Surah 9. Al-Tawba, Ayah 107

Lit., "who have been warring against God and His Apostle aforetime" - i.e., before the expedition to Tabak. The historical occasion to which this verse refers may be thus summarized: Ever since his exodus from Mecca to Medina the Prophet was violently opposed by one Abu 'Amir ("The Monk"), a prominent member of the Khazraj tribe, who had embraced Christianity many years earlier and enjoyed a considerable reputation among his compatriots and among the Christians of Syria. From the very outset he allied himself with the Prophet's enemies, the Meccan Quraysh, and took part on their side in the battle of Uhud (3 H.). Shortly thereafter he migrated to Syria and did all that he could to induce the Emperor of Byzantium, Heraclius, to invade Medina and crush the Muslim community once and for all. In Medina itself, Abu 'Amir had some secret followers among the members of his tribe, with whom he remained in constant correspondence. In the year 9 H. he informed them that Heraclius had agreed to send out an army against Medina, and that large-scale preparations were being made to this effect (which was apparently the reason for the Prophet's preventive expedition to Tabuk). In order that his followers should have a rallying-place in the event of the expected invasion of Medina, Abu 'Amir suggested to his friends that they build a mosque of their own in the village of Quba', in the immediate vicinity of Medina (which they did), and thus obviate the necessity of congregating in the mosque which the Prophet himself had built in the same village at the time of his arrival at Medina (see note [145] below). It is this "rival" mosque to which the above verse refers. It was demolished at the Prophet's orders immediately after his return from the Tabuk expedition. Abu 'Amir himself died in Syria shortly afterwards. (For all the relevant Traditions, see Tabari's and Ibn Kathir's commentaries on this verse.)

Although the whole of this verse relates primarily to the historical occasion explained in the preceding note, it has a definite bearing on all attempts at creating sectarian divisions among Muslims, and is thus a clear amplification of an earlier injunction to this effect (see 6:159 and the corresponding note [161]).

 Abu ’Âmer Ar-Râhib was a monk who fought against Muslims at the Battle of Badr. He ordered a group of twelve hypocrites to build a mosque near the Mosque of Qubâ', the first mosque built by Muslims and also where the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions would pray. The new mosque, commonly referred to as Masjid Aḍ-Ḍirâr (Mosque of Harm), was intended to attract other hypocrites and reduce the number of Muslims who prayed at Qubâ'. The hypocrites who built the mosque also anticipated the arrival of Abu ’Âmer with Roman forces to expel the Prophet (ﷺ) and Muslims out of Medina. Upon a request from these hypocrites, the Prophet (ﷺ) had planned to visit the new mosque once he returned from Tabûk, but verses 107-110 of this sûrah were revealed, warning the Prophet (ﷺ) against that mosque. According to some narrations, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered this mosque to be burned down.

Three categories of Hypocrites having already been mentioned (n. 1354), a fourth class of insidious evil-doers is now mentioned, whose type is illustrated in the story of the Qubaa "Mosque of mischief (dhirar)". Qubaa is a suburb of Madinah about three miles to the south-east. When the Holy Prophet arrived at Madinah for Hijrat, he rested four days in Qubaa before entering the town of Madinah. Here was built the first mosque, the "Mosque of Piety" to which he frequently came during his subsequent stay in Madinah. Taking advantage of these sacred associations, some Hypocrites of the Tribe of Bani Ganam built an opposition mosque in Qubaa, pretending to advance Islam. In reality they were in league with a notorious enemy of Islam, one Abu 'Amir, who had fought against Islam at Uhud and who was now, after the battle of Hunain (A.H. 9), in Syria: his confederates wanted a mosque for him to come to, but it would only be a source of mischief and division, and the scheme was disapproved.

Abu 'Amir, surnamed the Rahib (Monk), as he had been in touch with Christian monks. See last note.