bondmen and taketh the alms, and that Allah is He Who is the Relenting, the Merciful.
Transliteration Alam ya'lamu_ annalla_ha huwa yaqbalut taubata 'an 'iba_dihi wa ya'khuzus sadaqa_ti wa annalla_ha huwat tawwa_bur rahim(un).
[[ Asad’s note 138 – Lit., “who accepts repentance from His servants”: thus pointing out that no human being, not even the Prophet, has power to absolve a sinner of his guild (Manar XI, 32). A prophet can do more than pray to God that He forgive the sinners.]
9: 105
Asad And say ……:Act!” [note 139] And God will behold your deeds,….
Ali And say: "Work (righteousness): soon will Allah observe your work and His apostle and the believers: soon will ye be brought back to the knower of what is hidden and what is open: then will He show you the truth of all that ye did."
Pickthall And say (unto them): Act! Allah will behold your actions, and (so will) His messenger and the believers, and ye will be brought back to the Knower of the invisible and the visible, and He will tell you what ye used to do.
Yuksel 9:105 Say, "Work, and God will see your work and so His messenger and those who acknowledge. You will be sent back to the knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of what you did."
Transliteration Wa qul-i'malu_ fasayaralla_hu 'amalakum wa rasu_luhu_ wal mu'minu_n(a), wa saturaddu_na ila_ 'a_limil gaibi wasy syaha_dati fayunabbi'ukum bima_ kuntum ta'malu_n(a).
[[ Asad’s note 139 - ….The stress on action as an integral part of faith is of fundamental importance in the ethics of t he Quran:………….the frequent juxtaposition of the concepts of “believing” and “doing good works”, and the condemnation of all “who, while believe, wrought no good works” (see 6:158 and …note 160).]]
[[ Ali’s note: 1353 The repentant should be encouraged, after their repentance, to amend their conduct. The kindly interest of their brethren in them will strengthen them in virtue and blot out their past. When they go back into Eternity, they will understand the healing grace which saved them, just as the evil ones will then have their eyes opened to the real truth of their spiritual degradation (ix. 94). The similar words, in verse 84 and here, clench the contrast. (9.105) ]]