206 Page Notes

09 Surah At-Tawbah (continued)

Page 206 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

9:118

9:119

9:120

9:121

9:122

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 206 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 206 of the Quran covers Surah At-Tawbah (Chapter 9), verses 118 through 122. This page contains one of the most emotionally moving narrative resolutions in prophetic history—the divine acquittal of the three companions left in social suspense. It also lays down fundamental societal rules regarding radical truthfulness, fiscal responsibility during military duties, and the crucial preservation of intellectual/religious scholarship during times of war.

Primary Hadith texts and classical works of Tafsir document the precise events, emotional milestones, and legal instructions surrounding these verses.

1. Verse 118: The Acceptance of Repentance for the Three Who Stayed Behind

"And [He also forgave] the three who were left behind until the earth closed in on them despite its vastness and their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent..." (Quran 9:118)

This verse resolves the immense psychological crisis introduced on page 203 (verse 106), where the case of Ka'b ibn Malik, Murarah ibn al-Rabi', and Hilal ibn Umayyah had been legally deferred.

• The Announcement of Forgiveness (Sahih al-Bukhari & Sahih Muslim):
  In the expansive, authoritative Hadith narrated directly by Ka'b ibn Malik, he describes the exact moment this verse descended on the fiftieth night of their social isolation:
  "While I was sitting in the condition which Allah described... my soul was confined and the earth had closed in on me despite its vastness. Then, I heard the voice of a caller who had climbed to the top of Mount Sal' shouting at the top of his lungs: 'O Ka'b ibn Malik! Rejoice!' I fell down in prostration, knowing that relief had come." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 64, Hadith 431).

• The Prophet's Radiancy and Talhah’s Embrace:
  Ka'b immediately went to the Prophet’s Mosque. He noted that whenever the Prophet was extraordinarily happy, his face would shine brightly like a piece of the moon. When Ka'b entered the mosque, the companion Talhah ibn Ubaydullah stood up, ran toward him, and shook his hand to congratulate him. Ka'b never forgot this gesture. The Prophet said to him:
  "Rejoice in the best day that has passed over you since your mother gave birth to you!" Ka'b asked, "Is this forgiveness from you, O Messenger of Allah, or from Allah?" He replied, "No, it is from Allah," and recited verse 118.

2. Verse 119: The Commandment to Side with the Truthful

"O you who have believed, fear Allah and be with those who are true." (Quran 9:119)

Directly following the forgiveness of Ka'b and his companions, Allah commands the entire community to commit to absolute truthfulness.

• Truthfulness as a Saving Grace:
  Ka'b explicitly recognized that his raw honesty—refusing to invent a fake excuse to the Prophet, unlike the eighty hypocrites—was the exact reason he was saved. He stated to the Prophet:
  "O Messenger of Allah! Allah has saved me only because of my truthfulness. Therefore, part of my repentance is that I will speak nothing but the truth for the rest of my life." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 64, Hadith 431).

• The Sunnah Framework of Truthfulness:
  The Prophet generalized this event into a core ethical principle for all Muslims. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
  "Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man persists in speaking the truth until he is recorded with Allah as a truthful person (Siddīq). Beware of falsehood, for falsehood leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to Hellfire..." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 78, Hadith 121; Sahih Muslim, 2607).

3. Verses 120–121: The Spiritual Bookkeeping of Every Step and Sacrifice

"It was not for the people of Medina and those around them of the Bedouins to remain behind after the Messenger of Allah... nor do they cross a valley but it is registered for them..." (Quran 9:120-121)

These verses reassure the companions who endured the blistering summer expedition to Tabuk that no physical discomfort went unnoticed by the divine realm. Every step taken, every ounce of thirst suffered, and every dollar spent was carefully cataloged as a righteous deed.

• The Shared Reward for those Prevented by Valid Excuses:
  While these verses heavily reward physical participation, the Sunnah provides a beautiful concession for those whose hearts wanted to go but were physically or financially broken. Anas ibn Malik narrated that when the Prophet returned from the Expedition of Tabuk and approached Medina, he said to his army:
  "Indeed, there are people in Medina who were with you in spirit whenever you crossed a valley or marched a distance." The companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah, even though they were in Medina?" He replied, "Yes, they were in Medina because a valid excuse detained them." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 56, Hadith 46).

4. Verse 122: Establishing the "Scholarly Division" During Mobilization

"And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group [remaining behind] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious." (Quran 9:122)

This verse sets up an essential balancing mechanism for statecraft and community preservation. It dictates that even during major military mobilizations, a designated segment of society must be exempted from combat to focus entirely on religious literacy, deep critical study (Tafaqquh fi al-Din), and preservation of knowledge.

• The Sunnah Mandate for Lifelong Learning:
  This verse provides the scriptural foundation for the famous prophetic declaration narrated by Anas ibn Malik:
  "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Book 1, Hadith 224).
  The Sunnah clarifies that preserving intellectual institutions and protecting scholars is structurally equivalent to defense efforts, ensuring that a society does not lose its moral identity and institutional memory while engaging in conflict.

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari.

• Ibn Majah, M. (n.d.). Sunan Ibn Majah.

• Ibn Kathir, I. (2003). Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged). Darussalam Publishers.

• Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim.