Elimination of Hypocrisy Current; Objective of Surah At-Tawbah
This is according to Hani Chitchian, a member of the Quran and Etrat School of the University of Tehran, speaking in the seventh session in a series on Surah At-Tawbah. Following are excerpts from his remarks in the session:
The last part of Surah At-Tawbah begins with this verse: “O Prophet! Strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination.” (Verse 73)
Jihad against disbelievers is not enough but believers should strive against disbelievers and hypocrites simultaneously. The Quran does not say “fight”, but says do Jihad (strive). It is because there are hidden layers in the character of hypocrites and fighting with them is not easy. It is a complex phenomenon. It is actually a hybrid war (including both hard war and soft war).
There are two issues mentioned in the final verses of the Surah that are very important. One is the fact that those remaining in the filed despite the hardships are true believers. Starting from verse 111, the Surah talks about them: “Surely Allah has bought of the believers their persons and their property for this, that they shall have the garden; they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; a promise which is binding on Him in the Taurat and the Injeel and the Quran; and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Rejoice therefore in the pledge which you have made; and that is the mighty achievement.”
Then the next verse describes their characteristics: “They who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers.” (Verse 112)
It is possible that those who have had hypocritical behavior want to repent. This is why we say the Surah has not been revealed only to call for killing them. Basically, the Surah has been revealed to eliminate the current of hypocrisy. One way to do it is to have the hypocrite repent.
God says in Verse 122: “And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.”
So the verse says not all believers should go to the battlefield but from every group of believers, some should go and study the religion because the field of Fitnas (seditions) is very complex and failing to learn enough about ways to counter them would be detrimental.
Basically, the religion has come to guide not to fight. If our religiosity is not profound, we may get negligent about the main issues.
The last point (in the Surah) is about the Holy Prophet (PBUH): “Certainly a Messenger has come to you from among yourselves; grievous to him is your falling into distress, excessively solicitous respecting you; to the believers (he is) compassionate.” (Verse 128)
Everything was told but the main issue is that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) gets disturbed even by learning that a thorn has pierced your foot. We talked about war and fighting but it does not mean that we are indifferent (to what happens to you). This path is one that aims to save you. The religion has not come to torture you. When you encounter the slightest hardship, it makes the Holy Prophet (PBUH) upset. But this is the path to your salvation.
