Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Section 3: Service of the Sacred Mosque, and the Idolaters

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 17

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ شَاهِدِينَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ اُوْلَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ وَفِي النَّارِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ

17. “It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah, while they bear witness to unbelief against themselves. These it is whose deeds are null, and in the Fire shall they abide forever.”

It is true that the occasion of revelation of this verse is about the Sacred Mosque, yet its command concerns all mosques and, for the same reason, the word of ‘mosques’ has been applied in it, not the phrase of Sacred Mosque.

One of the items that was announced by Ali (as) in immunity from pagans was that the Sacred Mosque was not permitted to be mended by idolaters. They should not even enter it. This meaning has been pointed out in verseNo. 27 of the current Surah. The above verse says:

“It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah, while they bear witness to unbelief against themselves. These it is whose deeds are null, and in the Fire shall they abide forever.”

Explanations

1. Infidels are not permissible to interfere building mosques and also in foundations belonging to the culture and religion of Muslims.

2 . Neither ever income is lawful, nor ever association is worthy. Be aware that because of the love of mosques in you infidels can penetrate in your religious affairs. The verse says:

“It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah…”

3. Those who pretend to impiety are not rightful to interfere in the religious affairs. The verse says:

“…while they bear witness to unbelief against themselves…”

4. In building and running the sacred centers and foundations, do not take the money of impious ones, so that they can not boast, interfere and expect any thing.

5 . An action alone is not so important, but its intention has the essential function. The verse says:

“It is not for the polytheists to maintain…”

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 18

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاَخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وءَاتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ فَعَسَى اُوْلَئِكَ أَن يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

18. “Only he shall maintain the mosques of Allah who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and performs the prayer, and pays the alms (zakāt), and fears none but Allah. They, hopefully, will be among the guided.”

Mosques are the important centers of Muslims’ worship and social activities. Therefore, both their custodians should be pure and pious and their programs must be constructive and educative. Also, their budget should be lawful, and those who haunt there must be godly and pious.

Otherwise, when the producers of mosques are some tyrants and aggressive rulers, and their prayer-leaders are some illiterate coward persons, mosques will naturally remain far off from their main aim which is to be spiritually populated, not constructionally.

As the late Feyz-i-Kāshāni has pointed out in his commentary book entitled: At-Tafsir-us-Sāfi, maintaining a mosque includes: mending, cleanliness, pavement, light, teaching, and preaching.1

The Messenger of Allah (S) has said: “When you see a man haunts a mosque, then testify to his Faith.”

Explanations

1. Maintaining a mosque and its custodianship needs some conditions:

From the point of belief, Faith in Origin and End is necessary.

From the point of practice, establishing prayers and paying alms are obligatory.

From the point of spirit, bravity and impenetrability are demanded.

2 . If the custodians of mosques be brave enough, the mosques will be the center of helpful activities against transgression.

3 . The duty of the custodians of godly mosques and the maintainers of them is helping the deprive. Therefore, they should be the givers of alms. The verse says:

“…and performs the prayer, and pays the alms (zakāt), and fears none but Allah…”2

4 . Faith is not aloof from practice; prayer is not separate from alms; and a mosque is not empty from revolution and struggle against injustice. The verse says:

“Only he shall maintain the mosques of Allah who believes in Allah and the last Day, and performs the prayer, and pays the alms (zakāt) and fears none but Allah. They, hopefully will be among the guided.”3

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 19

أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَآجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ ءَامَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الاَخِرِ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ لاَيَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ لايَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

19. “Do you make the giving of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque equal to someone who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and strives in the way of Allah? They are not equal with Allah, and Allah does not guide the unjust people.”

Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, and Shaybah, the custodian of Ka‘bah, were boasting to each other. Abbas boasted of his job which was supplying water for the pilgrimages of the Sacred House, and Shaybah boasted of being the custodian of the Ka‘bah.

Ali (as) said that he gloried in the fact that they embraced Islam with the help of his struggle and his sword. Abbas was annoyed and complained of Ali (as) before the Prophet (S). Then, this verse was revealed.

For his precedence, Ali (as) repeatedly called to witness by this verse, because Faith and Holy Struggle were superior to the services done in the age of idolatry which did not bring them spiritual worth. The verse says:

“Do you make the giving of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque equal to someone who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and strives in the way of Allah?…”

Therefore, a deed without being accompanied by faith is something hollow. It is like a mirage, or as a body without soul.

This fact must be remarked here that sincere strivers are superior to others, although the latter are helpful in a lot of services through some other jobs.

That is why if the true Faithful strivers be compared as equivalent with others, it will be counted as one of the social injustices.

The verse continues saying:

“…They are not equal with Allah, and Allah does not guide the unjust people.”

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 20

الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدَوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ بِاَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِندَ اللّهِ وَاُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَآئِزُونَ

20. “Those who believed and emigrated, and strove in Allah’s way with their properties and their selves, have a greater rank with Allah, and these they are the triumphant.”

As an emphasis and a more explanation, the Qur’ān in this verse indicates that those who believed and embraced Islam and migrated (to Medina) and struggled with their possessions and their selves in the way of Allah, are the highest in rank in the view of Allah, and they are the achievers of salvation. The verse says:

“Those who believed and emigrated, and strove in Allah’s way with their properties and their selves, have a greater rank with Allah, and these they are the triumphant.”

Explanations

1. In Islam, Faith, migration, and Holy Struggle, like piety, are located at the top of values.

“…have a greater rank…”

2. With some people, the criterion is their tribal and racial relationships, while in the divine reckons, Faith, migration, and Holy Straggle are criterions of values,

(…with Allah…).

If all Muslims and the Prophet’s companions could gather and sit in a row, the one who believed first (sooner than any other man), and spent the longest time in the battlefields of Islam, where he suffered the strokes, would not be any one save Ali-ibn-i-’Abi Tālib (as).

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 21

يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَرِضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُقِيمٌ

21. “Their Lord gives them good news of Mercy from Himself and (His) good pleasure, and of gardens wherein for them are lasting bounties.”

The Qur’ān announces that for these three significant deeds (Faith, migration, and Holy Struggle) Allah will give them three great merits:

1 . Their Lord bestows them glad tidings of the vast Mercy from Himself, and makes them enjoy it.

The verse says:

“Their Lord gives them good news of Mercy from Himself…”

2. The Lord will endow them His good pleasure. The verse continues saying:

“…and (His) good pleasure…”

3. In addition to them, He will let them enjoy of gardens in Heaven, and of the bounties which are perpetual and eternal. The verse says:

“…and of gardens wherein for them are lasting bounties.”

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 22

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَداً إِنَّ اللّهَ عِندَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

22. “Therein they will abide for ever, verily Allah has a great reward with Him.”

In order to lay a more emphasis on the previous meaning, the Qur’ān adds:

“Therein they will abide for ever…”

Then, the reason of it is stated that there are some great rewards with Allah which He will remit His servants instead of their good deeds. The verse says:

“…verily Allah has a great reward with Him.”

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 23

يَآ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا لاتَتَّخِذُوا ءَابَآءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْكُفْرَ عَلَى الإِيمَانِ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِنكُمْ فَاُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

23. “O’ you who have Faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for guardians if they prefer unbelief to belief, and whoever of you takes them for a guardian, those - they are the unjust.”

The last temptation and pretext that might be appear among a group of Muslims in front of the command of war against idol-worshipers was that they thought if they fought against the idolaters, they should renounce their relatives and tribes.

On the other side, their capitals and commerce was mostly in the hands of idolaters. By means of their intercourse into Mecca, the briskness of their market would increase.

On the third side, this group of Muslims had some good and comfortable houses in Mecca which might be destroyed if they fought against idolaters.

This holy verse clearly and decisively answers such persons. At first, it says:

“O’ you who have Faith! Do not take your fathers and your brothers for guardians if they prefer unbelief to belief…”

Then, as an emphasis, it adss:

“…and whoever of you takes them for a guardian, those - they are the unjust.”

What an injustice is greater than this that a person, by making friends with disbelivers and joining to the camp of foreigners and the enemies of the Truth, does unjustice both to himself, and to the society which he belongs to, and to the Messenger of Allah (S)?

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 24

قُلْ إِن كَانَ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُم مِنَ اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللّهُ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ

24. “Say: ‘If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, your possessions that you have gained, commerce you fear may slacken, dwellings you are fond of, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command; and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.”

In this verse, for the extraordinary importance of the subject, the matter under discussion has been stated with a more explanation, emphasis, and threat. It addresses the Prophet (S) and says:

“Say: ‘If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your clan, your possessions that you have gained, commerce you fear may slacken, dwellings you are fond of, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command...”

Since the preference of these things to the good pleasure of Allah and Holy Struggle is a kind of disobedience and a manifest transgression, and also having the love of the dazzling glare of the material life is not eligible for the Divine guidance, then, at the end of the verse, the Qur’ān adds:

“…and Allah does not guide the transgressing people.”

Whatever is cited in these verses does not mean cutting off the strings of love and friendship with relatives, neglecting the economical properties and abilities, and going toward the abandance of humane affections.

But, the objective meaning is that when it is difficult for a person to decide, the love of wife, child, wealth, rank, home and family should not hinder the execution of Allah’s command and tending toward Holy Struggle, so that it detains him from his sacred aim.

Therefore, if the person can decide and choose the way, it is necessary for him to observe both of them.

However, these verses should be taught as a motto to all the Muslims’ children, in order that the spirit of self-sacrifice, devotion and Faith servive in them, and they can guard the religion of Allah and their own heritages.

Thus, Holy Struggle is one of the pillars of Islam which is enjoined beside Unity and prophethood.

“…than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way…”

Everything should be devoted in the path of the love for Allah and Holy Struggle in His way. And, detestation of wife and children or the appearance of the disturbance in the circumstances of life, can not be taken as a hinder for the fulfilment of the duty of Holy Struggle.

Notes

1. Ad-Durr-ul-Manthūr, vol. 3, p. 219

2. In the Qur’ān, the practice of ‘ alms ’ has been mentioned 32 times, 28 of which are recited with the commandment of ‘ prayer ’.

3. For those who haunt mosques, there are many merits mentioned in the Islamic traditions. Among them are: finding friends and brethrens in Faith, useful information, guidance and avoiding sins, obtaining the divine favours and the grace of Allah. (Durr-ul-Manthūr, vol. 2, p. 16)

Section 4: Allah’s Help at Hunayn

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 25

لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللّهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ وَيَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ إِذْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ فَلَمْ تُغْنِ عَنْكُمْ شَيْئاً وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الاَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُم مُدْبِرِينَ

25. “Certainly Allah has helped you on many fields, and on the day of Hunayn, when your multitude made you vain, but it availed you nothing and the earth, in spite of its breadth, became strait to you; then you turned back in retreat.”

In the previous holy verses, the words were upon the encouragement to Holy Struggle and some warnings due to dependences. Here, the verse recounts a few helps and graces of Allah in order to strengthen the motive of Holy Struggle in Muslims.

As Tafsir Marāqi, a commentary upon the Qur’ān, says, the total battles of the Prophet (S) were numbered 80.

“Certainly Allah has helped you on many fields…”

It has been narrated that once Mutuwakkil-i-‘Abbāsi became sick. He vowed he would remit many silver coins (derham) if he healed. After that, when he gained his health, it was discussed how many coins the amount of ‘many silver coins’ was. They asked the question from Imam Hādi (as) and, relying upon this verse, he said:

“He must remit eighty derhams (silver coins).”1

The Feature of the Battle of Hunayn

The Battle of Hunayn happened between the Muslims and a tribe named ‘Hawāzin’ in a land near Tā’if. That was why that this battle was also called ‘the Battle of Hawāzin’.

The people of that locality had planned to attack the Muslims, but to stand against that plot, the Prophet (S) set out the troops of Islam containing two thousand fresh Muslims added to those ten thousand strivers who had formerly conquered Mecca, towards them in 8 A.H.

It was after morning prayer when the Muslims were attacked unawares by the fighters of Hawāzin. Therefore, most of the Muslim strivers run away and the regularity of the army of Islam disturbed.

The verse says:

“…then you turned back in retreat.”

But a group of them resisted very hard and finally, by the Prophet’s call, the fugitives returned and, together with them, their attack began again. Then, by the help of Allah, one hundred pagans were killed and the rest of them surrendered. At last, the Battle of Hunayn ended in favour of the Muslims and they gained a great deal of booties.

“…on the day of Hunayn…”

Concerning to the Battle of Hunayn, there are many things to be said upon the number of captives, the quantity of booties and the quality of their division, the happenings that occurred there, and the consequences of this battle, which can be studied in the related history books and the books compiled about the Battles of Islam.

Thus, sometimes the abundance of persons and material possibilities cause proud and negligence in men, while in all conditions, whether in weakness or strength, the need to the helps of Allah exists. In the Battle of Badr, the Muslims were small in number but they enjoyed the help of Allah.

But, at the beginning of the Battle of Hunayn, where the Muslims were large in number, they defeated and it was after that event when the help of Allah came to them and they, finally, won the battle.

“Certainly Allah has helped you on many fields, and on the day of Hunayn, when your multitude made you vain but it availed you nothing and the earth, in spite of its breadth, became strait to you; then you turned back in retreat.”

This fact should be noticed, too, that without the Will of Allah, the material means are ineffective, (“…it availed you nothing…”), and restructs them spiritually.

“…then you turned back in retreat.”

“Then Allah sent down His tranquility…”

Surah At-Tawbah - Verses 26-27

ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَنْزَلَ جُنُوداً لَمْ تَرَوْهَا وَعَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَذَلِكَ جَزَآءُ الْكَافِرِينَ

ثُمَّ يَتُوبُ اللّهُ مِن بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

26. “Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts which you did not see, and He punished those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the infidels.”

27. “Then, after that (escape), Allah turns towards whomever He pleases, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

The Arabic word /sakinah/ (tranquallity) has been applied in six occurrences of the Qur’ān, five of which relate to battles.

In the Battle of Hunayn, there came four kinds of Divine grace upon the believers from the side of Allah. They were: tranquality, unseen troops, divine violence against pagans, and accepting the repentance of the fugitives (which is mentioned in the following verse).

Some of the pagan captives asked the Muslims:

“Where are those white clothed troops who killed a number of us?”

This meaning points to the angels who appeared in white clothing, in the eyes of the pagans.2

However, the unseen helps were the secret of the Muslims’ victory. And, in addition to that, generally, a good spirituality, and having the confidence which is emerged from Faith, are among the main factors of triumph in battles.

Tranquillity and confidence are necessary both for the leader and for the followers. The verse says:

“Then Allah sent down His tranquality upon His Messenger and upon the believers…”

The belief in the presence of the angels and the Divine missions for helping the believers in that battle, is a Qur’ānic belief. And, no doubt, for the person who believes in ‘origin and end,’ being killed in the way of Allah (s.w.t.) is an honour, but for disbelievers it is a torment. The holy verse continues saying.

“…And sent down hosts which you did not see, and He punished those who disbelieved, and that is the reward of the infidels.”

Upon the commentary ofverse 27 , it can be said that the gates of repentance are always open to all persons, even for fugitives and captives. In this course, those sinners will be involved in the forgiveness of Allah who truly feel sorry. It is in this case that Allah not only covers their sins but also loves them. The verse says:

“Then, after that (escape), Allah turns towards whomever He pleases, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”

By the way, it should be noticed that the acceptance of repentance is not obligatory for Allah, but it is an excellence which relates to His Own Wisdom.

Explanations

There are some probabilities expressed upon the meaning of the repentance which is mentioned in the verse. They are as follows:

1 .Repenting from the sin of escaping from battle-field.

2 .Repenting from idolatry.

3 .Repenting from pride, and from reliance on the immensity of persons.

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 28

يَآ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ بَعْدَ عَامِهِمْ هَذَا وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ عَيْلَةً فَسَوْفَ يُغْنِيكُمُ اللّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ إِن شَآءَ إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

28. “O’ you who have Faith! The polytheists are indeed unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year, and if you fear poverty, then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He pleases; verily Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

One of the four commandments that Ali (as) conveyed to the people of Mecca in the rites of Hajj (pilgrimage) in the ninth year A.H. was that from the year followed no pagan was allowed to enter the Holy Mosque and to circumambulate the Ka‘bah. This verse has pointed to this matter and its philosophy. It says:

“O’ you who have Faith! The polytheists are indeed unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year…”

Then, in response to those shortsighted persons who said with the absence of pagans in the Sacred Mosque their business and trading would decline and they would become poor and miserable, the Qur’ān says:

“…and if you fear poverty, then Allah will enrich you out of His grace if He pleases...”

And He did enrich them in the best form and, at the age of the Prophet (S) with the spread of Islam, the crowds of pilgrims to the Sacred Mosque started to come toward Mecca, and this circumstance has been being continued up to the present time.

Consequently, Mecca, which was located in a place surrounded by some dry mountains, has been changed into a very much inhabited city and an important center of bargains and tradings.

Finally, at the end of the verse, the Qur’ān adds that Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise; and whatever instruction He commands is according to His Wisdom, and He is perfectly aware of its results. The verse says:

“…verily Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

Surah At-Tawbah - Verse 29

قَاتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لايُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلا بِالْيَوْمِ الاَخِرِ وَلايُحَرِّمُونَ مَاحَرَّمَ اللّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ اُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حَتَّى يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ

29. “Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor do they prohibit, what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor follow the religion of Truth, out of those who have been given the Book until they pay the (Jizyah) tributory tax with their hand and they remain subjected.”

The words in the former verses were about the duty of the Muslims before idolaters. This verse, and several verses next to it, make manifest the Muslims’ duty before ‘the People of the Book’.

In these verses, in fact, Islam has assigned a series of moderate ordinances to be followed by both the Muslims and disbelievers. From the point of following a heavenly religion, ‘the People of the Book’ are resembled to Muslims, but from another point of view, they are resembled to pagans.

For this very reason, Islam does not permit that they should be killed, while it issued this permission about the idolaters who insisted on their belief, because the program of Islam has been to root out idolatry from the whole earth.

Islam lets Muslims come to terms with the People of the Book in the case that they agree to have a peaceful life beside Muslims in the form of a safe minority religion, to respect Islam without committing any oppositions and any evil propagation against Muslims and Islam.

One of other signs of their accepting this peaceful life is that they agree to pay Jizyah (capitation tax), which is a kind of poll-tax, and they deliver it to Islamic Government every year.

Otherwise, Islam issues the command of struggling and fighting against them. The reason of this violence is made manifest through three phrases in the verse under discussion.

At first, it says:

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day…”

How can it be that the People of the Book, such as the Jews and the Christians, do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, while outwardly we see that they believe in God and the Resurrection both. This is for the sake that their belief is mixed with a great deal of superstitions and so many groundless matters.

Then, the verse points to their second weakness, indicating that they do not accept the prohibitions of Allah. They are polluted with: drinking wines, usury, consuming the flesh of swine, and committing a lot of acts of sexual libertinages. The verse says:

“…nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited…”

Finally, the verse refers to their third fault, when it says:

“…nor follow the religion of Truth…”

That is, their religions have been deviated from their essential ways, many of the facts have been forgotten and a mass of superstitions have been substituted in their places.

After mentioning these three qualities, which are, in fact, considered as the permission of fighting against them, the verse continues saying:

“…out of those who have been given the Book…”

Then, the Qur’ān, in a single sentence, states the difference between idolaters and pagans. It says:

“…until they pay the (Jizyah) tributary tax with their hand and they remain subjected.”

What is Jizyah?

It is a kind of Islamic poll-tax which is upon persons, not upon properties and lands. In other words, Jizyah is a yearly poll-tax.

The main philosophy of this tax is that the defence for integrity, independece, and security of a country is the duty of all members of that country.

Therefore, if a group of people in such a society practically undertake and fulfil that duty, while some others, because of being busy in their own occupations, can not take part in the rows of soldiers, the duty of the second group is that they pay the expenses of the strivers and protectors of the security in the form of a poll-tax every year.

Thus, a poll-tax is simply a kind of financial support which is paid by the People of the Book instead of the responsibility that Muslims undertake with the purpose of supplying security for their lives and properties.

Notes

1. Atyab-ul-Bayān

2. At-Tafsir-us-Sāfi