193 Page Notes

09 Surah At-Tawbah (continued)

Page 193 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

9:37

9:38

9:39

9:40

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 193 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 193 of the Quran contains Surah At-Tawbah (9), verses 37 through 40.

These specific verses mark the structural shift into the intense preparations for the Expedition of Tabuk (9 AH). They address the severe psychological and environmental challenges the Muslims faced—marching into a scorching desert during a harvest season—and culminate in the famous historical narrative of the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr hiding in the Cave of Thawr.

1. Verse 37: The Prohibition of Calendar Manipulation (Nasi')

“Indeed, the postponing [of a sacred month] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray...” (Quran 9:37)

This verse serves as the direct continuation of the calendar regulation mentioned at the bottom of page 191.

• The Sunnah Application: As highlighted in the Prophet's ﷺ Farewell Sermon, the pagan practice of shifting months around to justify war or trade was permanently abolished. The Sunnah established a strict legal adherence to the natural lunar cycles, locking the four sacred months into place permanently to protect human life and maintain structural integrity over the calendar year (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 4406).

2. Verses 38–39: The Reluctance to March to Tabuk

“O you who have believed, what is the matter with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? ... If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people...” (Quran 9:38–39)

The Sunnah Context: The Hardship of the Expedition (Ghazwat al-Usrah)

The Prophet ﷺ called for the mobilization to Tabuk under incredibly difficult circumstances. Medina was experiencing an extreme heatwave, resources and water were scarce, and it was the peak season for harvesting dates—the primary livelihood for the local helpers (Ansar). Furthermore, they were marching to face the formidable Byzantine imperial army on the northern frontier. Because of this, the campaign was formally called the Expedition of Hardship.

The remote northern region of Tabuk, the destination of the grueling 9 AH campaign. Source: werbeantrieb / Getty Images

Authentic Hadith Reference: Ka'b ibn Malik’s Account

The most vivid, authentic breakdown of the psychological weight behind these verses is preserved in the lengthy, deeply personal Hadith of Ka'b ibn Malik, one of the three companions who hesitated and stayed behind without a valid excuse:

Narrated Ka'b ibn Malik: "Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ wanted to lead an expedition, he would usually conceal his real destination using code words, up until this landmark campaign. Allah's Messenger ﷺ undertook this expedition in severe heat, facing a long journey through the desert to confront a massive enemy force. So, he manifested the destination clearly to the Muslims so that they could fully prepare themselves...

The Muslims with the Prophet ﷺ were dynamic and numerous, but there was no official register to record their names. ... The Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims prepared while I kept going out to get ready, but I would return having done nothing, telling myself: 'I can do it anytime I want.' I kept procrastinating until the army finally marched out in earnest..." — Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 64 (Book of Military Expeditions), Hadith 4418; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2769.

The absolute gravity of missing this mobilization—unless exempted by the Prophet ﷺ due to illness, physical disability, or extreme poverty—is exactly what triggered the severe divine warnings in Verse 39.

3. Verse 40: The Miraculous Protection in the Cave of Thawr

“If you do not aid him [the Prophet]—Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Mecca] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, 'Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.' And Allah sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with soldiers you did not see...” (Quran 9:40)

To shame those who hesitated to march to Tabuk, Allah explicitly reminds the community that He does not need their numbers to protect His Messenger. He recalls the Hijrah (Migration of 1 AH), when the Prophet ﷺ had no army at all and was completely vulnerable, yet divine intervention guaranteed his safety.

Authentic Hadith Reference: "The Third of the Two"

The Hadith literature explicitly identifies the unnamed "companion" (Sahib) in this verse as Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and describes the exact moment of terrifying vulnerability inside the Cave of Thawr when the Quraysh tracking party stood right outside the entrance.

The harsh, unforgiving desert terrain traversed during the Tabuk expedition. Source: Matthew Starling / Getty Images

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: Abu Bakr told me: "I looked at the feet of the polytheists above our heads while we were hiding in the cave. I turned to the Prophet ﷺ and whispered: 'O Messenger of Allah! If any one of them should look down at his feet, he would definitely see us underneath!'

The Prophet ﷺ calmly replied: 'O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two people alongside whom Allah is the third?'" — Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 62 (Book of the Companions), Hadith 3653; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2381.

The Sunnah Legacy of Abu Bakr's Excellence

Because Allah explicitly confirms Abu Bakr’s companionship in the text of the Quran ("when he said to his companion"), the early Muslim community recognized this verse as one of the ultimate spiritual credentials of Abu Bakr. The Sunnah emphasizes that the Sakinah (divine tranquility) descended to anchor their hearts precisely when worldly means had completely run out.

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (1997). Sahih al-Bukhari (Vols. 1-9). Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Naysaburi, M. H. (2007). Sahih Muslim (Vols. 1-7). Darussalam Publishers.

• Ibn Hisham, A. M. (2000). Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah. Dar al-Ma'rifah.

Verification of Primary Source Indexing:

• The Tabuk Mobilization Details: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 64, Hadith 4418 (The long trial of Ka'b ibn Malik).

• The Cave Dialogue: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of the Virtues of the Companions, Chapter: The Virtues of Abu Bakr, Hadith 3653.