Intermediate
الجهاد
Surah: At-Tawbah (73)
Strive Against Disbelievers and Hypocrites — Who Are the Hypocrites Here
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ جَٰهِدِ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ وَٱلۡمُنَٰفِقِينَ وَٱغۡلُظۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ
— التوبة الآية 73
Verse: "O Prophet, strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them." (At-Tawbah 73)
Context:
Hypocrisy has its own form of striving — open disbelief is confronted with arms when necessary, and inner hypocrisy is confronted with evidence, exposure, and openly declaring the truth. Both are "striving" though the tools differ.
Context:
- The verse was revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah which exposed hypocrites in detail — especially after the Battle of Tabuk
- Scholars hold that striving against hypocrites means through argument and clarification not the sword, since they outwardly profess Islam — as stated by Ibn Abbas and Ibn Al-Qayyim
- The hypocrites referenced include Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul and his companions who stayed behind at Tabuk and discouraged others
- "Be harsh upon them" means in speech — confronting them and declaring the truth openly before them
Hypocrisy has its own form of striving — open disbelief is confronted with arms when necessary, and inner hypocrisy is confronted with evidence, exposure, and openly declaring the truth. Both are "striving" though the tools differ.
Source: Ibn Kathir (4/165); Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi (p. 240); Zad Al-Maad by Ibn Al-Qayyim (3/5)
Test Yourself
How is the hypocrite to be striven against according to commentators, and why does this differ from striving against the open disbeliever?
Show Answer