Quran Quote  : 

    • Quran-9:120 Surah At-tawbah English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

    مَا كَانَ لِأَهۡلِ ٱلۡمَدِينَةِ وَمَنۡ حَوۡلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُواْ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرۡغَبُواْ بِأَنفُسِهِمۡ عَن نَّفۡسِهِۦۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ لَا يُصِيبُهُمۡ ظَمَأٞ وَلَا نَصَبٞ وَلَا مَخۡمَصَةٞ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوۡطِئٗا يَغِيظُ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنۡ عَدُوّٖ نَّيۡلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٞ صَٰلِحٌۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ,

    Transliteration:( Maa kaana li ahlil Madeenati wa man hawlahum minal A'raabi ai yatakhallafoo 'ar-Rasoolil laahi wa laa yarghaboo bi anfusihim 'an nafsih; zaalika bi annahum laa yuseebuhum zama unw wa laa nasabunw wa laa makhmasatun fee sabeelil laahi wa laa yata'oona mawti'ai yagheezul kuffaara wa laa yanaaloona min 'aduwwin nailan illaa kutiba lahum bihee 'amalun saalih; innal laaha laa yudee'u ajral muhsineen )

    120.It was not proper for the inhabitants of Madina [336], and those around them [337], to remain sitting behind the Messenger of Allah, nor that they should consider their own lives more dear than his life. This is because whatever they face as thirst, distress, or hunger [340] in the way of Allah, or where they take a step in a place that enrages [341] the infidels, for all these things [342], a good deed is written [343] for them. Surely, Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good [344]. (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

    (120) It was not [proper] for the people of Madīnah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh or that they prefer themselves over his self.[507] That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allāh, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that it is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good. (Saheen International Translation)

    Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics

    Surah At-Tawbah Ayat 120 Tafsir (Commentry)



    • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
    • Ibn Kathir
    • Ala-Madudi
    • Shaheen International

    📖 Commentary of Surah At-Tawbah – Verse 120

    “It was not proper for the inhabitants of Madina [336], and those around them [337], to remain sitting behind the Messenger of Allah, nor that they should consider their own lives more dear than his life. This is because whatever they face as thirst, distress, or hunger [340] in the way of Allah, or where they take a step in a place that enrages [341] the infidels, for all these things [342], a good deed is written [343] for them. Surely, Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good [344].”

    ✅ 336. Meaning of People of Madina

    The inhabitants of Madina include both the Muhajireen (Emigrants) and the Ansaar (Helpers). From this, two rulings emerge:

    1. Those who emigrate to Madina and live there sincerely with faith are counted among its people.

    2. If a poor Muslim performs Hajj, it is valid, because on arriving in Makkah, one becomes a resident, and for a Makkan, wealth is not a condition for Hajj.

    ✅ 337. Obligation to Join the Tabuk Expedition

    This refers to the time of the Battle of Tabuk, when it was obligatory upon every resident of Madina, whether from the Muhajireen or Ansaar, to accompany the Holy Prophet ﷺ on the journey.

    ✅ 338. Exceptions to the Obligation

    Exemption applied only to those with legitimate reasons such as old age, illness, childhood, or when the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself commanded someone to stay as his deputy. For example, Hazrat Uthman (RA) missed the Battle of Badr, and Hazrat Ali (RA) was left behind during Tabuk by the Prophet's instruction.

    ✅ 339. Duty to Prioritize the Prophet ﷺ

    It was compulsory upon them to sacrifice their lives for the Holy Prophet ﷺ, just as a moth sacrifices itself for the flame. No one should have considered their own comfort above his safety.

    ✅ 340. Acts in the Way of Allah

    This includes Holy War, fasting, Hajj, and journeys to seek knowledge, but in this context, it clearly refers to Jihad. Every hardship—thirst, hunger, or fatigue—suffered in the path of Allah is spiritually counted.

    ✅ 341. Infuriating the Disbelievers

    This refers to entering the lands of disbelievers as victors, which burns their hearts. This teaches that just as pleasing the friends of Allah is a form of worship, displeasing His enemies is also a meritorious act.

    ✅ 342. Actions Included in Worship

    Includes acts like injuring the enemy, capturing them, seizing their war spoils, etc. All these are considered worship in the path of Allah.

    ✅ 343. Reward for Every Step

    Every action of a Muslim soldier is counted as worship. According to Hadith, it is hoped from the mercy of Allah that the same reward applies to those who travel for Hajj or knowledge, as these are journeys in the path of Allah.

    ✅ 344. Jihad as Supreme Worship

    This verse confirms that Jihad is an exalted form of worship, and those who engage in it are benefactors of both believers and non-believers. The reward is never wasted, as Allah values every effort made in His cause.

    Ibn-Kathir

    120. It was neither befitting for the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins of the neighborhood to remain behind Allah’s Messenger nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither Zama’ nor Nasab, nor Makhmasah in the cause of Allah, nor did they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy, but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness. Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good.

    Rewards of Jihad

    Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, criticizes the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins around it, who did not participate in the battle of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah . They sought to preserve themselves rather than comfort the Messenger during the hardship that he suffered in that battle. They incurred a loss in their share of the reward, since,

    ﴿لاَ يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ﴾

    (they suffer neither Zama’), thirst,

    ﴿وَلاَ نَصَبٌ﴾

    (nor Nasab), fatigue,

    ﴿وَلاَ مَخْمَصَةٌ﴾

    (nor Makhmasah), hunger,

    ﴿وَلاَ يَطَأُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ﴾

    (nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers), by strategies of war that would terrify their enemy,

    ﴿وَلاَ يَنَالُونَ﴾

    (nor inflict), a defeat on the enemy,

    ﴿إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُمْ﴾

    (but is written to their credit) as compensation for these steps that are not under their control, but a consequence of performing good deeds that earn them tremendous rewards,

    ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾

    (Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good.) Allah said in a similar Ayah,

    ﴿إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلاً﴾

    (Certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost)

    (9:120) It did not behove the people of Madinah and the bedouin Arabs around them that they should refrain from accompanying the Messenger of Allah and stay behind and prefer their own security to his. For whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger in the Way of Allah, and whenever they tread a place which enrages the unbelievers (whenever anything of this comes to pass), a good deed is recorded in their favour. Allah does not cause the work of the doers of good to go to waste.

    Ala-Maududi

    (9:120) It did not behove the people of Madinah and the bedouin Arabs around them that they should refrain from accompanying the Messenger of Allah and stay behind and prefer their own security to his. For whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger in the Way of Allah, and whenever they tread a place which enrages the unbelievers (whenever anything of this comes to pass), a good deed is recorded in their favour. Allah does not cause the work of the doers of good to go to waste.

    There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.

    (120) It was not [proper] for the people of Madīnah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh or that they prefer themselves over his self.[507] That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allāh, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that it is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

    [507]- In times of hardship. Rather, they should have been willing to endure with the Prophet (ﷺ) whatever was necessary for Islām.

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