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Surah At-Tawba · سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ · Juz 10

Q 9:40

إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ثَانِىَ ٱثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

Translations

If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." And Allah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Sahih International · EN
Si vous ne lui portez pas secours... Allah l'a déjà secouru, lorsque ceux qui avaient mécru l'avaient banni, deuxième de deux. Quand ils étaient dans la grotte et qu'il disait à son compagnon: «Ne t'afflige pas, car Allah est avec nous.» Allah fit alors descendre sur Lui Sa sérénité «Sa sakîna» et le soutint de soldats (Anges) que vous ne voyiez pas, et Il abaissa ainsi la parole des mécréants, tandis que la parole d'Allah eut le dessus. Et Allah est Puissant et Sage.
Muhammad Hamidullah · FR

Tafsir

If you O believers, do not help the Messenger (peace be upon him) and respond to his call to strive for the sake of Allah, then Allah has already helped him when you were not with him; when the idolaters drove him away from Mecca with Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them hid in the cave of Thawr from the disbelievers who were chasing them. On that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told his companion Abū Bakr, who was scared that the idolaters would discover him, not to worry, because Allah was with them, supporting and helping them. Allah sent down His reassurance and tranquility upon the heart of His Messenger, and sent angels which they could not see to support them, making the word of the idolaters the lowest, and the word of Allah the highest by aiding His Religion. Allah is Mighty in His essence, power and force – nothing can overcome Him – and He Wise in His planning, decree and laws.

Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Quran · Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies
Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))
If you help him (Muhammad ﷺ) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two; when they were both in the cave, he said to his companion: "Be not sad (or afraid), surely, Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise (40) Allah supports His Prophet (ﷺ) Allah said, إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ (If you help him not), if you do not support His Prophet ﷺ, then it does not matter, for Allah will help, support, suffice and protect him, just as He did, إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ (when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two;) During the year of the Hijrah, the idolators tried to kill, imprison or expel the Prophet ﷺ, who escaped with his friend and Companion, Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah, to the cave of Thawr. They remained in the cave for three days so that the pagans who were sent in their pursuit, returned (to Makkah), and they proceed to Al-Madinah. While in the cave, Abu Bakr was afraid the pagans might discover them for fear that some harm might touch the Messenger ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ kept reassuring him and strengthening his resolve, saying, يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَـنُّكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا (O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two, with Allah as their third) Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that Abu Bakr said to him, "I said to the Prophet when we were in the cave, 'If any of them looks down at his feet, he will see us.' He said, يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَـنُّكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا (O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two with Allah as their third?)" This is recorded in the Two Sahihs. This is why Allah said, فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ (Then Allah sent down His Sakinah upon him) sent His aid and triumph to His Messenger ﷺ, or they say it refers to Abu Bakr, وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا (and strengthened him with forces which you saw not), the angels, وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا (and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost;) Ibn 'Abbas commented, 'The word of those who disbelieved', is Shirk, while, 'The Word of Allah' is 'La ilaha illallah." It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about a man who fights because of courage, or out of rage for his honor, or to show off. Whom among them is in the cause of Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ said, مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ (He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.)" Allah said next, وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ (and Allah is All-Mighty), in His revenge and taking retribution, He is the Most Formidable and those who seek refuge with Him and take shelter by adhering to what He instructs are never made to suffer injustice, حَكِيمٌ (All-Wise), in His statements and actions.

Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net