من أخذ السبع الأول من القرآن فهو حبر
“Whoever takes up the first seven of the Qur’an is a learned scholar.”
Virtues and benefits of Surah At-Tawbah
Surah At-Tawbah is, according to many scholars, one of the seven long surahs given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Torah (good hadith), and “whoever takes up the first seven of the Qur’an is a learned scholar” (authenticated by Al-Hakim and Adh-Dhahabi). Umar wrote: “Learn Surah At-Tawbah”; Ibn Abbas called it “the Exposer” of the hypocrites, and it urges striving in Allah’s cause.
Its virtues at a glance
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One of the seven long surahs
Many scholars, including Az-Zarkashi and As-Suyuti, count the seven long surahs from Al-Baqarah to Bara’ah, since Al-Anfal and Bara’ah were counted as one surah; they were given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Torah, and “whoever takes up the first seven of the Qur’an is a learned scholar”. Sa’id ibn Jubayr counted Yunus as the seventh.
Authentic (sahih)Ahmad and Al-Hakim Good (hasan)At-Tayalisi (1012), Ahmad and Al-Bayhaqi (As-Sunan as-Saghir, 978)
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Umar ordered it to be learnt
The Commander of the Believers Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to the people: “Learn Surah At-Tawbah, and teach your women Surah An-Nur.”
Authentic (sahih)Abu Ubayd (Fada’il al-Qur’an) and Al-Bayhaqi (Shu’ab al-Iman, 2437)
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The Exposer of the hypocrites
Ibn Abbas said: At-Tawbah is the Exposer; it kept coming down saying “and among them… and among them…”, until they thought it would leave none of them unmentioned. The hypocrites take up nearly half of the surah.
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It urges striving in Allah’s cause
Abd ar-Rahman ibn Yazid recited Surah Bara’ah one night and heard it urging striving: he set out on the expedition himself, though he had first wanted to send someone in his place.
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Among the last revelations
Ibn Kathir said this surah is among the last revealed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as Al-Bukhari said; Al-Bara’ ibn ’Azib said: “The last surah revealed was Bara’ah.”
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It does not open with the basmalah
It is the only surah not begun with the basmalah, and several scholars reported consensus on this. The sound view, held by Al-Qurtubi and the careful scholars, is that the basmalah was not written because Gabriel did not bring it down with this surah.
Hadiths on its virtues
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
أعطيت مكان التوراة السبع الطوال، ومكان الزبور المئين، ومكان الإنجيل المثاني، وفضِّلت بالمفصل
“I was given in place of the Torah the seven long ones, in place of the Psalms the Mi’in, in place of the Gospel the Mathani, and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
التوبة هي الفاضحة، ما زالت تنزل: ومنهم ومنهم، حتى ظنوا أنها لن تبقي أحدا منهم إلا ذكر فيها
“At-Tawbah is the Exposer (al-Fadihah): it kept coming down saying ‘and among them…’, ‘and among them…’, until they thought it would leave none of them unmentioned.”
كتب إلينا عمر بن الخطاب أن: تعلموا سورة التوبة، وعلموا نساءكم سورة النور
Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to us: “Learn Surah At-Tawbah, and teach your women Surah An-Nur.”
خرج عبد الرحمن بن يزيد مرة وهو يريد أن يجاعل في بعث خرج عليه ثم أصبح فتجهز، فقلت: ألم تكن أردت أن تجاعل؟ فقال: بلى ولكن قرأت البارحة سورة براءة فسمعتها تحث على الجهاد
Abd ar-Rahman ibn Yazid once wanted to pay someone to go in his place on an expedition imposed on him, then the next morning he equipped himself. I said: “Did you not want to pay a substitute?” He said: “Yes, but last night I recited Surah Bara’ah and heard it urging striving in Allah’s cause.”
من قال إذا أصبح وإذا أمسى: حسبي الله لا إله إلا هو، عليه توكلت وهو رب العرش العظيم، سبع مرات، كفاه الله ما أهمه صادقا كان بها أو كاذبا
“Whoever says, morning and evening, seven times: ‘Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but He; in Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the mighty Throne’, Allah will suffice him against what worries him, whether he says it sincerely or not.”
Widespread but unproven narrations
The report of Ibn Abbas from Uthman about why the basmalah is missing between Al-Anfal and Bara’ah is very weak, indeed baseless; the sound view, according to Al-Qurtubi and the careful scholars, is that the basmalah was not written because Gabriel did not bring it down with this surah.
قلت لعثمان: ما حملكم على أن عمدتم إلى «الأنفال» وهي من المثاني، وإلى «براءة» وهي من المئين فقرنتم بينهما، ولم تكتبوا سطر بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم… قال عثمان: … وقبض رسول الله ﷺ ولم يبين لنا أنها منها فظننت أنها منها، فمن ثم قرنت بينهما ولم أكتب بينهما سطر بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Ibn Abbas is reported to have said to Uthman: “What led you to join Al-Anfal, which is of the Mathani, and Bara’ah, which is of the Mi’in, without writing between them the line ‘Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim’?” Uthman is reported to have replied: “… The Messenger of Allah ﷺ died without making clear to us whether it was part of it; I thought it was, so I joined them without writing the line of the basmalah between them.”
What the surah is about
- Disavowal of the idolaters who broke their treaties, and the four-month respite
- How the believers are to deal with the idolaters, the People of the Book and the hypocrites
- Maintaining the mosques belongs to the believers, not the idolaters
- Preferring love of Allah, His Messenger and striving to fathers and wealth
- The call to march in Allah’s cause, and blame of those who stayed behind from Tabuk
- Exposing the hypocrites, their kinds, traits and deeds
- Recipients of zakat, rulings on treaties and the sacred months
- The door of repentance opened, and praise of the first Emigrants and Ansar
Main purpose: Disavowal of the idolaters and hypocrites, striving against them, and opening the door of repentance to those who turn back.
About Surah At-Tawbah
At-Tawbah (“Repentance”) is the 9th surah of the Qur’an, Medinan by consensus and among the last long surahs revealed; it has 129 verses (Kufan count) and is classed among the Mi’in. It is the only surah that does not begin with the basmalah. Its best-known names are At-Tawbah and Bara’ah; it is also called Al-Fadihah (the Exposer), Al-Munaqqirah, Al-Muthirah, Al-Mub’athirah and Al-Mudammirah. Revealed in 9 AH around the expedition of Tabuk, its opening was proclaimed by Ali on the Day of Sacrifice.
Tafsir of Surah At-Tawbah Listen to At-Tawbah by other reciters
Detailed study in Arabic
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
- التعريف بسورة التوبة
- أسماؤها
- فضائل سورة التوبة وخصائصها
- مَقاصِد سُورة التوبةِ
- زمان ومكان نزول سورة التوبة
- لماذا لم تذكر البسملة في أول سورة التوبة؟
- مناسبتها لسورة الأنفال
- تلخيص سورة التوبة
- الأحاديث الواردة في الفضل ودرجتها
Virtues of other surahs
All 114 surahs- Virtues of Surah Al-Kahf A light between two Fridays and protection from the Dajjal
- Virtues of Surah Al-Mulk Intercedes for its reciter and protects from the grave’s punishment
- Virtues of Surah Ya-Sin Whoever recites it at night seeking Allah’s Face is forgiven
- Virtues of Surah Al-Baqarah Satan flees the house where it is recited; it is the peak of the Qur’an
- Virtues of Surah Al-Fatihah The greatest surah of the Qur’an, without which there is no prayer
- Virtues of Surah Al-Ikhlas It equals a third of the Qur’an; loving it earns Allah’s love
- Virtues of Surah Al-Waqi’ah One of the surahs that greyed the Prophet ﷺ; he recited it at Fajr
- Virtues of Surah Ar-Rahman Recited by the Prophet ﷺ to the jinn, who responded better than people
- Ayat al-Kursi The greatest verse in the Book of Allah, a guard against Satan