Surah At-Tawbah 9:104

The Command to collect the Zakah and Its Benefits

Allah commanded His Messenger to take Sadaqah from the Muslims' money to purify and sanctify them with it. This Ayah is general, even though some said that it refers specifically to those who mixed good and evil deeds, who admitted to their errors. Some bedouin later thought that paying Zakah to the Leader was not legislated except to the Messenger ﷺ himself, using this Ayah as evidence,

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَلِهِمْ صَدَقَةً

(Take Sadaqah from their wealth.) Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and other Companions refuted this ill comprehension and fought against them until they paid the Zakah to the Khalifah, just as they used to pay it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. As-Siddiq said, "By Allah! If they abstain from paying a bridle that they used to pay to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I will fight them for refraining from paying it." Allah's statement,

وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ

(and Salli for them), means, supplicate for them, and ask Allah to forgive them. In the Sahih, Muslim recorded that `Abdullah bin Abi Awfa said, "Whenever the Prophet was brought charity, he used to invoke Allah for those who brought it. My father also brought his charity and the Prophet said,

«اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى آلِ أَبِي أَوْفَى»

(O Allah! I invoke You for the family of Abu Awfa.)" Allah's statement,

إِنَّ صَلَوَتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَّهُمْ

(Verily, your Salat are a Sakan for them), means, a mercy for them, according to Ibn `Abbas. Allah said next,

وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ

(and Allah is All-Hearer,) of your invocation (O Muhammad),

عَلِيمٌ

(All-Knower.) in those who deserve your invocation on their behalf, who are worthy of it. Allah said,

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقَـتِ

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and accepts the Sadaqat) This Ayah encourages reverting to repentance and giving charity, for each of these actions erases, deletes and eradicate sins. Allah states that He accepts the repentance of those who repent to Him, as well as charity from pure resources, for Allah accepts it with His Right Hand and raises it for its giver until even a date becomes as large as Mount Uhud. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ اللهَ يَقْبَلُ الصَّدَقَةَ وَيَأْخُذُهَا بِيَمِينِهِ فَيُرَبِّيهَا لِأَحَدِكُمْ كَمَا يُرَبِّي أَحَدُكُمْ مُهْرَهُ، حَتَّى إِنَّ اللُّقْمَةَ لَتَكُونُ مِثْلَ أُحُد»

(Verily, Allah accepts charity, receives it in His Right Hand and develops it for its giver, just as one of you raises his pony, until the bite of food becomes as large as Uhud.) wThe Book of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, testifies to this Hadith,

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقَـتِ

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and accepts the Sadaqat), and,

يَمْحَقُ اللَّهُ الْرِّبَواْ وَيُرْبِى الصَّدَقَـتِ

(Allah will destroy Riba and will give increase for Sadaqat.) 2:276 `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "Charity falls in Allah's Hand before it falls in the needy's hand," he then recited this Ayah,

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقَـتِ

(Know they not that Allah accepts repentance from His servants and accepts the Sadaqat).

Dengan ayat ini Allah memberikan dorongan kepada hamba-Nya yang telah menyadari kesalahannya untuk bertobat dan bersedekah, guna menghapus dosa-dosa mereka. Selain itu ayat ini juga menegaskan, bahwa siapapun yang bertobat kepada Allah maka Dia akan menerima tobatnya; dan siapa yang bersedekah dengan ikhlas maka Allah akan menerima sedekah itu sebagai amal salehnya, dan akan memberinya ganjaran pahala.

Meskipun ayat ini berbentuk suatu kalimat pertanyaan, tetapi bangsa Arab telah biasa mengemukakan kalimat yang berbentuk pertanyaan itu untuk menetapkan dan memberikan tekanan untuk suatu pengertian, yaitu kepastian bahwa Allah benar-benar akan menerima tobat orang-orang yang insaf, juga akan menerima sedekah yang mereka berikan karena mengharapkan rida Allah semata-mata, untuk menghapuskan dosa-dosa yang sudah terlanjur mereka perbuat.

Ayat ini juga merupakan celaan keras terhadap orang-orang yang bersalah, tetapi tidak mengakui kesalahan mereka, tidak mau bertobat, dan tidak mau berbuat kebajikan dan amal saleh untuk menghapus dosa-dosa yang telah mereka perbuat.

Pada akhir ayat ini ditegaskan bahwa Allah Maha Penerima tobat dan Maha Pengasih terhadap hamba-Nya. Oleh sebab itu, Allah senantiasa akan menerima tobat hamba-Nya, karena sifat tersebut merupakan sifat yang tetap bagi-Nya, dan menjadi Sunnah yang berlaku selama-lamanya. Dia senantiasa mengasihi hamba-Nya sehingga Dia akan mengampuni dosa-dosanya, dan menerima amal saleh yang mereka kerjakan, serta memberi balasan yang setimpal.