SURAH TAUBAH - 9

                                                                                                                                            12 Dec' 2018 
سورة التوبة - PROCESS OF TURNING BACK TOWARDS ALLAH

NEW QURANIC DIMENSION - GOING BACK FOR REFLECTION

Surah Taubah is the most envious chapter in the eyes of non Muslims, ex-Muslims and Atheists; the reason being its dreadful translation / interpretation of some verses supposed to be targeting them [9:5][9:8][9:14][9:29]... Furthermore the interpretation is so misleading but it can be practically witnessed in the grim behavior of some traditional Muslims thus corroborating the stand of "non Muslims" to hate Islam. The misleading interpretations done under the complicity of fabricated tool of "Shaan-e-Nuzool" [circumstances of revelation] is indeed hurtful to "believers and non believers". The action of some nincompoop brainwashed Muslims done in the line of such senseless interpretation demonizes the entire ignorant Muslim community because they happily accept such translations along with the mythology of revelation. They don't have the ability to see the fault in such translations which made them an object of hate in the eyes of the entire world community.

Belief has no room for knowledge or research. A tricky situation arises for the sincere students of the book Quran when all their eminent teachers / interpreters try to link up every verse with a certain historical background of Rev. Mohammed bin Abdullah and calling it a very important process in understanding the context of the book Quran. This sly process is given a name of ‘Shaan-e-Nuzool’ (circumstances of a Revelation) that too framed centuries after the inception of the book Quran. It is based on supernatural beliefs of Angel bringing the verses from God or a man riding a flying mule to directly take the command from the God. An atmosphere of divinity was purposefully created around Rev. Mohammed and the stunning message and the words / terms of the book Quran. Through the fabricated tool of shaane Nuzool vibrant words / terms were given canonize meanings and were planted in the purported story, with the intention to totally disregard the original essence, context, concepts and grammar of the subject matter. If the method of understanding the Quran through circumstances of revelation is real then the message of the entire Quran becomes defunct in today's time as it is only applicable to the period of Rev. Mohammed bin Abdullah. 

After this canonization of the vivid meanings of the book Quran it became very difficult for the researchers to revive the original message of the book Quran as we all carry some iota of heavenly belief in the person of Mohammed bin Abdullah, a notable character of Arabia. The intention of forcefully linking the message of the book Quran with the revered personality of Mohammed bin Abdullah was to suppress the doubt developing minds of deep thinkers to raise uncomfortable questions. The shade of sanctity is always necessary for the smooth working / application of theory like ‘Shaan-e-Nuzool’ for camouflaging and suppressing the facts with the brush of some "saintly narratives."

According to the "Islamic History" the well known and the "secular" Constitution of Medina (دستور المدينة, Dustūr al-Madīnah), also known as the Charter of Medina (صحيفة المدينة‎, Ṣaḥīfat al-Madīnah; or: ميثاق المدينة, Mīthāq al-Madīnah "Covenant of Medina"), was drawn up on behalf of the Rev. Muhammad bin Abdullah shortly after his arrival at Medina (then known as Yathrib) in 622 CE (or 1 AH), following the migration from Mecca. It is believed that the constitution formed on the basis of a multi-religious Islamic state in Medina but the verses of the book is telling another story if the interpretation of the verses are is correct.

Now we will see how the multi-religious Islamic Charter contradict the the verses of Surah Baqrah which was assumed to be revealed between 2 years of Hijra (migration) according to the same historians who were responsible for the canonization of the message. Please check what type of verses [2:190-194] revealed during those years plus the aggressive verses of killing / fighting "non Muslims" from Surah Taubah was revealed between 8 to 10 AH. If the supposed history and the interpretation of surahs are correct then the non Muslims have the absolute right to hate and kill Muslims for their dangerous ideology because it gave no space for any tolerance for other religious groups. And it also proves that the so called multi-religious Medina Charter has no value if the interpretation of these verses and date of revelation of these verses are correct. My conclusion is that the present interpretations of the book Quran is utterly wrong while the multi-religious Islamic Charter can be right but it is not the topic of the book Quran.

I always emphasis that one can never understand the wonderful book Quran from the perspective of doubtful History of Islam or the life of Rev. Mohammed bin Abdullah, or pacts / covenants he made between different groups. The book Quran has nothing to do with political Islam or establishing a country on the basis of "Islamic values". Neither it has to do anything with homosexuality / marriage / criminal or civil laws, dress code, obedience or worship of religious God or gods or performing different rituals to please God. The message of the book Quran is metaphysical [bil-gayab], Allah, Rasul, Nabi, Malaikah, Iblees, Shaitaan, Jannah, Jahannum, Al-Kitab, Al-Quran... all come in the ambit of meta physics or bil-gayab. If we search for physical personalities, their history or their geographical location, we will never be able to reach the point of convergence of understanding the message in the right sense. Without the understanding or holding faith in the meta physical aspect [bil-gayab] of the message, we cannot understand the crux of the subject, this is the basic criteria to understand the book Quran.

Do we return or atone for repentance to Allah by fighting / killing people or cattles in the name of Allah to impose "Islamic ideology", is this what Allah wants from us, is this the path Muslims or Humans must choose for their atonement? Is this what Surah Taubah is all about?

Humans are the only species that have to do a lot of introspection as the book Quran is more about introspection than extrospection. Quran is the book of human conscience [voice within] and the state of being conscious about our own existence, sensations, thoughts and feelings. These are the back bone of human character and mental evolution which the message of the book Quran propagates with the help of various characters depicted in the form of parables. 

We try to interpret the message of the book Quran without understanding the keywords of the book. It is impossible to understand even the 1% of the message of the book Quran without understanding the essence of the meaning of Allah and Rasul in the given context of the main message. We don't know why we have to fight, kill or hate mushrik until the "polytheist" establish prayer [namaz] and give regular charity [zakat]? [9:5][9:8]. What type of agreement or covenant is this? They have been given 4 months ultimatum to accept Islam or they would be killed. What type of Islam/Peace are we following? We don't know what is masjida alharama and what is the logic behind not allowing Mushrikun inside or near the masjida alharam? [9:28] - Why mushrikun cannot maintain Masjida alharam [9:17]? Why only Mushrikun are called unclean, impure, filthy, evil,wicked? [9:8][9:28] - In short we don't know who are mushrik but still want to fight and kill them; isn't it making a joke of an original message? What is Qatal in the context of the book Quran and why must believers fight the non believers or take Jaziya from them? [9:29] - In fact nowadays the labelled Muslims are paying the so called Jaziya to the non Muslims for their protection.

If Mushrikeen or Kafirs are assumed to be an entire community, is it not an insult and a great offence to call them unclean, filthy, evil, wicked and kill them at the pretext that they don't subscribe to the ideology of the book Quran or for breaking the "covenant"? Does the book Quran catagorize "Mushriks" as unclean / filthy / dirty / evil, and on the other hand label the entire "Muslim" community as clean / pure? Such misleading interpretation is 100% hostile towards non muslims so their hate against Muslims and Islam is justified. Surah Taubah gives us a very good opportunity to understand the word Mushrikun / Mushrikeen, Masjid and Rasul that has occurred 11 times, 7 times and 34 times respectively in the entire chapter. 

The traditional or the labelled Muslims all around the world are at the receiving end because the so called non Muslims taking inspiration from these misinterpreted verses and humiliating them. The Muslims are busy correcting their pronunciation to sing the Quran melodiously without making any effort to study or understand the message. Those who claim to understand the book Quran actually understand its distorted interpretation and are satisfied with it thinking that the translation is also from God and to doubt or correct it is an act of blasphemy. It is also an open fact that Muslims often label each other as Mushriks / Kafirs and fight / kill each other to score some religious points. In fact it is well documented truth that Muslims have killed each other more than the so called non Muslims ever did. It is either done for little difference in their religious belief or for annexing each other territories to expand their hold or power. 

Some traditional Muslims apologetically defend such translations and justify their stand or the aggression towards "non Muslims." They do this because they don't have any other alternative but to pick up certain verses out of context and create a backup narrative with the help of selective Hadith. They support these hostile translations by saying that the instruction of fighting or killing in such verses are only in self defense. The Justification for their aggression lies in the wrong understanding of the message of the book Quran. The subject of the book Quran is Peace, the ideology of Islam is Peace and if the so called Muslims don't follow the path of Peace they are not fit to be called Muslims. Nobody has the right to kill / fight / plunder or humiliate anyone in the pretext that it is the commandment of God and the Messenger to kill other humans wherever you find them... The message of the book Quran is for all humans; its message is not pro "Muslims" or "anti Muslims" - The message is pro peace for all humans irrespective of their caste, creed or race. The book Quran certainly does not support any type of extremism, intolerance and bigotry.

The responsibility of the Translator is to do justice by evaluating very precisely and clearly the original message of the author. The Quran says that it is enough to understand it,that means it is self-explanatory. But the Traditional Translators have created a phobia among the community that The Noble Quran cannot be understood on its own without the background of history and geography. Sorry to say, but they have created a grim picture as though the Quran is handicapped without the centuries old historical stories and incidents of Middle East. Then how come they claim it to be a Book for the Present Times. Is it not hypocrisy? Are we not demeaning the UNIVERSAL POWERFUL MESSAGE OF THE QURAN  by subjecting it to be working against humanity or specifically directed towards the well being of only Muslims alone? The QURANIC message is a universal one, for the entire Human-race but we are constricting it to only the Muslims and portraying it as Muslims verses Non Muslims book. Thereby creating conflicts,hatred, bitterness and suspicion in the minds of Muslims as well as non Muslims towards each other. So please let us all vow to eradicate the stigma that has been attached to the Quran because of the mindset of the Traditionalists and extremists. It is our duty to revive the term Islam meaning PEACE and nothing but submission to PEACE. No amount of burning of the book Quran or drawings of Rev. Mohammed's portraits should disturb our philosophy of Peace. Surah Taubah is war by Allah and Rasul against impure thoughts [Mushrikeen] that are settled inside us.

As I have not yet interpreted the entire Surah Taubah or the book Quran I will share the glimpses of my humble understanding from verse 1-11. We must understand the actual theme of the entire book Quran during these turbulent times for Muslims all around the world.

PLEASE VERIFY THE MEANINGS.

INTERPRETATION:

                                        بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

9:1 - بَرَاءَةٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

It is a state of immunity/freedom/protection from Allah [our system of consciousness] and His Rasul [low inherent voices that emits information in the form of signs] towards / against those who caused to charged / commands you from Al-Mushrikeen [impure thoughts].

[Taubah is the process to return back to the system of consciousness [Allah]. The word Taubah signifies the freedom or breaking away or distancing away from the alliance of bad addiction or from our impure thoughts (Al-Mushrikeen) and never to return to the old thoughts or habit - we all have bad habits / desire or impure thoughts and they command us because we are in connivance with them so they order us to do things against our system of consciousness / Allah thereby destroying our peace of mind] - Taubah in the given context also means that we are given clean chit or our acquittal / freedom / declaration immunity from Allah and Rasul for our efforts to cleanup our impure thoughts (Al-Mushrikeen) from our system]. 

The basic meaning of عَاهَدتُّم - caused to charge you, ordered you, commanded or enjoined you as it is a form III perfect verb. Refer 2:125, 36:60

9:2 - فَسِيحُواْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي اللّهِ وَأَنَّ اللّهَ مُخْزِي الْكَافِرِينَ

So go / manoeuvre throughout the lower consciousness for manifestation / appearance of recovery of new growth and know that you are in the last state to experience change of the system of consciousness [Allah] and that the system of consciousness [Allah] afflicts those who are covered in falsehood. 

[The process of repentance or returning back to our consciousness is the result of our realization of self. It is our last chance to amend the course of our life's direction]

غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي - last or the ending part to experience change

  أَرْبَعَةَ - ربيع - Generally refer to the season which helps in growing, it is also a recovery process for ideas to rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and regrowth. Rabi awal is the blooming season, deliberation process, spring season, it also means four

9:3 - وَأَذَانٌ مِّنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْأَكْبَرِ أَنَّ اللّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ فَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَإِن تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّكُمْ غَيْرُ مُعْجِزِي اللّهِ وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

And when you are in the state of listening Allah and His Rasul for the sake of the agitated mind [an-naas] its a moment of great course of reparation [Al-Hajj] [22:27] that the system of consciousness is in the state of immunity from Al-Mushrikeen [impure thoughts] and its Rasul [inner voice that instigate]. So if you return then it is good for you. And if you took over then know that you have last chance to change the system of consciousness and give sensibility to those who are cover in falsehood along with painful chastisement. 

[The great change of course occurs when we are in the state of listening Allah and His / its Rasul, the reparation of our thought process starts, this journey / pilgrimage  to repair / amend is called Hajj, where we get freedom from impure thoughts (Al-Mushrikeen) & its Rasul (the inner voice that instigate) - Note in the verse Allah and His/Its Rasul اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ is mentioned with the Mushrikeen and his/its Rasul الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ - the only difference is one is genitive case and the other is nominative case.]

الْحَجِّ - A journey to repair is in the agitated mind, refer 22:27

9:4 - إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُواْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّواْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَى مُدَّتِهِمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

Except those you command from the Al-Mushrikeen (impure thoughts), then they did not reduce / decrease you in any desire, and they may not in any case became apparent against you, so they are free / finish from deficiency towards them, charge / command them till their limit / duration. Indeed Allah loves / likes the one who is cautious / thoughtful. 

[Impure thoughts will always remain in you but now they are under your command. They cannot decrease or reduce your status and they cannot stand against you as they are free from deficiency because of your thoughtfulness.] 

9:5 - فَإِذَا انسَلَخَ الْأَشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَاحْصُرُوهُمْ وَاقْعُدُواْ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍ فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

So when the state of sacred manifestation is stripped off / passed / ended, then fight / kill / educate thoroughly the the impure thoughts [Al-Mushrikeen] whenever you find them, and take them and restrict / restrain them and remain watchful for them (in) every stratagem, then if they returned, then establish / hold the process of connection and brought forth the mental development / purification, then separate / penetrate their way / path. Indeed the system of consciousness (is) protecting, merciful.

[Sometimes corrupt, adulterated or impure thoughts appear to us as sacred manifestation but when we realize that they are harmful we must immediately fight, kill or must thoroughly educate them, whenever we find them. We must be very watchful at every moment of our future planning that no mushrikeen [impure thoughts] can able to enter our system.] 

9:6 - وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلاَمَ اللّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَّ يَعْلَمُونَ

And if any from the mushrikeen [impure thoughts] try to divert your course then decline / divert it, until they hears / understands Allah's speech / conversation / words, then deliver him / make it reach its safety / security, that (is) because they are an assembly [of impure thoughts] that do not know.

قَوْمٌ - Nominative masculine indefinite noun - this word is translated as community or people and generally related with various religious community, thanks to evolution of language into MSA and Urdu. The true essence of this word can be understood through its different derivatives such as  قَامُ [stand still], قَامُوا [they stand], أَقِيمُوا [they establish, install], اسْتَقَامُوا [they are upright], أَقْوَمُ [more upright], قَوَّامِينَ [steadfast, hold up], الْقِيَامَةِ [The resurrection], مَقَامِ [standing place], قَائِمًا [standing] مُقِيمٍ [resident] - التقويم is calendar - The essence of word قَوْمٌ in the context of the Quran is what is fixed / permanent or standing at one place but working or functioning. Edward William Lane Lexicon gave an example of a pulley which is fixed on the wall of the well but do its working / function of withdrawing water without moving from its place. Therefore قَوْمٌ are that assembly of thoughts which are fixed in man's mind but works / funstions without leaving its place. If we translate قَوْمٌ as people or community we lose the true essence of its connotation. The people or community move from one place to other for doing various errands so قَوْمٌ in the context of the book Quran can never mean people or community. 

9:7 - كَيْفَ يَكُونُ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ عَهْدٌ عِندَ اللّهِ وَعِندَ رَسُولِهِ إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّمْ عِندَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ فَمَا اسْتَقَامُواْ لَكُمْ فَاسْتَقِيمُواْ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

How can there be for the mushrikeen [impure thoughts] a pact with the system of consciousness and with His Rasul, except with those whom you have made a pact in the enshrined state of humbleness [ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ], so what if they became firm for you, then become firm for them. Indeed the system of consciousness loves / likes the one who is cautions / take precaution / diligent / thoughtful.

Allah and Rasul can never be in pact with  mushrikeen (impure thoughts) but the problem is we don't understand the essence of Allah and His Rasul and Mushrikeen. It can be only pact with Masjid e Haram but unfortunately we think Masjid e Haram is in Mecca. Masjid e Haram is our ego-less state of mind our temple [A vital part between ear and eye - مقتل]. When we achieve the state of Masjid e Haram; shaitaan, iblees, kafir or mushrik cannot enter this place,(9:28) that's why there is no fighting and killing in that state because it is state of real enlightenment. Masjid e Haram is our humble ego-less mind, a place where Allah and His Rasul resides. 

9:8 - كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ لاَ يَرْقُبُواْ فِيكُمْ إِلاًّ وَلاَ ذِمَّةً يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَى قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

How, and if they are in the state to overpowering upon you, they do not just wait / watch in you by giving assurances and nor are they faultfinder. They please / satisfy you with their utterances and their hearts / minds refuse / hate, and most of them are debauchers [lower in character]. 

Impure thoughts [al-mushrik] are generally appealing to you because they create false hope or assurances in you, they don't just tarry in you, neither have they had the ability to find faults. They hate the truth / facts because they possess low character.

9:9 - اشْتَرَوْاْ بِآيَاتِ اللّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً فَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ إِنَّهُمْ سَاءَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

They barter with the signs of system of consciousness a very little value, so they turn away concerning His way / path. Indeed they truly are bad/evil/harmful what they were continuously making / doing.

The thought processes of impure thoughts are very harmful because they consider the signs of the system of consciousness [Allah] of little value, that's why they turn away from it.

9:10 - لاَ يَرْقُبُونَ فِي مُؤْمِنٍ إِلاًّ وَلاَ ذِمَّةً وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُعْتَدُونَ

They do not just wait / watch / tarry in a believer giving assurances and nor they are faultfinder, and they are those who possess injurious / tyrannical conduct.

The character of impure thoughts is such that they don't just lie down dormant, they are always active by giving you false assurances and their conduct is really dangerous. We need to kill them quickly whenever they enter our thought process.

11 - فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَوُاْ الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَنُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

So if they turned back [in repentance] and install / establish the connection process and develop the mental growth, so they are your faculty / part in the contribution / accountability, and We detail/explain the signs for/to assembly of thoughts [قَوْمٌ ] who are continuously in the process to know.

Turning back, connection and disconnection is the continuous part of mental growth process because it is in the nature of man to know or acquire knowledge.