Transliteration:( Qul hal tarabbasoona binaaa illaaa ihdal husnayayni wa nahnu natrabbasu bikum ai yus eebakumul laahu bi'azaa bim min 'indiheee aw biaidee naa fatarabbasooo innaa ma'akum mutarabbisoon )
Say, "Are you waiting for us except for one of the two best things? And we are waiting for Allah to afflict you either from Himself [147] or at our hands. So wait; we too are waiting with you."
The hypocrites are described as waiting for either blessing or martyrdom.
This shows that even misfortune for a believer is a mercy from Allah, as patience during trials earns great reward.
There are various types of martyrdom:
When struck by the enemy, the believer is a warrior.
When killed by the enemy, he becomes a martyr.
When afflicted by misfortune, it is like fasting for the believer.
Overcoming hardship is akin to celebrating Eid.
In all conditions, the believer gains spiritually.
“Afflict you either from Himself” means Allah’s direct punishment, such as death in disbelief and subsequent torment in the grave and Hereafter.
Some scholars explain this as punishments like those that befell ancient peoples like Thamood and Aad — extraordinary punishments from unknown or supernatural sources.
These might include physical transformations or partial submergence in the earth (e.g., Masakh and Khasf).
Since the Prophet’s time, common punishments of this nature have ceased, but special forms may still occur before the Day of Judgment.
52. Say: “Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things; while we await for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you.” 53. Say: “Spend willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. Verily, you are ever a people who are rebellious.” 54. And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger, and that they came not to the Salah except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly.) Allah said,
(Say), O Muhammad to them,
(Do you wait for us), anything,
(except one of the two best things), martyrdom or victory over you, according to the meaning given by Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, and others.
(while we await for you), that this will touch you,
(either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands), either capture or killing,
(So wait, we too are waiting with you.) Allah said next,
(Say: Spend willingly or unwillingly), for whatever you spend either way,
(it will not be accepted from you. Verily, you are ever a people who are rebellious.) Allah mentions the reason behind not accepting their charity from them,
(except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger. ) and the deeds are accepted if they are preceded with faith,
(and that they came not to the Salah except in a lazy state.) Therefore, they neither have good intention nor eagerness to perform the acts ﴿of faith﴾,
(And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger, and that they came not to the Salah (the prayer) except in a lazy state, and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly.) The Truthful, to whom the Truth was revealed, Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that Allah does not stop giving rewards until you (believers) stop performing good deeds, and that Allah is Tayyib ﴿Good and Pure﴾ and only accepts what is Tayyib. This is why Allah does not accept charity or good deeds from the people described in these Ayat, because He only accepts it from those who have Taqwa.
(9:52) Tell them: “What you await to befall upon us is nothing but one of the two good things![52] And what we await for you is that Allah visit you with chastisement from Him or chastise you at our hands. So continue waiting; we too shall wait with you.”
52. This is the answer to those who, as usual, were not taking any part in the conflict between Islam and kufr, but were very wisely watching it from a distance to see whether the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions would return victorious from Tabuk or would be totally destroyed by the powerful Roman army. They were told that either of the two results, they were awaiting, would be good for the Muslims. For it was obvious that it would be a good thing if they won victory. But even if they were killed in the Way of Allah, it would be a success from their point of view, though not in the sight of the world, as the Muslims’ standard of measurement is different from that of the hypocrites and the like. A believer considers it his success if he sacrifices his life and wealth in the Way of Allah, irrespective of whether he succeeds in conquering some country, or in establishing a government or not. According to him the criterion of success or failure is whether he has extended or not all the powers of his body and soul, his head and his heart to elevate the word of Allah, though from the worldly point of view the result of his efforts might be nothing at all.
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