Sūrat al-Tawba, No.9. Revealed in Madinah, 129 verses.
There is no Bismillah at the beginning of this Sūra because the beginning verses are a stern warning to the polytheists. Bismillah is a sentence of mercy and compassion, and these qualities are not applicable to the enemies of Allah and His religion.
Sūrat al-Tawba, Part 2, verses 38-70
Synopsis of Contents
- Excuses of the hypocrites (verses 38-49)
- Attitude of the hypocrites (verses 50-66)
- Signs of hypocrisy (verses 67-70)
Suggested verses for memorization in Arabic and English
- 9:40 – Do not grieve; Allah is indeed with us.
- 9:51 – Say, ‘Nothing will befall us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our master, and in Allah let all the faithful put their trust.’
- 9:66 – Do not make excuses. You have disbelieved after your faith.
Activities for self-study
1) This section of the Sūra deals mostly with hypocrisy. Study the following verses;
- Verse 42 – What excuse do the hypocrites give in this verse?
- Verse 45 – What is the root of the excuse of the hypocrites?
- Verse 50 – The changing colors of the hypocrites.
- Verses 56-57, 64. – Why is there fear in the heart of the hypocrites?
2) For a study of hypocrisy check:
- https://www.al-islam.org/articles/diseases-soul-hypocrisy-nifaq
- https://en.wikishia.net/view/Munafiq
Sources
Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirazi (Ed.) Tafsir Namūne; https://www.al-islam.org/enlightening-commentary-light-holy-quran-vol-20/surah-shams-chapter-91; Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’an With a Phrase-by-Phrase English.