"The First Forerunners" — Quranic Honor for the First Emigrants and Helpers
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Level: intermediate
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رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَنَّٰتٍ
— التوبة 100
Verse: "The first forerunners among the Emigrants and Helpers and those who followed them in goodness — Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him." (9:100)
Occasion (Sahih): Revealed in the context of Surah At-Tawbah following the Battle of Tabuk — to distinguish sincere forerunners from hypocrites and those who stayed behind. Ibn Abbas: the verse applies generally to all who embraced Islam first among Emigrants and Helpers.
Doctrinal lesson: "Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him" — mutual contentment is attained only through forerunning and sincerity. To slander the Companions is to oppose explicit Quran.
Source: Al-Tabari (14/437); Ibn Kathir (4/183); Lubab Al-Nuqul
Question: Who are the "first forerunners" referred to in the verse?
Answer: The Emigrants who embraced Islam first and emigrated, and the Helpers who sheltered and supported them — then those who follow them in goodness until the Day of Judgment.