At-Tawbah: 9

Ayah

Word by Word

ٱشۡتَرَوۡاْ

They exchange

بِـَٔايَٰتِ

[with] the Verses of Allah

ٱللَّهِ

[with] the Verses of Allah

ثَمَنٗا

(for) a little price

قَلِيلٗا

(for) a little price

فَصَدُّواْ

and they hinder (people)

عَن

from

سَبِيلِهِۦٓۚ

His way

إِنَّهُمۡ

Indeed

سَآءَ

evil

مَا

(is) what

كَانُواْ

they used to

يَعۡمَلُونَ

Translation

The Signs of Allah have they sold for a miserable price, and (many) have they hindered from His way: evil indeed are the deeds they have done.

Tafsir

"Affirming the Disavowal of the Idolators

Allah mentions the wisdom in dissolving all obligations to the idolators and giving them a four month period of safety, after which they will meet the sharp sword wherever they are found,

كَيۡفَ يَكُونُ لِلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ عَهۡدٌ

How can there be a covenant for the Mushrikin,

a safe resort and refuge, while they persist in Shirk with Allah, and disbelief in Him and His Messenger,

عِندَ اللّهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِ

with Allah and with His Messenger

إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمۡ عِندَ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَرَامِ

except those with whom you made a covenant near Al-Masjid Al-Haram,

on the day of Hudaybiyyah.

Allah said in another Ayah (concerning the day of Hudaybiyyah),

هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ وَصَدُّوكُمۡ عَنِ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَرَامِ وَالۡهَدۡىَ مَعۡكُوفاً أَن يَبۡلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ

They are the ones who disbelieved and hindered you from Al-Masjid Al-Haram and detained the sacrificial animals, from reaching their place of sacrifice. (48:25)

Allah said next,

فَمَا اسۡتَقَامُواۡ لَكُمۡ فَاسۡتَقِيمُواۡ لَهُمۡ

So long as they are true to you, stand you true to them,

if they keep the terms of the treaties you conducted with them, including peace between you and them for ten years,

فَاسۡتَقِيمُواۡ لَهُمۡ

إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الۡمُتَّقِينَ

then stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves those who have Taqwa.

The Messenger of Allah and the Muslims preserved the terms of the treaty with the people of Makkah from the month of Dhul-Qa`dah in the sixth year (of Hijrah), until the Quraysh broke it and helped their allies, Banu Bakr, against Khuza`ah, the allies of Allah's Messenger.

Aided by the Quraysh, Banu Bakr killed some of Bani Khuza`ah in the Sacred Area! The Messenger of Allah led an invasion army in the month of Ramadan, of the eighth year, and Allah opened the Sacred Area for him to rule over them, all thanks are due to Allah.

The Messenger of Allah freed the Quraysh who embraced Islam after they were overpowered and defeated. These numbered around two thousands, and they were referred to by the name `Tulaqa' afterwards.

Those among them who remained in disbelief and ran away from Allah's Messenger were sent promises of safe refuge for four months, during which they were allowed to move about freely. They included Safwan bin Umayyah, Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl and many others. Allah later on guided them to Islam, and they became excellent believers.

Surely, Allah is worthy of all praise for all His actions and decrees

Allah says,

كَيۡفَ وَإِن يَظۡهَرُوا عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَا يَرۡقُبُواۡ فِيكُمۡ إِلاًّ وَلَا ذِمَّةً يُرۡضُونَكُم بِأَفۡوَاهِهِمۡ وَتَأۡبَى قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَأَكۡثَرُهُمۡ فَاسِقُونَ

How when if you are overpowered by them, they regard not the ties, either of kinship, (Ill) or of covenant (Dhimmah)! With their mouths they please you, but their hearts are averse to you, and most of them are rebellious.

Allah encourages the believers to show enmity to the idolators and to dissociate from them, affirming that they do not deserve to enjoy a covenant of peace, because of their Shirk in Allah and disbelief in Allah's Messenger.

If these disbelievers have a chance to defeat Muslims, they will cause great mischief, leave nothing unharmed, disregard the ties of kinship and the sanctity of their vows.

Ali bin Abi Talhah, Ikrimah and Al-Awfi narrated that Ibn Abbas said,

""Ill means kinship, while, Dhimmah means covenant.""

Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said similarly

Allah admonishes the idolators and encourages the believers to fight against them because,

اشۡتَرَوۡاۡ بِأيَاتِ اللّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلً

They have purchased with the Ayat of Allah a little gain,

idolators exchanged following the Ayat of Allah with the lower affairs of life that they indulged in,

فَصَدُّواۡ عَن سَبِيلِهِ

and they hindered men from His way,

trying to prevent the believers from following the truth,

إِنَّهُمۡ سَاء مَا كَانُواۡ يَعۡمَلُونَ

لَا يَرۡقُبُونَ فِي مُوۡمِنٍ إِلااًّ وَلَا ذِمَّةً

evil indeed is that which they used to do, With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant!

وَأُوۡلَـيِكَ هُمُ الۡمُعۡتَدُونَ

It is they who are the transgressors.

We explained these meanings before, as well as, the meaning of,

فَإِن تَابُواۡ وَأَقَامُواۡ الصَّلَةَ وَاتَوُاۡ الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخۡوَانُكُمۡ فِي الدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ الايَاتِ لِقَوۡمٍ يَعۡلَمُونَ

But if they repent, perform the Salah and give the Zakah, then they are your brethren in religion. (In this way) We explain the Ayat in detail for a people who know"