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سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ · 9:12
MedinanRevelation order ١١٣Juzʾ ١٠Page ١٨٨

وَإِن نَّكَثُوٓا۟ أَيْمَٰنَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ عَهْدِهِمْ وَطَعَنُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ فَقَٰتِلُوٓا۟ أَئِمَّةَ ٱلْكُفْرِ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَآ أَيْمَٰنَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ

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Saheeh International · EN

And if they break their oaths after their treaty and defame your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief, for indeed, there are no oaths [sacred] to them; [fight them that] they might cease.

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Introduction

This is āyah 12 of Sūrat At-Tawba (The Repentance), the 113th sūrah in the traditional order of revelation. It was revealed in the Medinan period and sits within Juzʾ 10. Medinan verses often address community life, law, and the building of society.

This introduction is a starting point — the community and Bilal will enrich it over time.

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Revelation & occasion

Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Period
Medinan
Order revealed
113 of 114
Surah
At-Tawba (9)
Occasion of revelation · Al-Wahidi

(And if they break their pledges after their treaty (hath been made with you) and assail your religion, then fight the heads of disbelief�) [9:12]. Said Ibn 'Abbas: �This verse was revealed about Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, al-Harith ibn Hisham, Suhayl ibn 'Amr, 'Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl and all the chiefs of Quraysh who broke their pledges, and these are the ones who planned to expel the Messenger of Allah�.

Commentary

Tafsir

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Hafiz Ibn Kathir

But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with disapproval and criticism, then fight (you) against the leaders of disbelief – for surely, their oaths are nothing to them – so that they may stop (evil actions)(12) The Oaths of the Leaders of Disbelief mean nothing to Them Allah says, if the idolators with whom you conducted peace treaties for an appointed term break أَيْمَانَهُم (their oaths) meaning, terms of their treaties, and covenants وَطَعَنُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ (and attack your religion...) with disapproval and criticism, it is because of this that one who curses the Messenger, peace be upon him, or attacks the religion of Islam by way of criticism and disapproval, they are to be fought. This is why Allah said afterwards, فَقَاتِلُوا أَئِمَّةَ الْكُفْرِ ۙ إِنَّهُمْ لَا أَيْمَانَ لَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنتَهُونَ (then fight (you) against the lea…
Provenance

Chains of transmission

Oral — isnād

  1. ~610–632 CERevelation & memorisation

    Received by the Prophet ﷺ and preserved by the ḥuffāẓ (memorisers) among the Companions.

  2. 1st century AHMutawātir transmissionawaiting curation

    Carried by mass-transmission through the generations of qurrāʾ.

  3. TodayLiving chainsawaiting curation

    Continuous ijāzah chains link reciters today back to the Prophet ﷺ.

Verified isnād chains for this āyah will be added by curators.

Written — the manuscript record

  1. ~650 CEʿUthmānic codicesawaiting curation

    The standardised muṣḥaf sent to the great cities (e.g. the Topkapı and Samarqand codices).

  2. 8th–10th c.Early Ḥijāzī & Kūfic foliosawaiting curation

    Surviving leaves in Birmingham, Sanaa, Paris (BnF) and beyond.

  3. Modern printModern printawaiting curation

    The 1924 Cairo edition → today: the standard printed muṣḥaf used worldwide.

A curated chain of manuscript images for this exact āyah — roughly one per century — is coming. Help us source and verify them.

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Provenance

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