Explanation of the Ayah of the Sword in Surah Tawbah.

One of the main surahs’ the anti-Islamic people use against Allah’s Messenger is surah at-Tawba. It is a powerful surah, it starts with Allah’s Mercy being mentioned at the beginning (this is the only surah where Bismillahi ar-Rahman ar-Raheem is not mentioned at the beginning).

Ali bin abi Talib said this surah came as a sword without its sheath. This surah is showing the disbelievers that your evil and oppression will not last anymore, especially against the Muslims.

But right at the end of the surah, Allah showed the mercy of His Messenger (بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ – for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful. [Tawba 9:128]).

Why did He mention His Messengers’ mercy at the end of that surah?

A Brief History Lesson which Muslims, Jews and Christians could learn from:

Allah sent Messengers’ throughout history.

The majority did not follow them.

The majority decided that they are not going to believe and remain ungrateful, so Allah would send them punishments in this life as well as the next.

Allah sent floods, winds, earthquakes etc. Which destroyed the people who oppressed the believers and rejected the Messengers’ in their faces.

Anyone who did that in earlier times or later times; they will get destroyed in this life and the next.

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِتَبْدِيلًا

That was the Way of Allah in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not find any change in the Way of Allah. [Ahzab 33:62]

Christians and Jews believe this because it is in their books (Bible, Old Testament) too.

Relating this to the Life of the Messenger of Allah/God, Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam):

We believe that Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam) warned his people from their corruption for 10 long years non stop. He called them to serve the One true God Alone.

The polytheist leaders began to oppress the believers and the Messenger.

They persisted in this until Allah sent His punishment upon them. The punishment which Moses gave to the polytheists is the same punishment the final Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) came with (the sword).

They deserved this punishment, just like the disbelievers of old were punished for oppression and lying against the Messenger.

But when the Muslims gain power over them – they don’t say ‘we told you you would be overcome’. Rather – Allah tells the believers to give the polytheists 4 months (arba’ata ash-hur) to think about their decision.

So these people are the first in history to have expiation, a time to pause and think about their decision of wanting to stay on polytheism. Normally the nations before would be destroyed without time to change their minds.

These people can now go to Medinah, and verify whether the Qur’an is really the word of Allah/God.

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰيَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّايَعْلَمُونَ

if anyone from the mushrikeen/polytheists come to you, then give him permission to hear the speech of Allah and let him go to a safe place to let him think about it for himself.

[Tawba 9:6]

(let them hear the speech of Allah, then give them a place of security [to ponder over it by themselves (without anyone taunting them)] dhalika bi anahum qawmun la ya’lamoon – that is because they are a people who don’t know.

This is a blessing which was given to no Messenger except Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam).

I’ve been telling you that Allah’s help and victory will come. (jaa’a nasrullahi wal fat-h – surah Nasr)

I’ve been telling you you are soon going to be overcome ( سَتُغْلَبُونَ - satuGhLaBoona).

But you didn’t take it seriously.

- Now If you become Muslim – all your sins will be forgiven and you will be our brother in belief. An equal citizen.

But if you remain on your disbelief after all of this – then you will be given time (these 4 months) to leave. You attacked us, killed civilians, and started the aggression – so you have the choice of becoming Muslim or leaving. You’ve wronged everyone enough already. But if you don’t leave – then you will be fought because of your evils.

This is a mercy. So much chances for this person to be forgiven, or given chances to leave, but if he chooses opposition and enmity – he will face it in the end.

4 – the Qur’an – the final Miracle.

All the miracles for the Messengers’ before were for their lifetime only, and the miracle could be seen by their people only.

But for this Ummah (nation) – the Qur’an's miracle is for all times and all people.

5 – al ‘Adl and Fat-h – Justice and Victory.

Allah gave His Messenger justice which people are hungry for around the world.

Allah gives a religion which has;

- No dictatorship,
- No enforcing religious clergy,
- Everyone can question the kings and the scholars,
- Everyone is equal before the law.

Even people like ‘Umar – who was promised Paradise – would be questioned by the normal people in society.

al Fat-h – the Victory.

Allah gave Prophet Muhammad victory which was not given to other Messengers’. I.e. Prophet Musa/Moses died whilst being in a state of exile – he never entered the Holy Land of Jerusalem/Bayt al Maqdis because his people did not fight when he ordered them to.

Because Allah told the believers;

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ آذَوْامُوسَىٰ فَبَرَّأَهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا قَالُوا ۚ وَكَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا

O you who believe! Be not like those who annoyed Musa (Moses), but Allah cleared him of that which they alleged, and he was honourable before Allah. [Ahzab 33:69]

The Victory given to Prophet Muhammad:

Miraculous: The kind of change that happened in Arabia happened in 23 years.

Has there ever been a change over the world permanently, which has changed the way people in matters of, thinking, love, hate, dress, running of government, economics, what they eat and what they don’t, what they  , how they interact in business, loans.. In every aspect of life, a change which overcame the world and has lasted for over 1,000 years.

The Revolutions we have studied in secular history classes were only political and economical, not changing the minds of people.

Karl Marx who influenced the Communist Revolution was a librarian in Germany, he died 60 years before the Revolution. 60 years after his death – people are killing each other for that Revolution, which he is not even involved in. He was just a philosopher and Philosophers are never in the battlefield. They just write their ideas.

In the case of Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam). Who was delivering the message and who was on the forefront of the battlefield? Who was the one who was sacrificing his life for justice?

He isn’t telling other people to fight. Rather, he is the first one to enter the battlefield when he has only a few behind him in support.

Ask your history professor; they acknowledge that no such political, social, economical, spiritual, individual and collective leader has ever come for humanity as much as Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam).

So those who praised Prophet Muhammad for being number 1 in history, it’s because they had no choice in the matter – he really is number 1 most influential person in humanity. (sal Allah alayhi wasalam/peace be upon him).

Allah gave His Messenger a Book like no other and a Victory like none other.

Honors:

6 – Sharf - Changing the Qibla [Direction of Prayer] from Masjid al Aqsa to al Ka’ba:

Ibraheem made so much prayers for people to pray towards the Ka’ba – the house of worship.

But Allah’s Messenger just looked towards the sky – and Allah sent down aayaat that He would please him by making him and his followers to turn towards the Masjid al Haram as their direction for prayer (Qiblah).

قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةًتَرْضَاهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚوَحَيْثُ مَا

كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَأُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗوَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا

يَعْمَلُونَ

Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s SAW) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka’bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do. [Baqarah 2:144]

Billions of people turn from Bayt al Maqdis (Jerusalem, Masjid al Aqsa) – to Masjid al Haraam in Makkah as their Qiblah (direction in prayer), because Allah’s Messenger sadly looked towards the sky. So Allah made the history of people change, just so His Messenger would get a smile on his face and be well pleased.

Surely We have given you an abundance of good.

7 – Maqaama Mahmooda مقام المحمود – A Special rank of Praise.

وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَرَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا

And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salat (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Quran in the prayer), as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawafil) for you (O Muhammad SAW). It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqaman Mahmuda (a station of praise and glory, i.e. the highest degree in Paradise!).
[Isra' 17:79]

Ibn Kathir, says when commenting on this ayah: the Messenger of Allah will have honors on the Day of Resurrection in which no one else will have a share, honors which will not be matched by anyone else. He is the first one for whom the earth will be opened and he will come forth riding to the gathering place. He will have a banner under which Adam and anyone else will gather, and he will have the Hawd (Lake) to which no one else will have more access than he. He will have the right of the Grand Intercession with Allah when He comes to judge between His creation.

Tafsir ibn Katheer – Surah Israa’;

8 – Allah gave him followers who are unparalleled in history.

The Messenger left nothing behind except men – his companions and those who followed them – who would change the world for the better.

9 - Allah would help His Messenger, even if no-one else helped him

إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ

If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him.. [Tawba 9:40]

10 – He made His final Messenger’s Nation follow the Middle [wasatt] Path:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَعَلَى النَّاسِ

And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people.. [Baqarah 2:143]

11 – he will have the most followers on Judgment Day.The Messenger of Allah said:

«مَا مِنْ نَبِيَ إِلَّا وَقَدْ أُعْطِيَ مَا آمَنَ عَلَى مِثْلِهِالْبَشَرُ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ الَّذِي أُوتِيتُهُ وَحْيًا أَوْحَاهُ اللهُإِلَيَّ، فَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ تَابِعًا»

(There has never been any Prophet who was not given that which would make people believe in him. What I have been given is revelation which Allah reveals to me, and I hope that I will have the most followers among them.)

12 – His blessed family is Honored.

We pray; Allahumma sali ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin (Oh Allah, send peace and blessings upon Muhammad, and the family of Muhammad).

13 – Shafa’ah – intercession of Allah’s Messenger. 

The only exit is to ask Allah’s Messenger to intercede for you infront of Allah on Judgment Day. So he will intercede for the major sinner Muslims who will be in hell. And Allah will remove them for his sake (sal Allah alayhi wasalam).

14 – Allah always associates a respectable title to Prophet Muhammad, i.e. ‘abd (perfect slave), or Rasool (Messenger), Naby (Prophet) etc.

He does not do this with other Messengers’ i.e. He says; Ya Musa, Ya Adam, Ya Dawud, Ya Zakariyyah, Ya Yahya!, Ya ‘Eesa etc.

15 – The 5 prayers are equal to 50 Prayers in Reward

16 – Allah gave this ummah scholars who are the equivalent of the ambiya [Prophets] of Bani Isra’eel.

It is reported, Allah’s Messenger said;

علماء امتي أفضل من أنبياء بني إسرائيل -

‘ulama umattee afdal min ambiya bani Isra’eel.

The scholars from my nation are ‘Preferable’ [afdal] from the Prophets of Bani Isra’eel.

الفوائد المجموعة للشوكاني [ جزء 1 - صفحة 286 ] 

17 – Tayseer al Qur’an – A Message easy to memorize and remember.

Takhfeef ash-Shara’iya – facilitation of the Qur’an.

According to the Hadith of 'Iyad bin Himar, recorded in Sahih Muslim, Allah says:

«إِنِّي مُبْتَلِيكَ وَمُبْتَلٍ بِكَ، وَمُنْزِلٌ عَلَيْكَ كِتَابًا لَايَغْسِلُهُ الْمَاءُ، تَقْرَؤُهُ نَائِمًا وَيَقْظَانًا»

(“I am testing you and testing others through you, revealing to you a Book which cannot be washed away by water, which you recite while you are asleep and while you are awake.”)

[Ibn Kathir explains [surah Ankaboot tafsir]; This means, if the manuscript where it is written were to be washed with water, there is no need for that manuscript. This is because it is preserved in the hearts and is easy on the tongue (i.e., is easy to recite), and is controlling people’s hearts and minds. It is miraculous in its wording and in its meanings. In the previous Scriptures this Ummah was described as carrying their holy Books in their hearts.