Quran Universe
9:112

ٱلتَّـٰٓئِبُونَ ٱلۡعَٰبِدُونَ ٱلۡحَٰمِدُونَ ٱلسَّـٰٓئِحُونَ ٱلرَّـٰكِعُونَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدُونَ ٱلۡأٓمِرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَٱلنَّاهُونَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَٱلۡحَٰفِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Alttaiboona alAAabidoona alhamidoona alssaihoona alrrakiAAoona alssajidoona alamiroona bialmaAAroofi waalnnahoona AAani almunkari waalhafithoona lihudoodi Allahi wabashshiri almumineena

[Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah. And give good tidings to the believers.

Word by word
  1. ٱلتَّـٰٓئِبُونَThose who turn in repentance
  2. ٱلۡعَٰبِدُونَthose who worship
  3. ٱلۡحَٰمِدُونَthose who praise
  4. ٱلسَّـٰٓئِحُونَthose who go out
  5. ٱلرَّـٰكِعُونَthose who bow down
  6. ٱلسَّـٰجِدُونَthose who prostrate
  7. ٱلۡأٓمِرُونَthose who enjoin
  8. بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِthe right
  9. وَٱلنَّاهُونَand those who forbid
  10. عَنِ[on]
  11. ٱلۡمُنكَرِthe wrong
  12. وَٱلۡحَٰفِظُونَand those who observe
  13. لِحُدُودِ(the) limits
  14. ٱللَّهِۗ(of) Allah
  15. وَبَشِّرِAnd give glad tidings
  16. ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ(to) the believers
At-Tawbah · 9:112Madinah

Who the buyers are: nine plain qualities.

The people of the sale described

Their qualities
repentturn back from sins
worship, praisein word and deed
fasthold back from desire
bow, prostratein prayer
guide and guardurge good, keep limits
What the list starts with
the perfectnever slip
the repentantfirst on the list

Ibn Kathir says this is the description of the believers from whom Allah bought their souls and wealth. They repent, worship, praise, and fast, which he says is the meaning of as-sa'ihun here. They pray, guide others to good, and keep Allah's limits, so they worship their Lord and advise His creation.

You read a list like this and feel far from it. Look at the first word: those who repent. Not those who never fall. The list starts where you are when you turn back, and grows from there.

These qualities belong to people far better than me.

The list starts with turning back, which I can do today.

Try this

Pick one quality from the list and practice it once today, starting with a repentance.

Related66:5
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Those who repent, who worship (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin good and forbid evil, and who observe the limits set by Allah. And give glad tidings to the believers (112)

This is the description of the believers from whom Allah has purchased their souls and wealth, who have these beautiful and honorable qualities,

التَّائِبُونَ 

(who repent) from all sins and shun all evils,

الْعَابِدُونَ 

(who worship), their Lord and preserve the acts of worship that include statements and actions. Praising Allah is among the best statements. This is why Allah said next,

الْحَامِدُونَ 

(who praise (Him)). Fasting is among the best actions, involving abstaining from the delights of food, drink and sexual intercourse, this is the meaning hereby,

السَّائِحُونَ 

('As-Sā'iḥūn' (who fast))[9:112]. Allah also described the Prophet's wives that they are,

سَائِحَاتٍ 

('Sā'iḥāt')[66:5], meaning, they fast. As for prostrating and bowing down, they are acts of the prayer,

الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ

(who bow down, who prostrate themselves,)

These believers also benefit Allah's creation and direct them to His obedience by ordaining righteousness and forbidding evil. They have knowledge about what should be performed and what should be shunned. This includes abiding by Allah's limits in knowledge and action, meaning, what He allowed and what He prohibited. Therefore, they worship the True Lord and advise creation. This is why Allah said next,

وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

(And give glad tidings to the believers.) since faith includes all of this, and the supreme success is for those who have faith.