Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 107

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (there are) those who have built a mosque to cause harm (to Islam) and to promote infidelity and to create dissention among the believers and to provide a station for one who has been at war with Allah and His Messenger even before. They will certainly swear (and say), “We intended to do nothing but good.” Allah testifies that they are liars

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

There are also those ˹hypocrites˺ who set up a mosque ˹only˺ to cause harm, promote disbelief, divide the believers, and as a base for those who had previously fought against Allah and His Messenger.[[ Abu ’Âmer Ar-Râhib was a monk who fought against Muslims at the Battle of Badr. He ordered a group of twelve hypocrites to build a mosque near the Mosque of Qubâ', the first mosque built by Muslims and also where the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions would pray. The new mosque, commonly referred to as Masjid Aḍ-Ḍirâr (Mosque of Harm), was intended to attract other hypocrites and reduce the number of Muslims who prayed at Qubâ'. The hypocrites who built the mosque also anticipated the arrival of Abu ’Âmer with Roman forces to expel the Prophet (ﷺ) and Muslims out of Medina. Upon a request from these hypocrites, the Prophet (ﷺ) had planned to visit the new mosque once he returned from Tabûk, but verses 107-110 of this sûrah were revealed, warning the Prophet (ﷺ) against that mosque. According to some narrations, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered this mosque to be burned down. ]] They will definitely swear, “We intended nothing but good,” but Allah bears witness that they are surely liars.

Ruwwad Translation Center

There are those [hypocrites] who built a mosque to cause harm, promote disbelief and create division among the believers, and as a base for those who had previously fought against Allah and His Messenger. They will surely swear, “We intend nothing but good,” but Allah testifies that they are indeed liars.

A. J. Arberry

And those who have taken a mosque in opposition and unbelief, and to divide the believers, and as a place of ambush for those who fought God and His Messenger aforetime -- they will swear 'We desired nothing but good'; and God testifies they are truly liars.

Abdul Haleem

Then there are those who built a mosque––in an attempt to cause harm, disbelief, and disunity among the believers––as an outpost for those who fought God and His Messenger before: they swear, ‘Our intentions were nothing but good,’ but God bears witness that they are liars.

Abdul Majid 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.

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.

Abul Ala Maududi

Then there are others who have set up a mosque to hurt the True Faith, to promote unbelief, and cause division among believers, and as an ambush for one who had earlier made war on Allah and His Messenger. They will surely swear: "We intended nothing but good," whereas Allah bears witness that they are 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.

Ahmed Raza Khan

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.

Ali Quli Qarai

As for those who took to a mosque for sabotage and for defiance, and to cause division among the faithful, and for the purpose of ambush [used] by those who have fought Allah and His Apostle before—they will surely swear, ‘We desired nothing but good,’ and Allah bears witness that they are indeed liars.

Ali Ünal

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.

Amatul Rahman 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.

English Literal

And those who took a mosque (as a tool for) harming, and disbelief, and separation/distinction between the believers, and (as) a watch/observation/ambuscade (ambush place/shelter) to who battled/fought God and His messenger from before, and they swear/take oath (E): "That we wanted/intended except the best/goodness ." And God witnesses/testifies that they truly are lying/denying .

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.

Hamid S. Aziz

And there are those who have chosen a place of worship (or mosque) for mischief and infidelity, in order to cause dissent amongst the believers, and for an outpost for those who made war against Allah and His Messenger in the past; they surely swear, "We only wished for what was good;" but Allah bears witness that they are liars.

Hilali & 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.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And others are made to await Allah’s command, whether He chastise them or turn to them (mercifully). And Allah is Knowing, Wise.

Mohammad Habib 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 Apostle before; and they will certainly swear: We did not desire aught but good; and Allah bears witness that they are most surely liars.

Mohammed Marmaduke William 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.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And there are those who have taken a mosque to cause harm, disbelief, and to divide the believers, and as a place of ambush for those who fought Allah and His Messenger before. They swear: 'We desired nothing but good', but Allah bears witness that they are liars.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

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

Wahiduddin Khan

Then there are those who built a mosque to cause harm, to spread apostasy and disunity among the believers -- as an outpost for those who from the outset warred on God and His Messenger. They swear, "Our intentions were nothing but good," but God bears witness that they are lying.

Talal Itani

Then there are those who establish a mosque to cause harm, and disbelief, and disunity among the believers, and as an outpost for those who fight God and His Messenger. They will swear: “Our intentions are nothing but good.” But God bears witness that they are liars.

Tafsir jalalayn

And, among them, those who have chosen a mosque -- these were twelve men from among the hypocrites -- by way of harm, to cause distress for those of the mosque of Qub', and disbelief, since they built it on the orders of the monk Ab `mir, as a sanctuary for him, so that whoever comes from his side may stay there; he had gone to the Byzantine Emperor (qaysar) to bring troops to fight against the Prophet (s), and to cause division among the believers, who pray in the mosque of Qub', by having some of these pray in their [the hypocrites'] mosque, and as an outpost, an observation post, for those who waged war against God and His Messenger before, that is, before it was built -- meaning the above-mentioned Ab `mir -- they will swear; `We desired nothing, by building it, but, to do, good', by way of kindness towards the poor in times of [heavy] rain or [extreme] heat and in order to provide [a place of worship] for the Muslims; and God bears witness that they are truly liars, in this [claim of theirs]. They had asked the Prophet (s) to perform prayers in it, and so the following was revealed;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Masjid Ad-Dirar and Masjid At-Taqwa

Allah says;

وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ مَسْجِدًا ضِرَارًا وَكُفْرًا وَتَفْرِيقًا بَيْنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادًا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ

And as for those who put up a Masjid by way of harm and disbelief and to disunite the believers and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger aforetime,

The reason behind revealing these honorable Ayat is that;

before the Messenger of Allah migrated to Al-Madinah, there was a man from Al-Khazraj called "Abu Amir Ar-Rahib (the Monk)." This man embraced Christianity before Islam and read the Scriptures. During the time of Jahiliyyah, Abu Amir was known for being a worshipper and being a notable person among Al-Khazraj.

When the Messenger of Allah arrived at Al-Madinah after the Hijrah, the Muslims gathered around him and the word of Islam was triumphant on the day of Badr, causing Abu Amir, the cursed one, to choke on his own saliva and announce his enmity to Islam.

He fled from Al-Madinah to the idolators of Quraysh in Makkah to support them in the war against the Messenger of Allah. The Quraysh united their forces and the Bedouins who joined them for the battle of Uhud, during which Allah tested the Muslims, but the good end is always for the pious and righteous people.

The rebellious Abu Amir dug many holes in the ground between the two camps, into one of which the Messenger fell, injuring his face and breaking one of his right lower teeth. He also sustained a head injury.

Before the fighting started, Abu Amir approached his people among the Ansar and tried to convince them to support and agree with him. When they recognized him, they said, "May Allah never burden an eye by seeing you, O Fasiq one, O enemy of Allah!"

They cursed him and he went back declaring, "By Allah! Evil has touched my people after I left."

The Messenger of Allah called Abu Amir to Allah and recited the Qur'an to him before his flight to Makkah, but he refused to embrace Islam and rebelled. The Messenger invoked Allah that Abu Amir die as an outcast in an alien land, and his invocation came true.

After the battle of Uhud was finished, Abu Amir realized that the Messenger's call was still rising and gaining momentum, so he went to Heraclius, the emperor of Rome, asking for his aid against the Prophet. Heraclius gave him promises and Abu Amir remained with him.

He also wrote to several of his people in Al-Madinah, who embraced hypocrisy, promising and insinuating to them that he will lead an army to fight the Messenger of Allah to defeat him and his call. He ordered them to establish a stronghold where he could send his emissaries and to serve as an outpost when he joins them later on.

These hypocrites built a Masjid next to the Masjid in Quba', and they finished building it before the Messenger went to Tabuk. They went to the Messenger inviting him to pray in their Masjid so that it would be a proof that the Messenger approved of their Masjid.

They told him that they built the Masjid for the weak and ill persons on rainy nights. However, Allah prevented His Messenger from praying in that Masjid. He said to them,

إِنَّا عَلَى سَفَرٍ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا رَجَعْنَا إِنْ شَاءَ الله

"If we come back from our travel, Allah willing."

When the Messenger of Allah came back from Tabuk and was approximately one or two days away from Al-Madinah, Jibril came down to him with the news about Masjid Ad-Dirar and the disbelief and division between the believers, who were in Masjid Quba' (which was built on piety from the first day), that Masjid Ad-Dirar was meant to achieve. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah sent some people to Masjid Ad-Dirar to bring it down before he reached Al-Madinah.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said about this Ayah,

"They are some people of the Ansar to whom Abu Amir said, `Build a Masjid and prepare whatever you can of power and weapons, for I am headed towards Caesar, emperor of Rome, to bring Roman soldiers with whom I will expel Muhammad and his companions.'

When they built their Masjid, they went to the Prophet and said to him, "We finished building our Masjid and we would like you pray in it and invoke Allah for us for His blessings."

Allah revealed this verse,
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا
(Never stand you therein), (9;108) until,
الظَّالِمِينَ
(...wrongdoers) (9;109)."

Allah said next,

وَلَيَحْلِفَنَّ

they will indeed swear,

those who built it,

إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلاَّ الْحُسْنَى

that their intention is nothing but good.

by building this Masjid we sought the good and the comfort of the people.

Allah replied,

وَاللّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ



Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.

for they only built it to harm Masjid Quba', and out of disbelief in Allah, and to divide the believers. They made it an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger, such as Abu Amir the Fasiq who used to be called Ar-Rahib, may Allah curse him!

Allah said