Tafseer of The Repentance · At-Tawba · 9:100
And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word: وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (100) ("And the first forerunners among the emigrants (muhājirūn) and the helpers (anṣār), and those who followed them in doing good — Allah is pleased with them and they with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which the rivers flow, abiding therein eternally, forever. That is the tremendous triumph." (9:100))
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: And those who preceded the people first in faith in Allah and His Messenger — among the emigrants (muhājirūn), who left their people and their tribe, and abandoned their dwellings and their homes — and the helpers (anṣār), who aided the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, against his enemies among those who disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger — and those who followed them in doing good. He says: and those who walked their path in faith in Allah and His Messenger, and in emigration (hijra) from the abode of war to the abode of Islam, seeking the pleasure of Allah — Allah is pleased with them and they with Him.
The exegetes differed concerning what is meant by His word and the first forerunners.
Some of them said: They are those who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, at the pledge of good pleasure (bayʿat al-riḍwān), or who witnessed it.
* Mention of who said that:
17099 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Bishr related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of ʿĀmir: and the first forerunners, he said: it is whoever witnessed the pledge of good pleasure.
17100 — [...] he said: Ibn Faḍīl related to us, on the authority of Muṭarrif, on the authority of ʿĀmir, he said: the first emigrants are whoever witnessed the pledge beneath the tree (bayʿa taḥt al-shajara).
17101 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā related to us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid related to us, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, he said: the first emigrants are those who were present at the pledge of good pleasure.
17102 — Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Muṭarrif, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, he said: "The first emigrants" are whoever was before the pledge up until the pledge; they are the first emigrants. And whoever was after the pledge does not belong to the first emigrants.
17103 — Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, saying: Ismāʿīl and Muṭarrif informed us, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, he said: and the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers are those who pledged allegiance at the pledge of good pleasure.
17104 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of ʿĀmir, he said: the dividing point between the two emigrations is the pledge of good pleasure, and that is the pledge of al-Ḥudaybiyya.
17105 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn informed us, saying: Hushaym informed us, saying: Ismāʿīl ibn Abī Khālid and Muṭarrif informed us, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, he said: they are those who pledged allegiance at the pledge of good pleasure.
17106 — Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: ʿAbthar Abū Zubayd related to us, on the authority of Muṭarrif, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, he said: the first emigrants are whoever witnessed the pledge of good pleasure.
* * *
And others said: No, they are those who prayed toward the two prayer-directions (qiblas) with the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him.
* Mention of who said that:
17107 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Ādam related to us, on the authority of Qays, on the authority of ʿUthmān al-Thaqafī, on the authority of a freedman of Abū Mūsā, on the authority of Abū Mūsā, he said: the first emigrants are whoever prayed toward the two prayer-directions with the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him.
17108 — Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, saying: Qays ibn al-Rabīʿ related to us, on the authority of ʿUthmān ibn al-Mughīra, on the authority of Abū Zurʿa ibn ʿAmr ibn Jarīr, on the authority of a freedman of Abū Mūsā, he said: I asked Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī about His word and the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers; he said: they are those who prayed toward both prayer-directions together.
17109 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Abū Hilāl, on the authority of Qatāda, he said: I said to Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib: why were they called "the first emigrants"? He said: whoever prayed toward both prayer-directions together with the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, belongs to the first emigrants.
17110 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī ʿArūba, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, he said: the first emigrants are those who prayed toward the two prayer-directions.
17111 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, concerning His word and the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers, he said: they are those who prayed toward both prayer-directions together.
17112 — Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: ʿAbbās ibn al-Walīd related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib, the like of it.
17113 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym informed us, on the authority of some of his companions, on the authority of Qatāda, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib — and on the authority of Ashʿath, on the authority of Ibn Sīrīn — concerning His word and the first forerunners, he said: they are those who prayed toward the two prayer-directions.
17114 — Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muʿādh ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Ibn ʿAwn related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad, he said: the first emigrants are those who prayed toward the two prayer-directions.
17115 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word and the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers, he said: they are those who prayed toward both prayer-directions together.
* * *
As for those who followed the first emigrants and the helpers in doing good: they are those who submitted to Allah with their submission, and walked their path in emigration, rendering aid, and good works. Such as: —
17116 — Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Abū Maʿshar related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb, he said: ʿUmar passed by a man who was reciting this verse: and the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers and those who followed them in doing good. He said: who made you recite this verse? He said: Ubayy ibn Kaʿb made me recite it. He said: do not leave me until I take you to him! He came to him and said: did you make this man recite this verse? He said: yes! He said: and did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him?! He said: [yes!]. I used to think that we had been raised with an elevation that no one after us would attain! Then Ubayy said: the confirmation of that is in the beginning of the verse that is at the beginning of [sūra] al-Jumuʿa, and in the middle of [sūra] al-Ḥashr, and at the end of [sūra] al-Anfāl. As for the beginning of al-Jumuʿa: وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ ("and others among them who have not yet joined them," sūra al-Jumuʿa: 3 [62:3]); and the middle of al-Ḥashr: وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإِيمَانِ ("and those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith," sūra al-Ḥashr: 10 [59:10]); and as for the end of al-Anfāl: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا مَعَكُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ مِنْكُمْ ("and those who believed afterward and emigrated and performed jihād with you — these belong to you," sūra al-Anfāl: 75 [8:75]).
17117 — Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAṭiyya related to us, saying: Abū Maʿshar related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Quraẓī, he said: ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb passed by a man who was reciting: and the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers, until he reached and they with Him. He said: and ʿUmar seized his hand and said: who made you recite this? He said: Ubayy ibn Kaʿb! Then he said: do not leave me until I take you to him! When he came to him, ʿUmar said: did you make this man recite this verse thus? He said: yes! He said: did you hear it from the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him? He said: yes! He said: I used to think that we had been raised with an elevation that no one after us would attain! Then Ubayy said: indeed, the confirmation of this verse is in the beginning of sūra al-Jumuʿa: وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ ("and others among them who have not yet joined them"), up to: وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ("and He is the Almighty, the All-Wise"); and in sūra al-Ḥashr: وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالإِيمَانِ ("and those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith"); and in al-Anfāl: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا مَعَكُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ مِنْكُمْ ("and those who believed afterward and emigrated and performed jihād with you — these belong to you"), to the end of the verse.
* * *
And concerning ʿUmar there is narrated about that:
17118 — Aḥmad ibn Yūsuf related to me, saying: al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, on the authority of Hārūn, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn al-Shahīd, and on the authority of Ibn ʿĀmir al-Anṣārī: that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb recited: وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأوَّلُونَ مِنَ المُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأنْصَارُ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ, and he read "al-anṣār" in the nominative and did not add the wāw in "alladhīna." Then Zayd ibn Thābit said to him: "and those who followed them in doing good" [with the wāw]. Thereupon ʿUmar said: "alladhīna ttabaʿūhum bi-iḥsān" [without wāw]. Then Zayd said: the Commander of the Faithful knows better! But ʿUmar said: bring me Ubayy ibn Kaʿb. He came to him and he asked him about that, and Ubayy said: and those who followed them in doing good [with the wāw]. Then ʿUmar said: then we follow Ubayy.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the reading is with the genitive in "al-anṣār," as a conjoining (ʿaṭf) of them to "al-muhājirīn."
* * *
And it is narrated from al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī that he used to read: "al-anṣāru" in the nominative, as a conjoining of them to "al-sābiqūn" (the forerunners).
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the reading that I permit no other than is the genitive in "al-anṣār," because of the agreement of the authoritative proof of the reciters thereon, and because the forerunner was from both groups together, from the emigrants and the helpers; and the report intended only the forerunner from both groups, not the report about all of them. — And the adding of the wāw in "and those who followed them in doing good," because that is thus so in the muṣḥafs of all the Muslims, on the basis that "the followers in doing good" are other than "the emigrants and the helpers." As for "al-sābiqūn" (the forerunners): they are in the nominative by the referring pronoun that refers to them in His word Allah is pleased with them and they with Him.
* * *
And the meaning of the word is: Allah is pleased with them all, because they obeyed Him and gave ear to His Prophet in that to which He called them of His command and His prohibition — and pleased with Him were the first forerunners among the emigrants and the helpers, and those who followed them in doing good, because of the abundant reward that He bestowed upon them for their obedience to Him and their faith in Him and in His Prophet, peace be upon him. — and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which the rivers flow, which they shall enter — abiding therein eternally, dwelling therein — forever, they do not die therein and they do not go out of it — that is the tremendous triumph.
