Surah Kawthar

Explaining the ayah of the Sword

Explanation of the Ayah of the Sword in Surah Tawbah.

One of the main surahs’ the anti-Islamic people use against Allah’s Messenger is surah at-Tawba. It is a powerful surah, it starts with Allah’s Mercy being mentioned at the beginning (this is the only surah where Bismillahi ar-Rahman ar-Raheem is not mentioned at the beginning).

Ali bin abi Talib said this surah came as a sword without its sheath. This surah is showing the disbelievers that your evil and oppression will not last anymore, especially against the Muslims.

But right at the end of the surah, Allah showed the mercy of His Messenger (بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ – for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind, and merciful. [Tawba 9:128]).

Why did He mention His Messengers’ mercy at the end of that surah?

A Brief History Lesson which Muslims, Jews and Christians could learn from:

Allah sent Messengers’ throughout history.

The majority did not follow them.

The majority decided that they are not going to believe and remain ungrateful, so Allah would send them punishments in this life as well as the next.

Allah sent floods, winds, earthquakes etc. Which destroyed the people who oppressed the believers and rejected the Messengers’ in their faces.

Anyone who did that in earlier times or later times; they will get destroyed in this life and the next.

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِتَبْدِيلًا

That was the Way of Allah in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not find any change in the Way of Allah. [Ahzab 33:62]

Christians and Jews believe this because it is in their books (Bible, Old Testament) too.

Relating this to the Life of the Messenger of Allah/God, Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam):

We believe that Muhammad (sal Allah alayhi wasalam) warned his people from their corruption for 10 long years non stop. He called them to serve the One true God Alone.

The polytheist leaders began to oppress the believers and the Messenger.

They persisted in this until Allah sent His punishment upon them. The punishment which Moses gave to the polytheists is the same punishment the final Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) came with (the sword).

They deserved this punishment, just like the disbelievers of old were punished for oppression and lying against the Messenger.

But when the Muslims gain power over them – they don’t say ‘we told you you would be overcome’. Rather – Allah tells the believers to give the polytheists 4 months (arba’ata ash-hur) to think about their decision.

So these people are the first in history to have expiation, a time to pause and think about their decision of wanting to stay on polytheism. Normally the nations before would be destroyed without time to change their minds.

These people can now go to Medinah, and verify whether the Qur’an is really the word of Allah/God.

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰيَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّايَعْلَمُونَ