Surah 9. Al-Tawba

Do not offer [empty] excuses! You have indeed denied the truth after [having professed] your belief [in it]!"⁹² Though We may efface the sin of some of you, We shall chastise others - seeing that they were lost in sin.⁹³

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [89] above.

I.e., consciously persevered in hypocrisy (Zamakhshari). The above Qur'anic sentence expresses the doctrine that in His final judgment God will take into account all that is in a sinner's heart, and will not indiscriminately condemn everyone who has been sinning out of weakness or out of an inner inability to resolve his doubts, and not out of a conscious inclination to evil (cf. 4:98 - "excepted shall be the [truly] helpless - be they men or women or children - who cannot bring forth any strength and have not been shown [or "cannot find"] the right way").

Make no excuses now: you have rejected faith after your belief; even if We may pardon some of you who were not serious in participating, We will punish others amongst you, because they are criminals.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Make no excuses! You have lost faith after your belief. If We pardon a group of you,¹ We will punish others for their wickedness.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., those who will repent.

Make no excuse. Ye have disbelieved after your (confession of) belief. If We forgive a party of you, a party of you We shall punish because they have been guilty.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Make ye no excuses: ye have rejected faith after ye had accepted it. If We pardon some of you We will punish others amongst you for that they are in sin. ¹³²³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See last note. Hypocrisy is a half-way house, a state of indecision in the choice between good and evil. Those who definitely range themselves with good obtain forgiveness: those who pass definitely to evil suffer the penalties of evil.

The hypocrites, both men and women, are all of a kind: they enjoin the doing of what is wrong and forbid the doing of what is right,⁹⁴ and withhold their hands [from doing good]. They are oblivious of God, and so He is oblivious of them. Verily, the hypocrites - it is they, they who are truly iniquitous!⁹⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., their behaviour is - in its effect, at least - the exact opposite of that expected of the believers (cf. 3:104 , {110} and {114}; 9:71 and {112}; and 22:41 ).

It is to be borne in mind that this and the following verses refer to the conscious hypocrites spoken of in the last sentence of the preceding verse, and not to the waverers, whose hypocrisy is an outcome of inner fears and uncertainties.

The hypocrite men and the hypocrite women, they are all alike. They enjoin what is evil, forbid what is just, and withhold their hands from doing good. They have forgotten Allah; so He has forgotten them. In fact the hypocrites are transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The hypocrites, both men and women, are all alike: they encourage what is evil, forbid what is good, and withhold 'what is in' their hands. They neglected Allah, so He neglected them. Surely the hypocrites are the rebellious.

  - Mustafa Khattab

The hypocrites, both men and women, proceed one from another. They enjoin the wrong, and they forbid the right, and they withhold their hands (from spending for the cause of Allah). They forget Allah, so He hath forgotten them. Lo! the hypocrites, they are the transgressors.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The Hypocrites men and women (have an understanding) with each other: they enjoin evil and forbid what in just and are close with their hands. They have forgotten Allah; so He hath forgotten them. Verily the Hypocrites are rebellious and perverse. ^{1324 1325 1326}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Literally, "the Hypocrites... are of each other". The forms of hypocrisy may vary, but they are all alike, and they understand each other's hypocrisy. They hold together.

The English phrase "close-fisted" would cover only a part of the meaning. The hand is the symbol of power, help, and assistance. This may be financial, or it may be in other ways. The Hypocrites pretend a great deal, but are of no use or real help to any one.

Cf. vii. 51. and n. 1029. They ignore Allah: and Allah will ignore them.

God has promised the hypocrites, both men and women - as well as the [outright] deniers of the truth - the fire of hell, therein to abide: this shall be their allotted portion. For, God has rejected them, and long-lasting suffering awaits them.

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah has promised the hypocrite men, the hypocrite women, and the unbelievers the fire of hell to live therein forever, a sufficient recompense. Allah has cursed them and they shall have a lasting punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah has promised the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers an everlasting stay in the Fire of Hell- it is sufficient for them. Allah has condemned them, and they will suffer a never-ending punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah promiseth the hypocrites, both men and women, and the disbelievers fire of hell for their abode. It will suffice them. Allah curseth them, and theirs is lasting torment.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah hath promised the Hypocrites men and women and the rejecters of faith the fire of hell: therein shall they dwell: sufficient is it for them: for them is the curse of Allah and an enduring punishment ¹³²⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Curse," here as elsewhere, is deprivation of grace and mercy, brought about by the rejection of Allah by the Unbelievers.

[Say unto them: "You are] like those [hypocrites] who lived before your time.⁹⁶ Greater than you were they in power, and richer in wealth and in children; and they enjoyed their share [of happiness]. And you have been enjoying your share - just as those who preceded you enjoyed their share; and you have been indulging in scurrilous talk - just as they indulged in it. It is they whose works have come to nought in this world and in the life to come - and it is they, they who are the lost!"⁹⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

A reference to the statement, in verse {67}, that conscious hypocrites are intrinsically "all of a kind" (ba'duhum min ba'd).

Sc., "and the same will happen to you unless you repent".

Your behavior is just like those who have gone before you. They were mightier than you in power and more flourishing in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion of this worldly life; thus have you enjoyed your portion as did those before you; and you have entered into vain discourses as they did. Consequently their deeds were fruitless in this world and in the Hereafter, and they are the ones who are the losers.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'You hypocrites are' like those 'disbelievers' before you. They were far superior to you in might and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their share in this life. You have enjoyed your share, just as they did. And you have engaged in idle talk, just as they did. Their deeds have become void in this world and the Hereafter. And it is they who are the 'true' losers.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Even as those before you were mightier than you in strength, and more affluent than you in wealth and children. They enjoyed their lot awhile, so ye enjoy your lot awhile even as those before you did enjoy their lot awhile. And ye prate even as they prated. Such are they whose works have perished in the world and the Hereafter. Such are they who are the losers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

As in the case of those before you: they were mightier than you in power and more flourishing in wealth and children. They had their enjoyment of their portion: and ye have of yours as did those before you; and ye indulge in idle talk as they did. They! their works are fruitless in this world and in the hereafter and they will lose (all spiritual good).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Have, then, the stories of those who preceded them never come within the ken of these [hypocrites and deniers of the truth]? - [the stories] of Noah's people, and of [the tribes of] 'Ad and Thamud, and of Abraham's people, and of the folk of Madyan, and of the cities that were overthrown?⁹⁸ To [all of] them their apostles had come with all evidence of the truth, [but they rejected them:] and so it was not God who wronged them [by His punishment], but it was they who wronged themselves.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities of Lot's people (see {7:80-84} and {11:69-83}). References to the chastisement meted out to Noah's people as well as to the 'Ad and Thamud and the folk of Madyan (the Biblical Midian) are found in several places in the Qur'an; see, in particular, {7:59-79} and {85-93}, and the corresponding notes. The reference to "Abraham's people" seems to point to the Babylonians, who rejected the monotheism preached by him, and to the overthrow of their first empire, at about 1100 B.C., by the Assyrians.

Have they not heard the news of those who have gone before them? The people of Nuh (Noah), Ad and Thamud; the people of Ibrahim (Abraham), the men of Madyan and the cities which were overthrown. Their Rasools came to them with clear warnings; but they did not listen, Allah did not wrong them, but they wronged their own souls.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Have they not received the stories of those 'destroyed' before them: the people of Noah, 'Âd, and Thamûd, the people of Abraham, the residents of Midian, and the overturned cities 'of Lot'?¹ Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. Allah would have never wronged them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 The overturned cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Hath not the fame of those before them reached them the folk of Noah, Aad, Thamud, the folk of Abraham, the dwellers of Midian and the disasters (which befell them)? Their messengers (from Allah) came unto them with proofs (of Allah's sovereignty). So Allah surely wronged them not, but they did wrong themselves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Hath not the story reached them of those before them? The people of Noah and Ad and Thamud; the people of Abraham the men of Madyan and the cities overthrown. To them came their apostles with clear signs. It is not Allah who wrongs them but they wrong their own souls. ^{1328 1329 1330}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The story of Noah is told in vii. 59-64: of 'Ad in vii. 65-72; and of Thamud in vii. 73-79; of Abraham in numerous places, but see specially vi. 74-82; of Midianites in vii. 85-93; and of Lot and the Cities of the Plain overthrown for their wickedness, in vii. 80-84.

In the case of Noah and Abraham, the word I have translated as "people of..." is qaum: these prophets were messengers each to his own people or nation, as was also Hud to the 'Ad people and Salih to the Thamud people. The word used for the Midianities is As-hab-i-Madyan, which I have translated "men of Midian" for want of a better word. The Midianites were for the greater part of their history nomads, with pasture grounds but no settled territory or town. The town of Madyan on the Gulf of 'Aqaba refers to much later times when the Midianites as a people had ceased to count. See n. 1053 to vii, 85.

The Cities of Plain, Sodom and Gomorrah, to whom Lot preached in vain to desist from their abominations: vii. 80-84.

AND [as for] the believers, both men and women - they are close unto one another:⁹⁹ they [all] enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and are constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and pay heed unto God and His Apostle. It is they upon whom God will bestow His grace: verily, God is almighty, wise!

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "are the protectors [or "friends and protectors"] of one another". Since, however, the believers are here contrasted with the hypocrites, spoken of in verse {67} as being "all of a kind", it is preferable to render the term wali (of which awliya' is the plural) in its primary meaning of being near" or "close" to one another.

The true believers, both men and women, are protectors of one another. They enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil; they establish Salah, pay Zakah, and obey Allah and His Rasool. It is they on whom Allah will have His mercy; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The believers, both men and women, are guardians of one another. They encourage good and forbid evil, establish prayer and pay alms-tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is they who will be shown Allah's mercy. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

The believers men and women are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers practice regular charity and obey Allah and His apostle. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power Wise.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

God has promised the believers, both men and women, gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual bliss:¹⁰⁰ but God's goodly acceptance is the greatest [bliss of all] - for this, this is the triumph supreme!

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of this rendering of 'adn (akin to the Hebrew 'eden, "delight" or "bliss") see note [45] on 38:50 , where this expression occurs for the first time in the chronological order of Qur'anic revelation.

Allah has promised to the believers, both men and women, gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever, and they will have beautiful mansions in these gardens of everlasting bliss. Best of all, they will have the good pleasure of Allah. Now that is the highest achievement.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah has promised the believers, both men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there forever, and splendid homes in the Gardens of Eternity, and- above all- the pleasure of Allah. That is 'truly' the ultimate triumph.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah promiseth to the believers, men and women, Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide--blessed dwellings in Gardens of Eden. And greater (far)!--acceptance from Allah. That is the supreme triumph.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah hath promised to believers men and women gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss in the Good Pleasure of Allah: that is the supreme felicity.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

O PROPHET! Strive hard against the deniers of the truth and the hypocrites, and be adamant with them.¹⁰¹ And [if they do not repent,] their goal shall be hell - and how vile a journey's end!

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "do not compromise with them in matters of principle". Regarding the meaning of the verb jahada ("he strove hard", i.e., in a righteous cause), see surah {4}, note [122]. The imperative jahid is obviously used here in its spiritual connotation, implying efforts at convincing both the outspoken unbelievers and the waverers, including the various types of hypocrites spoken of in the preceding passages. Although the imperative is addressed in the first instance to the Prophet, it is considered to be morally binding on all believers.

O Prophet! Make Jihad against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be firm against them. Hell shall be their home; and it is the worst of all homes.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O Prophet! Struggle against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be firm with them. Hell will be their home. What an evil destination!

  - Mustafa Khattab

O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the Hypocrites and be firm against them. Their abode is hell an evil refuge indeed.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[The hypocrites] swear by God that they have said nothing [wrong]; yet most certainly have they uttered a saying which amounts to a denial of the truth,¹⁰² and have [thus] denied the truth after [having professed] their self-surrender to God: for they were aiming at something which was beyond their reach.¹⁰³ And they could find no fault [with the Faith] save that God had enriched them and [caused] His Apostle [to enrich them] out of His bounty!¹⁰⁴ Hence, if they repent, it will be for their own good; but if they turn away, God will cause them to suffer grievous suffering in this world and in the life to come, and they will find no helper on earth, and none to give [them] succour.

  - Mohammad Asad

See the first sentence of verse {61} above, and the corresponding note [86]. The allegation that the Prophet deceived himself in the matter of revelation is, naturally, equivalent to disbelief in the outcome of his revelation, i.e., the Qur'an.

Lit., "which they were unable to attain to". The classical commentators take this as a reference to an abortive plot, on the part of some of the hypocrites, to kill the Prophet during the expedition to Tabuk. However, without contesting the validity of this historical interpretation, I believe that the above allusion has a far deeper meaning - namely, the existential impossibility of one's ever attaining to inner peace without a positive belief that man's life has meaning and purpose, either of which can be glimpsed only through the revelations bestowed on those exceptionally gifted and receptive personalities, the prophets. (An indirect reference to divine revelation as the only source of this kind of cognition appears in 96:5 , that is, in the earliest Qur'anic passage revealed to the Prophet.) Thus, torn between their half-hearted desire to "surrender themselves to God" and their unwillingness to accept the divine guidance offered them by the Prophet, the hypocrites "were aiming at something which was beyond their reach".

I.e., by means of the spiritual guidance contained in the Qur'an and the material welfare resulting from an adherence to its moral and social principles. The above phrase implies that the reluctance of the hypocrites to pay heed to the Prophet was not due to their finding fault with the Faith as such but, rather, to their lack of gratitude for the spiritual and material benefits which they had derived from it. (Because of its historical associations, most of this verse is expressed in the past tense, although its moral import is obviously timeless.)

They swear by Allah that they said nothing when in fact they uttered the words of unbelief and they committed Kufr after accepting Islam. They meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out. They had no reason to be revengeful, except that Allah and His Rasool had enriched them through His bounty. Therefore, if they repent it will indeed be better for them; but if they turn back (do not repent) Allah will punish them with a painful punishment in this life and in the Hereafter, and they shall have none on earth to protect or help them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They swear by Allah that they never said anything 'blasphemous', while they did in fact utter a blasphemy, lost faith after accepting Islam, and plotted what they could not carry out.¹ It is only through resentment that they pay Allah and His Messenger back for enriching them out of His bounty! If they repent, it will be better for them. But if they turn away, Allah will torment them with a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no one on earth to protect or help them.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., some of them tried to assassinate the Prophet (ﷺ) on the way back from Tabûk.

They swear by Allah that they said nothing (wrong), yet they did say the word of disbelief, and did disbelieve after their Surrender (to Allah). And they purposed that which they could not attain, and they sought revenge only that Allah by His messenger should enrich them of His bounty. If they repent it will be better for them; and if they turn away, Allah will afflict them with a painful doom in the world and the Hereafter, and they have no protecting friend nor helper in the earth.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They swear by Allah that they said nothing (evil) but indeed they uttered blasphemy and they did it after accepting Islam; and they meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out: this revenge of theirs was (their) only return for the bounty with which Allah and His apostle had enriched them! If they repent it will be best for them; but if they turn back (to their evil ways) Allah will punish them with a grievous penalty in this life and in the hereafter: they shall have none on earth to protect or help them. ¹³³¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The reference is to a plot made by the Prophet's enemies to kill him when he was returning from Tabuk. The plot failed. It was all the more dastardly in that some of the conspirators were among the men of Madinah who were enriched by the general prosperity that followed the peace and good government established through Islam in Madinah. Trade flourished: justice was firmly administered with an even hand. And the only return that these men could make was a return of evil for good. That was their revenge, because Islam aimed at suppressing selfishness, stood for the rights of the poorest and humblest, and judged worth by righteousness rather than by birth or position.

And among them are such as vow unto God, "If indeed He grant us [something] out of His bounty, we shall most certainly spend in charity, and shall most certainly be among the righteous!"

  - Mohammad Asad

There are some among them who made a covenant with Allah saying: "If He bestows on us His bounty, we will spend in charity and become truly of the righteous."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And there are some who had made a vow to Allah: 'If He gives us from His bounty, we will surely spend in charity and be of the righteous.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And of them is he who made a covenant with Allah (saying): If He give us of His bounty We will give alms and become of the righteous.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Amongst them are men who made a covenant with Allah that if He bestowed on them of His bounty they would give (largely) in charity and be truly amongst those who are righteous.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

But as soon as He has given them [aught] out of His bounty, they cling to it niggardly, and turn away in their obstinacy [from all that they have vowed]:

  - Mohammad Asad

But when He did bestow of His bounty they became stingy, turned back from their covenant and became evasive.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

But when He gave them out of His bounty, they withheld it and turned away indifferently.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Yet when He gave them of His bounty, they boarded it and turned away, averse;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

But when He did bestow of His bounty they became covetous and turned back (from their covenant) averse (from its fulfillment).

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

whereupon He causes hypocrisy to take root in their hearts, [therein to remain] until the Day on which they shall meet Him¹⁰⁵ - because they have failed to fulfil the vow which they had made unto God, and because they were wont to lie.¹⁰⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "He has caused hypocrisy to become for them consequence (a'qabahum) in their hearts until the Day on which they shall meet Him" (i.e., until their resurrection). Thus, the Qur'an states that it is excessive love of worldly possessions which gives rise, in a certain type of man, to the attitude of mind described as "hypocrisy" - and not vice versa (see also 29:11 and the corresponding note [7]). Cf. in this connection the Prophet's saying, reported by Abu Hurayrah: "The mark (ayah) of the hypocrite is threefold: when he speaks, he lies; and when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is trusted, he betrays" (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i; similar Traditions, on the authority of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr, are quoted by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Da'ud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hanbal).

I.e., to themselves, trying to find excuses for their breaking their vow.

He put hypocrisy into their hearts to last till the Day wherein they shall meet Him as a consequence of their breach of covenant with Allah and the lies they told.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So He caused hypocrisy to plague their hearts until the Day they will meet Him, for breaking their promise to Allah and for their lies.

  - Mustafa Khattab

So He hath made the consequence (to be) hypocrisy in their hearts until the day when they shall meet Him, because they broke their word to Allah that they promised Him, and because they lied.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So He hath put as a consequence hypocrisy into their hearts (to last) till the day whereon they shall meet Him: because they broke their covenant with Allah and because they lied (again and again). ¹³³²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If men are false to their covenants and words, the natural consequence will be hypocrisy to cover their falsehood. Such consequences will last till the Day of Judgment, when they will have to account for their deeds. They may think that they are deceiving men by their hypocrisy, but they cannot deceive Allah, to Whom all their most secret thoughts and plots and doings are known.

Do they not know that God knows [all] their hidden thoughts and their secret confabulations, and that God knows fully all the things that are beyond the reach of human perception?

  - Mohammad Asad

Are they not aware that Allah knows their secret thoughts and their secret counsels, and that Allah knows fully well all that is hidden?

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Do they not know that Allah 'fully' knows their 'evil' thoughts and secret talks, and that Allah is the Knower of all unseen?

  - Mustafa Khattab

Know they not that Allah knoweth both their secret and the thought that they confide, and that Allah is the Knower of Things Hidden?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Know they not that Allah doth know their secret (thoughts) and their secret counsels and that Allah knoweth well all things unseen?

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[It is these hypocrites] who find fault with such of the believers as give for the sake of God¹⁰⁷ more than they are duty-bound to give, as well as with such as find nothing [to give] beyond [the meagre fruits of] their toil, and who scoff at them [all].¹⁰⁸ God will cause their scoffing to rebound on themselves,¹⁰⁹ and grievous suffering awaits them.

  - Mohammad Asad

Regarding my rendering of sadaqat as "that which is given for the sake of God", see [note 81] above.

There are many authentic Traditions to the effect that the hypocrites at Medina used to deride the offerings which the believers brought to the Prophet (as head of the community and the state) in response to the Qur'anic ordinance that they should "give for the sake of God". For instance, the Companion Abu Mas'ud reports: "[When] a man brought an ample offering, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would say, 'He [only] wants to be seen and praised by men'; and when a man brought an offering of a small measure [of dates or grain], they would say, 'God does not stand in need of such an offering'" (Bukhari and Muslim, and many similar versions in other hadith compilations). The above verse, however, does not allude merely to these historical incidents but serves to illustrate the mentality of the hypocrite whose own insincerity colours his view of all other people.

Lit., "God will scoff at them": a turn of phrase often occurring in the Qur'an (e.g., in 2:15 ), indicating God's requital.

As for those that taunt the believers who give freely and ridicule those who find nothing to give except the fruits of their labor; Allah will throw back their ridicule on them and they shall have a painful punishment.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'There are' those who slander 'some of' the believers for donating liberally and mock others for giving only the little they can afford. Allah will throw their mockery back at them, and they will suffer a painful punishment.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavors, and deride them Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Those who slander such of the believers as give themselves freely to (deeds of) charity as well as such as can find nothing to give except the fruits of their labor and throw ridicule on them Allah will throw back their ridicule on them: and they shall have a grievous penalty. ¹³³³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When financial help is necessary for the Cause, every Muslim contributes what he can. Those who can afford large sums are proud to bring them in of their own free-will, and those who are very poor contribute their mite or their labour. Both kinds of gifts are equally precious because of the faith and good-will behind them, and only cynics will laugh at the scantiness of the one or the lavishness of the other. Sometimes they not only laugh, but attribute wrong motives to the givers. Such conduct is here reprimanded.

[And] whether thou dost pray [unto God] that they be forgiven or dost not pray for them - [it will all be the same: for even] if thou wert to pray seventy times¹¹⁰ that they be forgiven, God will not forgive them, seeing that they are bent on denying God and His Apostle. And God does not bestow His guidance upon such iniquitous folk.¹¹¹

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., many times. In Arabic usage, the number "seventy" often stands for "many", just as "seven" is a synonym for "several" (see Lisan al-'Arab and Taj al-'Arus). It is evident from many authentic Traditions (recorded, among others, by Bukhari and Muslim) that the Prophet often prayed to God that He pardon his enemies.

I.e., "those who are so deeply rooted in their iniquity and in their insolent persistence in evildoing (tamarrud)... [that] they have lost all disposition for repentance and belief" (Manar X, 657).

O Prophet! It is the same, whether you ask forgiveness for them or not; even if you ask for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah is not going to forgive them: because they have disbelieved Allah and His Rasool. Allah does not guide those who are transgressors.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'It does not matter' whether you 'O Prophet' pray for them to be forgiven or not. Even if you pray for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah will never forgive them. That is because they have lost faith in Allah and His Messenger. And Allah does not guide the rebellious people.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Whether thou ask for their forgiveness or not (their sin is unforgivable): if thou ask seventy times for their forgiveness Allah will not forgive them: because they have rejected Allah and His apostle; and Allah guideth not those who are perversely rebellious. ¹³³⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

An awful warning for those who actively oppose the Cause of Allah. The Holy Prophet was by nature full of mercy and forgiveness. He prayed for his enemies. But in such a case even his prayers are nullified by their attitude of rejecting Allah.