The Majestic Quran

9. At-Tawbah Repentance This chapter was revealed during 630–631 ce following the successful campaign of Tabuk in the month of Rajab. Tabuk is 560 kilometres Northwest of Madinah. The cancellation of treaties with idolaters was announced five months later during Hajj in the same year. This chapter is set against the background of a looming battle, and therefore harsh. This explains why it doesn’t begin with the Basmala in the usual way, “In the name of God, the Kind, the Caring”. The blessed Messenger r didn’t instruct the writing of Basmala either, and some commentators take this to mean that this is a continuation of the previous Chapter Al-Anfal, the two together constituting a single chapter, since the Basmala is considered as the divider between chapters. After the Conquest of Makkah in 629 ce, the influence of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula spread rapidly and many Arab tribes embraced Islam. The Messenger r sent letters to the rulers of neighbouring countries, inviting them to Islam. They began to take notice of this religious and geopolitical change. Until now, foreign powers had shown little interest in the Arabs. The Romans were nervous and planned to attack Madinah, so the planning for the Tabuk campaign started. The Messenger r , after consultation, decided to meet the enemy on the border. Muslims gave generously, and eventually a 30,000 strong army was mobilised northwards to deter the Romans, who decided to remain in their forts rather than come out. The Messenger r stayed there for twenty days. He made excursions along the Roman Empire’s south- eastern border to win allies and sign treaties with local rulers,