Tafseer of The Repentance · At-Tawba · 9:20
The ones who have believed, emigrated and striven in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allah. And it is those who are the attainers [of success].
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: الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ (9:20) (Those who believe and have emigrated and have striven in the path of Allah with their possessions and their lives are higher in rank with Allah, and it is they who are the victorious.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: This is a judgment of Allah between the groups of those who were boasting against one another: one of them prided himself on providing drink to the pilgrims (al-siqāya), another on the custodianship of the Kaʿba (al-sidāna), and another on faith in Allah and jihād in His path. The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: (Those who believe) in Allah and affirm His oneness (tawḥīd) among the polytheists (mushrikīn) = (and have emigrated) from the dwellings of their people = (and have striven) against the polytheists for the sake of the religion of Allah = (with their possessions and their lives, are higher in rank with Allah), and have a loftier place with Him than those who provide drink to the pilgrims and populate the Sacred Mosque while they associate partners with Allah (mushrikūn) = (and they), that is to say: these whom we have described, that they believed, emigrated, and strove = (it is they who are the victorious), with Paradise (janna), saved from the Fire (al-nār).
