The Quran

سورة التّوبَة

Surah Al-Taubah 9:107

The Repentance · Verse 107 of 129

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِمَنْ حَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا الْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ

Abdul Mannan Omar

And (there are among the hypocrites) those who have built a mosque to cause harm (to Islam) and to promote disbelief and in order to cause discord among the believers, and to provide a hiding place for him who had already made war against Allâh and His Messenger. And they will certainly swear (saying), `We meant nothing but good (in building the mosque).´ But Allâh bears witness that they are certainly liars.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And there are those who put up a mosque by way of mischief and infidelity - to disunite the Believers - and in preparation for one who warred against Allah and His Messenger aforetime. They will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good; But Allah doth declare that they are certainly liars.

Ahmed Ali

There are those who built a mosque on opposition and disbelief, and to cause rifts among the faithful, and to serve as an outpost for those who have warred against God and His Apostle before this. Yet they will surely swear: "We had only meant well." But God is witness that they are liars.

11 more translations

Ali Unal

Some among the hypocrites – who have adopted a mosque out of dissension and unbelief, in order to cause division among the believers, and use as an outpost to collaborate with him who before made war on God and His Messenger – will certainly swear: "We mean nothing but good (in building this mosque)", whereas God bears witness that they are surely liars.

Daryabadi

And as for those who have set up a mosque for hurting and blaspheming and the causing of division among the believers and as a lurking-place for one who hath warred against Allah and His apostle aforetime, and surely; they will swear: we intended only good, whereas Allah testifieth that they are liars.

Faridul Haque

And those (hypocrites) who built a mosque to cause harm, and due to disbelief, and in order to cause divisions among the Muslims, and to await the one who is at the outset an opponent of Allah and His Noble Messenger; and they will surely swear that "We wished only good"; and Allah is witness that they are indeed liars.

Maulana Muhammad Ali

And those who built a mosque to cause harm (to Islam) and (to help) disbelief, and to cause disunion among the believers, and a refuge for him who made war against Allah and His Messenger before. And they will certainly swear: We desired naught but good. And Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.

Maulvi Sher Ali

And among the Hypocrites are those who have built a mosque in order to injure Islam and help disbelief and to cause a division among the believers, and to prepare an ambush for him who warred against ALLAH and HIS Messenger before this. And they will surely swear; `We meant nothing but good;' But ALLAH bears witness that they are certainly liars.

Muhammad Musin Khan

And as for those who put up a mosque by way of harming and disbelief, and to disunite the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) aforetime, they will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good. Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.

Muhammad Pickthall

And as for those who chose a place of worship out of opposition and disbelief, and in order to cause dissent among the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His messenger aforetime, they will surely swear: We purposed naught save good. Allah beareth witness that they verily are liars.

Muhammad Sarwar

The mosque which some of the hypocrites have established is only to harm people, to spread disbelief, to create discord among the believers, to wait for the one who fought against God and His Messenger, and to make others believe that it has been established with their good intentions. But God testifies that they are liars.

Muhammed ali Shakir

And those who built a masjid to cause harm and for unbelief and to cause disunion among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against Allah and His Messenger before; and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars.

Rashad Khalifa

There are those who abuse the masjid by practicing idol worship, dividing the believers, and providing comfort to those who oppose GOD and His messenger. They solemnly swear: "Our intentions are honorable!" GOD bears witness that they are liars.

Shabbir Ahmed

(The hypocrites keep making schemes.) They built a Masjid - 'Masjidan dhiraaran' - out of mischief to promote disbelief and sectarianism among the believers, and as an outpost for those who made war against God and His Messenger before. They will swear, “We only had good intentions”, but God bears witness that they are liars.

Commentary 9:107 “Who has already made war against Allâh and His Messenger” is a reference to a Christian called Abû ‘Âmer, “The Monk”, a prominent member of the Khazraj…

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ

9:107 “Who has already made war against Allâh and His Messenger” is a reference to a Christian called Abû ‘Âmer, “The Monk”, a prominent member of the Khazraj tribe, who played a key role in inciting the Byzantines to attack the Muslims at Tabûk.

So far, three categories of hypocrites have been discussed. In this passage, we are introduced to a fourth class of insidious evil-doers. This type is illustrated in the story of the mosque of Dzirâr of Qubba, a suburb of Madînah about three miles to the southeast. When the Holy Prophet (pbuh) entered Madînah at the time of his Hijrah, he stayed for fourteen days at Qubba before entering the town. The first Mosque of Islam was built here. Taking advantage of these sacred associations, certain hypocrites built another mosque opposite the mosque at Qubba, called mosque of Dzirâr, pretending to advance Islam, but with the objective of distracting the attention of the people from the original mosque. This plot was also hatched by Abû Amer. After the Battle of Badr, Abû Amer fled to Makkah and incited the Makkans to avenge the defeat. He also fought among the Makkan army at Uhud and he joined the Battle of the Ditch and the Battle of Hunain, fighting on the side of the enemies of Islam. After the Battle of Hunain he fled to Syria, with the aim of enlisting the help of the Byzantine against the Holy Prophet (pbuh). It was the wish of the founders of the new mosque that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) should give the mosque a blessing by praying in it. However, Divine Revelation forbade him to do so and this new mosque was subsequently razed to the ground later. The verse relates primarily to the historical events mentioned above, yet also has a wider bearing on all attempts at creating sectarian division within the Muslim ummah.