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Surah At-Tawbah, Ayah 109 (9:109)

ٱلتَّوْبَة

أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ …

Quran 9:109 is ayah 109 of Surah At-Tawbah (“The Repentance”), a Medinan surah of 129 ayahs. It is in Juz 11, on page 204 of the Madani Mushaf.

9:109
أَفَمَنْأَسَّسَبُنْيَٰنَهُۥعَلَىٰتَقْوَىٰمِنَٱللَّهِوَرِضْوَٰنٍخَيْرٌأَممَّنْأَسَّسَبُنْيَٰنَهُۥعَلَىٰشَفَاجُرُفٍهَارٍفَٱنْهَارَبِهِۦفِىنَارِجَهَنَّمَ ۗوَٱللَّهُلَايَهْدِىٱلْقَوْمَٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ١٠٩
afaman assasa bun'yānahu ʿalā taqwā mina l-lahi wariḍ'wānin khayrun am man assasa bun'yānahu ʿalā shafā jurufin hārin fa-in'hāra bihi fī nāri jahannama wal-lahu lā yahdī l-qawma l-ẓālimīna

Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allāh and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.(109)

Word by word

  1. أَفَمَنْafamanThen is (one) who
  2. أَسَّسَassasafounded
  3. بُنْيَٰنَهُۥbun'yānahuhis building
  4. عَلَىٰʿalāon
  5. تَقْوَىٰtaqwārighteousness
  6. مِنَminafrom
  7. ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
  8. وَرِضْوَٰنٍwariḍ'wāninand (His) pleasure
  9. خَيْرٌkhayrunbetter
  10. أَمamor
  11. مَّنْman(one) who
  12. أَسَّسَassasafounded
  13. بُنْيَٰنَهُۥbun'yānahuhis building
  14. عَلَىٰʿalāon
  15. شَفَاshafāedge
  16. جُرُفٍjurufin(of) a cliff
  17. هَارٍhārin(about to) collapse
  18. فَٱنْهَارَfa-in'hāraso it collapsed
  19. بِهِۦbihiwith him
  20. فِىfīin
  21. نَارِnāri(the) Fire
  22. جَهَنَّمَ ۗjahannama(of) Hell
  23. وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
  24. لَاlā(does) not
  25. يَهْدِىyahdīguide
  26. ٱلْقَوْمَl-qawmathe wrongdoing people
  27. ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَl-ẓālimīnathe wrongdoing people

Tafsir (commentary) of 9:109

Available in English, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Russian.

English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 9:109–110 together.

The Difference between Masjid At-Taqwa and Masjid Ad-Dirar

Allah the Exalted says that the Masjid that has been built on the basis of Taqwa of Allah and His pleasure is not the same as a Masjid that was been built based on causing harm, disbelief and causing division among the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger . The latter built their Masjid on the edge of a steep hole,

فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ

(into the fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the wrongdoers.), Allah does not bring aright the works of those who commit mischief. Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "I saw the Masjid that was built to cause harm with smoke rising up from it, during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." Allah's statement,

لاَ يَزَالُ بُنْيَانُهُمُ الَّذِى بَنَوْاْ رِيبَةً فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ

(The building which they built will never cease to be a cause of doubt in their hearts) and hypocrisy. Because of this awful action that they committed, they inherited hypocrisy in their hearts, just as those who worshipped the calf were inclined to adoring it. Allah said next,

إِلاَّ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ

(unless their hearts are cut to pieces.) until they die, according to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, As-Suddi, Habib bin Abi Thabit, Ad-Dahhak, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and several other scholars of the Salaf.

وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ

(And Allah is All-Knowing,) of the actions of His creation,

حَكِيمٌ

(All-Wise.) in compensating them for their good or evil actions.

Read the full Surah At-Tawbah