[1] This surah, unlike all surahs of the Qur’an, is not preceded by al-basmalah (the usual opening statement).

[2] They were encouraged to repent or find a safe place to depart to.

[3] Hajj; ‘Umrah is a minor pilgrimage. [4] i.e., you cannot escape His punishment.

[5] This is an exception from the four months reprieve.

[6] i.e., Muharram, Rajab, Dhul-Qa‘dah and Dhul-Hijjah. [7] Some prominent scholars of Islam are of the opinion that this applies especially to combatant disbelievers who pose a threat to Muslims. [8] The next few verses reveal who these really are and why they deserve such retaliatory measures.

[9] Because their belligerence and animosity stem from their ignorance about Islam.

[10] The Treaty of Hudaybiyah made in the environs of the Sacred Mosque. [11] i.e., maintain the terms of the treaty.

[12] They cannot be trusted because they constantly renege on their pledges and break their promises.

[13] In order to maintain their source of income, they barred their people from embracing Islam.

[14] From Makkah. [15] By helping the clan of Bakr to kill mercilessly the clan of Khuza‘ah, the allies of the Prophet (ﷺ).

[16] i.e., building them and taking care of them, or performing acts of devotional worship.

[17] Not associating anyone or anything with Allah in worship.

[18] The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “There are three traits, whoever has them will taste the sweetness of Faith by their virtue: that Allah and His Messenger are dearer to him than anything else...” [Al-Bukhārī: 16, Muslim: 43] [19] His punishment.

[20] In the battle of Hunayn, the Prophet (ﷺ) fought along with his noble Companions, when they were certain of victory due to their number and said: “We shall not be defeated today because of our number”, so they were made to suffer retreat.

[21] When they realized humbly how much they were in need of Allah, He came to their aid. [22] The angels.

[23] Impurity here means: disbelief, vile manners and unholy character. [24] Because the pilgrimage site was the major trading season in Arabia at that time.

[25] Jizyah: is a tax levied from the people of the Book (Jews and Christians). It is only taken from those who can afford it; to enjoy privileges such as protection, freedom of religion, and fair treatment. Furthermore, they are exempted from military service as well as zakah is not taken from them, which are only due upon Muslims.

[26] ‘Uzayr or Ezra: It was he who restored and codified the Torah after it had been lost during the Babylonian Exile, and edited it in more or less in the form which it is today. [27] See 2:116. [28] In saying that Allah has taken to Himself a son, as polytheists before them said that angels are Allah’s daughters.

[29] By obeying them rather than obeying Allah’s commandments. [30] ‘Adiyy ibn Hātim al-Tā’iyy (رضي الله عنه), who was Christian before embracing Islam, narrated that he came to the Messenger (ﷺ) while he was reciting this verse, and he said to the Messenger: “We do not worship them!” He asked: “Do they not deem unlawful what Allah allowed and you follow them making it unlawful, and declare lawful what Allah forbade and you follow them making it lawful?” ‘Adiyy said: “Indeed!” then he (ﷺ) said: “That is their worship!” [At-Tirmidhī: 3095; also see: Matthew 15:1-9, Isaiah 29:13, Jeremiah 8:8]

[31] The hoarded gold and silver whose zakah was not paid.

[32] i.e., the Preserved Tablet. [33] i.e., do not violate the sacred months or commit aggression therein; they are: 1st, 7th, 11th, 12th months of the lunar calendar. [34] See 2:193, 8:73.

[35] Fighting during a sacred month. [36] If they found it advantageous to violate a sacred month, they would do so, designating another month sacrosanct instead to observe the restrictions of fighting.

[37] i.e., inclining toward the comforts of the worldly life.

[38] The second was his companion, Abu Bakr. [39] Angels came to the Prophet’s aid in the small cave. [40] i.e., their claims and slogans of disbelief. [41] i.e., "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no true deity except Allah).

[42] i.e., young or old, riding or walking, in ease or in hardship - in all circumstances; those who are exempted is mentioned in the verse 91 below.

[43] When you return from the Tabūk expedition in which the hypocrites did not participate.

[44] None should have been given permission, so as to see who would set out with the Muslim army, the truthful; and who would not, the liars.

[45] i.e., the terminally weak, women and children.

[46] They spared no effort to put their insidious artifice into action against the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers.

[47] By avoiding their obligations, they fell into destruction.

[48] The hypocrites claim to have protected themselves by not setting out on the campaign.

[49] The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “When your brothers were struck down in the Battle of Badr, Allah placed their souls in the abdominal cavities of green fowls, they drink from the rivers of Paradise, eat from its fruits and come back at the end of the day to repose in chandeliers hung in the Shadow of the Majestic Throne...” [Abū Dāwūd: 2520, Ahmad: 2388]

[50] The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "No prayer is heavier for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the ‘Isha’ prayers; but if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly attend even if they had to crawl..." [Sahih al-Bukhāri: 626]

[51] In their precarious situation, they lie as a line of defence.

[52] A vividly depiction of their life of constant distress and anguish.

[53] The hypocrites would insinuate that the noble Messenger (ﷺ) was not fair in dividing zakah revenues.

[54] See 2:83, 2:273.

[55] i.e., he believes everything he hears. [56] i.e., he listens but to what is good and not to evil; he listens and overlooks; he turns a blind eye when you come with fabrications.

[57] i.e., exposing their disbelief.

[58] ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reported: “During the Tabuk Expedition a man said in a gathering: “I have not seen anyone who is more gluttonous, lying and cowardly than these reciters of ours!” A man in the same gathering replied to him: “Liar! You are indeed a hypocrite! I shall tell the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)!” When the news reached the Messenger (ﷺ), verses from the Qur’an came down regarding the incident.” The narrator continues: “I saw him clinging to the belly strap of the Messenger’s (ﷺ) she-camel, saying: “Messenger of Allah! We were only chit-chatting and passing time!” While the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was reciting: “Were you mocking of Allah, His Signs, and His Messenger”. [cf. Ibn Abī Hātim, al-Tabarī, al-Shinqītī]

[59] However, the door of repentance is still open for them.

[60] i.e., from spending in the way of Allah.

[61] such as insulting the Messenger (ﷺ) and attacking the religion. [62] They devised to assassinate the Prophet (ﷺ) upon his return from the Tabuk Expedition, but their plot was foiled.

[63] They hurtle sneering comments on both the well-off who give generously, saying that they do so out of show off, and those who can only help with the very little they have, and deride them for it.

[64] The number 70 is not meant, but is rather used to denote numerousness per se. [65] ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه) reported: “When ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Ubayy ibn Salūl died, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was summoned to Pray for him. As He (ﷺ) stood up, I sprang to him and said: “Messenger of Allah, will you pray over Ibn ’Ubayy, in spite of him saying so and so on the day of so and so!” I recounted to him (ﷺ) what he said. The Messenger (ﷺ) smiled and said: “Move away from me ‘Umar.” When I had argued a great deal with him, he said: “I was given a choice and I made my choice. Had I known that if I were to seek forgiveness for him more than seventy times he would be forgiven, I would have sought it more!” The Messenger (ﷺ) prayed and then left. It was just a short while after that the two verses in Barā’ah (al-Tawbah) came down: “Do not ever pray over anyone of them who dies … died while in a state of contravention”…” [Al-Bukhārī: 1366].

[66] While in reality, Allah had prevented their participation knowing of their hypocrisy and evil intent. [67] In the Tabuk Expedition.

[68] It is used here to impart a derogatory sense because of their incapacity.

[69] The wording of this verse is almost identical to verse 55 above, reiterating its message.

[70] i.e., the weak, the terminally ill and the incapacitated.

[71] They are mainly women.

[72] i.e., women who stayed home.

[73] What really matters are deeds not mere words.

[74] Those who emigrated from Makkah to Madīnah. [75] The Muslims of Madīnah who helped the Prophet (ﷺ) and other Muslims.

[76] These are society’s worst elements. [77] Twice: once in this life and then in their graves. [78] In the lowest depths of the Hellfire. See 4:145.

[79] i.e., their previous participation in jihād but abstaining on the occasion of Tabūk.

[80] The most conniving hypocrites in Madinah built a mosque ‘masjid al-dirār’ (the mosque of harm) to cause dissension and discord among Muslims.

[81] This is the description of the Qubā’ mosque.

[82] Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (رضي الله عنهما) reported: "On the day of the battle of Uhud, a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: "Can you tell me where I will be if I am martyred?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied: "In Paradise." The man threw away some dates he was carrying in his hand, and fought till he was martyred." [Sahih al-Bukhāri: 377]

[83] When Abu Tālib, the Prophet’s uncle, died as a disbeliever, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “By Allah, I shall keep on asking for forgiveness for you, unless I am told to cease!” Then this verse was revealed. [Al-Bukhārī: 3884, Muslim: 24].

[84] This prohibition is not exclusive to Islam as it has been in effect since the time of Abraham (عليه السلام)

[85] ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reported regarding al-Haruriyah (the kharijites) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "They will go out of Islam as an arrow darts out of the game’s body." [Sahih al-Bukhāri: 66]

[86] Or whose cases were deferred. They were: Ka‘b ibn Mālik, Hilāl ibn ’Umayyah and Murārah ibn al-Rabī‘, who were sincere Companions but failed to join the Messenger’s (ﷺ) campaign in Tabūk Expedition. When he came back, unlike the hypocrites, they told the truth that they had no excuse. So, the Messenger (ﷺ) imposed a ban on them and forbade people to talk to them. This lasted for fifty nights until this verse was revealed. During this time, they endured huge mental anguish for being ostracized by the whole society. [For further details see: Al-Bukhārī: 4418, and Muslim: 2769]

[87] The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “...A man speaks the truth and heeds it until he is recorded with Allah as an affirmer of the truth (siddīq)...” [Al-Bukhārī: 6094, Muslim: 2607]

[88] In times of hardship, they should have endured sufferings along with the Prophet (ﷺ) instead of staying behind.

[89] Ensuring that the borders are secure and the enemy does not think of attacking Muslims.

[90] They flippantly did so to ridicule the believers.

[91] Lit, "filth," i.e., hypocrisy and disbelief.

[92] They would exchange glances as if saying to one another: “Who is this person who sees you while you plot in secret and tells Muhammad (ﷺ) about it?” Instead of paying heed, they would turn away reverting to their ways.

[93] The Messenger (ﷺ) was keen on guiding people and teaching them all that is good, particularly the believers.

[94] The surah ends with a comforting note to the Messenger (ﷺ) in the face of all stiff opposition and resistance, to seek support in Allah and find solace in these words.