Tafseer of The Repentance · At-Tawba · 9:29
Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture - [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.
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 the words of Allah, the Exalted: قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلا بِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَلا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حَتَّى يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَنْ يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ (Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, and who do not hold forbidden what Allah and His Messenger have declared forbidden, and who do not submit to the religion of truth, from among those who were given the Book, until they pay the poll-tax for non-Muslims (jizyah) out of hand, while they are subdued) (9:29).
Abū Jaʿfar said: Allah, whose praise is exalted, says to those who believe in Him among the companions of His Messenger, the Prophet ﷺ: (Fight), O believers, the people who (do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day). He means: those who do not believe in a Paradise nor in a Fire. (And who do not hold forbidden what Allah and His Messenger have declared forbidden, and who do not submit to the religion of truth). He means: they do not obey Allah with the obedience of the truth, that is to say: they do not obey with the obedience of the people of Islam. (From among those who were given the Book), and they are the Jews and the Christians.
* * *
Everyone who obeys a king or a person of authority submits to him. Of this it is said: "A certain person submitted (dāna) to another, so he submits (yadīnu) to him, with submission (dīnan)." Zuhayr said:
"Indeed, if you settle in Jaww among the Banū Asad, in the obedience (dīn) of ʿAmr, while Fadak separates us."
And His words: (from among those who were given the Book) mean: those to whom the Book of Allah was given, and they are the people of the Torah and the Gospel. (Until they pay the poll-tax (jizyah)).
* * *
And "al-jizyah" is the verbal noun form (fiʿla) of: "A certain person rendered (jazā) to another what he owed him," when he repaid it to him, "he repays it (yajzīhi)." And "al-jizya" is in form like "al-qiʿda" (the manner of sitting) and "al-jilsa" (the act of sitting).
* * *
The meaning of the words is: until they pay the levy (kharāj) for their heads, which they give to the Muslims to ward it off from themselves.
* * *
As for His words: (out of hand — ʿan yad), that means: from his hand to the hand of the one to whom he pays it.
* * *
Thus the Arabs say of everyone who gives something while he is overpowered, whether willingly or unwillingly: "He gave it out of his hand, and out of hand (ʿan yad)." That is comparable to their expression: "I spoke to him mouth to mouth," and "I met him in person, face to face," and likewise: "I gave it to him hand to hand."
* * *
As for His words: (while they are subdued — wa-hum ṣāghirūn), the meaning of it is: while they are humbled and overpowered.
* * *
Of the humbled, the lowly one, it is said: "ṣāghir" (the subdued one).
* * *
It has been mentioned that this verse was revealed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning his command to fight the Romans (Byzantines), and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ undertook, after its revelation, the expedition (ghazwa) of Tabūk.
* Mention of who said that:
16616 - Muḥammad ibn ʿUrwa related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: (Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, and who do not hold forbidden what Allah and His Messenger have declared forbidden, and who do not submit to the religion of truth, from among those who were given the Book, until they pay the poll-tax (jizyah) out of hand, while they are subdued) — when Muḥammad ﷺ and his companions were commanded to the expedition of Tabūk.
16617 - Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, something similar.
* * *
The scholars of exegesis differed concerning the meaning of "al-ṣaghār" (the subjugation/humiliation) that Allah intended in this place.
Some of them said: it is that he pays it while standing, and the receiver sits.
* Mention of who said that:
16618 - ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Bishr al-Nīsābūrī related to me, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Abū Saʿd, on the authority of ʿIkrima: (until they pay the poll-tax (jizyah) out of hand, while they are subdued), he said: that is to say that you take it while you are sitting, and he is standing.
* * *
Others said: the meaning of His words (until they pay the poll-tax (jizyah) out of hand, while they are subdued) is: in their own persons, with their own hands with which they walk, while they are unwilling. That is a statement transmitted from Ibn ʿAbbās by a route concerning which there is doubt.
* * *
Others said: their paying of it, that is the subjugation (al-ṣaghār).
