Surah At Tawbah Tafseer

The Order for Jihad against the Disbelievers and Hypocrites

Allah commands His Messenger;

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِيْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

O Prophet! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell, -- and worst indeed is that destination.

Allah commanded His Messenger to strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and to be harsh against them. Allah also commanded him to be merciful with the believers who followed him, informing him that the destination of the disbelievers and hypocrites is the Fire in the Hereafter.

Ibn Mas`ud commented on Allah's statement,

جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ

(Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites),

"With the hand, or at least have a stern face with them."

Ibn Abbas said,

"Allah commanded the Prophet to fight the disbelievers with the sword, to strive against the hypocrites with the tongue and annulled lenient treatment of them."

Ad-Dahhak commented,

"Perform Jihad against the disbelievers with the sword and be harsh with the hypocrites with words, and this is the Jihad performed against them."

Similar was said by Muqatil and Ar-Rabi.

Al-Hasan and Qatadah said,

"Striving against them includes establishing the (Islamic Penal) Law of equality against them."

In combining these statements, we could say that Allah causes punishment of the disbelievers and hypocrites with all of these methods in various conditions and situations, and Allah knows best.

Allah tells;