Day 100 · Surah At-Taubah Verses 21-26

At-Taubah 21–26

Reward of mercy, pleasure, and paradise are promised to those who believe, migrate, and wage jihad, then the boundaries of loyalty and order of love are affirmed, as well as lessons from the Battle of Hunain that victory is not because of numbers.

• Those who believe, migrate, and wage jihad are promised three great things: Allah's mercy, His pleasure, and paradise which they will inhabit forever.
• Believers are forbidden to give loyalty and leadership to those who prefer disbelief over faith, even if they are their father, brother, or own relatives.
• Love for Allah, His Messenger, and jihad in the way of Allah must exceed love for family, wealth, commerce, and dwelling places.
• In the Battle of Hunain the Muslims became proud of their large numbers, but they panicked so much that the wide earth seemed narrow and they retreated.
• Tranquility was then sent down to the hearts of the Messenger and the believers along with an unseen army, as proof so they would not be deceived, let alone boast of numbers.

Verses 21 and 22 explain glad tidings from Allah that will be received by those who believe in Allah, migrate, and wage jihad in the way of Allah. They will achieve three great things from Allah: a) Allah's mercy (compassion). b) Allah's pleasure. c) Allah's paradise which will be their extremely pleasant dwelling. They will dwell therein forever. That is a great reward from Allah.

Verse 23 explains one consequence of faith in Allah and His Messenger, which is the matter of walā' (loyalty) or leadership. Allah forbids believers to give loyalty and entrust the leadership of their country to those who prefer the teachings of disbelief over faith, even if they are their fathers, brothers or relatives. Whoever does this Allah will place him among the wrongdoing people.

While verse 24 explains the standardization of love for believers. The believers must love Allah, His Messenger, and jihad in the way of Allah more than their love for fathers, children, brothers, wives, family, wealth, commerce, and the houses they possess. Whoever deviates from this standard then Allah will punish him because they are among the wicked (those who rebel against Allah).

Through verses 25 and 26 Allah reminds the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his community that victory is purely in Allah's hands, not because of numbers or quantity. There are many examples. Among them is the Battle of Hunain. At that time the Muslims were proud of their large numbers. In reality the large number was useless, in fact the Muslims at that time were truly panicked so that the wide earth seemed narrow and they retreated. In such panic conditions, suddenly Allah sent down His tranquility to the hearts of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers and Allah sent an unseen army (angels). Therefore, do not be deceived by quantity, let alone boast of it.

That is how Allah makes His Messenger and the believers victorious while at the same time Allah punishes the disbelievers. That is the fitting reward for them for their own disbelief.

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