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Surah At-Tawbah, Ayah 16 (9:16)

ٱلتَّوْبَة

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تُتْرَكُوا۟ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ …

Quran 9:16 is ayah 16 of Surah At-Tawbah (“The Repentance”), a Medinan surah of 129 ayahs. It is in Juz 10, on page 189 of the Madani Mushaf.

9:16
أَمْحَسِبْتُمْأَنتُتْرَكُوا۟وَلَمَّايَعْلَمِٱللَّهُٱلَّذِينَجَٰهَدُوا۟مِنكُمْوَلَمْيَتَّخِذُوا۟مِندُونِٱللَّهِوَلَارَسُولِهِۦوَلَاٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَوَلِيجَةً ۚوَٱللَّهُخَبِيرٌۢبِمَاتَعْمَلُونَ١٦
am ḥasib'tum an tut'rakū walammā yaʿlami l-lahu alladhīna jāhadū minkum walam yattakhidhū min dūni l-lahi walā rasūlihi walā l-mu'minīna walījatan wal-lahu khabīrun bimā taʿmalūna

Do you think that you will be left [as you are] while Allāh has not yet made evident those among you who strive [for His cause] and do not take other than Allāh, His Messenger and the believers as intimates? And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.(16)

Word by word

  1. أَمْamOr
  2. حَسِبْتُمْḥasib'tum(do) you think
  3. أَنanthat
  4. تُتْرَكُوا۟tut'rakūyou would be left
  5. وَلَمَّاwalammāwhile not
  6. يَعْلَمِyaʿlamiAllah made evident
  7. ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah made evident
  8. ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose who
  9. جَٰهَدُوا۟jāhadūstrive
  10. مِنكُمْminkumamong you
  11. وَلَمْwalamand not
  12. يَتَّخِذُوا۟yattakhidhūtake
  13. مِنminbesides Allah
  14. دُونِdūnibesides Allah
  15. ٱللَّهِl-lahibesides Allah
  16. وَلَاwalāand not
  17. رَسُولِهِۦrasūlihiHis Messenger
  18. وَلَاwalāand not
  19. ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَl-mu'minīnathe believers
  20. وَلِيجَةً ۚwalījatan(as) intimates
  21. وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
  22. خَبِيرٌۢkhabīrun(is) All-Aware
  23. بِمَاbimāof what
  24. تَعْمَلُونَtaʿmalūnayou do

Tafsir (commentary) of 9:16

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Among the Wisdom of Jihad is to test the Muslims

Allah said,

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ

(Do you think), O believers that We will leave you untested with matters that make apparent those who have pure, good intent from those who have false intent This is why Allah said next,

وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ رَسُولِهِ وَلاَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً

(while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought and have not taken Walijah besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers...), meaning, supporters and confidants. Rather, they are sincere for Allah and His Messenger inwardly and outwardly. Allah also said;

الم - ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لاَ رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ - الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

(Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars...) 29:1-3,

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ

(Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His cause) and (also) tests those who are patient)3: 142, and,

مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ

(Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good)3:179. In summary, since Allah legislated Jihad for His servants, He explained that the wisdom behind doing so includes testing His servants, distinguishing between those who obey Him and those who disobey Him. Allah, the Exalted, is the All-Knower of what occurred, what will occur, and the true essence of what might occur had He decided it. Therefore, Allah knows everything before it occurs and how it will occur, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, nor a Lord except Him. Truly, there is none who can avert Allah's judgment and decision.

Read the full Surah At-Tawbah