9:16

أَمۡ حَسِبۡتُمۡ أَن تُتۡرَكُواْ وَلَمَّا يَعۡلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَلَمۡ يَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةٗۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ

Am hasibtum an tutrakoo walamma yaAAlami Allahu allatheena jahadoo minkum walam yattakhithoo min dooni Allahi wala rasoolihi wala almumineena waleejatan waAllahu khabeerun bima taAAmaloona

Do you think that you will be left [as you are] while Allah has not yet made evident those among you who strive [for His cause] and do not take other than Allah, His Messenger and the believers as intimates? And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.

Word by word
  1. أَمۡOr
  2. حَسِبۡتُمۡ(do) you think
  3. أَنthat
  4. تُتۡرَكُواْyou would be left
  5. وَلَمَّاwhile not
  6. يَعۡلَمِAllah made evident
  7. ٱللَّهُAllah made evident
  8. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  9. جَٰهَدُواْstrive
  10. مِنكُمۡamong you
  11. وَلَمۡand not
  12. يَتَّخِذُواْtake
  13. مِنbesides Allah
  14. دُونِbesides Allah
  15. ٱللَّهِbesides Allah
  16. وَلَاand not
  17. رَسُولِهِۦHis Messenger
  18. وَلَاand not
  19. ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَthe believers
  20. وَلِيجَةٗۚ(as) intimates
  21. وَٱللَّهُAnd Allah
  22. خَبِيرُۢ(is) All-Aware
  23. بِمَاof what
  24. تَعۡمَلُونَyou do
At-Tawbah · 9:16Madinah

Did you think you would be left without a test?

Tests show who is sincere


What tests reveal
we believesaid by all
tested
those who strivesincere inside and out
secret confidantsloyalty elsewhere
What a test is
a sign Allah is angry
a sortingtrue from false intent

Ibn Kathir explains that one wisdom behind these hard commands was to test the believers, making clear who was sincere and who kept secret allies apart from Allah, His Messenger ﷺ and the believers. He ties it to "Do people think they will be left because they say we believe?"

Faith is easy on a calm Friday. Then comes the job loss, the diagnosis, the moment when standing with the right people costs you. That is where your faith becomes visible, first to you.

If my faith were real, life would not keep testing it.

The test is how sincere faith shows itself, even to me.

Try this

Name one current difficulty. Ask Allah to help you pass it well, not just escape it.

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

Do you think that you shall be left alone while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought, and have not taken Walijah besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers. Allah is well-acquainted with what you do (16)

Among the Wisdom of Jihad is to test the Muslims

Allah said,

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ

(Do you think), O believers that We will leave you untested with matters that make apparent those who have pure, good intent from those who have false intent? This is why Allah said next,

وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِ وَلَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً

(while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought and have not taken Walijah besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers...), meaning, supporters and confidants. Rather, they are sincere for Allah and His Messenger ﷺ inwardly and outwardly. Allah also said;

الم - أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ - وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ

(Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known those who are true, and will certainly make known those who are liars...)[29:1-3],

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّابِرِينَ

(Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah tests those of you who fought (in His cause) and (also) tests those who are patient?)[3:142], and,

مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَىٰ مَا أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىٰ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ

(Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good)[3:179].

In summary, since Allah legislated Jihad for His servants, He explained that the wisdom behind doing so includes testing His servants, distinguishing between those who obey Him and those who disobey Him. Allah, the Exalted, is the All-Knower of what occurred, what will occur, and the true essence of what might occur had He decided it. Therefore, Allah knows everything before it occurs and how it will occur, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, nor a Lord except Him. Truly, there is none who can avert Allah's judgment and decision.