Which Surah and Juz is Quran 9:109 from?

This ayah is from Surah At-Tawba (The Repentance), the 9th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 11.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 9:109?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Sahih al-Bukhari, Sunan an-Nasa'i.

What tafsir is available for Quran 9:109?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 9:109 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Righteousness, Allah, Hellfire, Divine Punishment, Wrongdoing.

Ayah 108

لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَ...

9:109At-Tawba

Q: What does Quran 9:109 mean?

Quran 9:109 (Surah At-Tawba, Ayah 109) translates to: "Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people."

Ayah 110

لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِى بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةً...

أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍۢ فَٱنْهَارَ بِهِۦ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Afaman assasa bunyaa nahoo 'alaa taqwaa minal laahi wa ridwaanin khairun am man assasa bunyaanahoo 'alaa shafaa jurufin haarin fanhaara bihee fee Naari Jahannnam; wallaahu laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen

Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Themes in this ayah

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Paradise & Hell98 God-consciousness96

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

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9:109Ayah 1129

18 ayahs in At-Tawba are strongly about Paradise and Hell. This is one of them.

← Previous on Paradise & Hell9:100And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct Next on Paradise & Hell →9:111Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise.

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 9:109→

Is he who founded his building upon fear of God and in hope of beatitude from Him better or he who founded his building upon the brink the edge of a bank an overhang that is crumbling about to collapse read juruf or jurf so that it toppled with him so that it collapsed taking with it the one who built it into the fire of Hell? this is an excellent similitude for building upon that which constitutes the opposite of fear of God and for what it leads to; the interrogative is meant as an affirmative in other words the former is the better which is the likeness of the building of the mosque of Qubā’ while the latter is the likeness of the mosque of ‘harm’ masjid al-dirār. And God guides not the evildoing folk.

"Whoever avoids lying while he is doing so falsely, a house will be built for him on the skirts of Paradise. Whoever avoids arguing while he is in the right, a house will be built for him in its midst. And whoever has good character, a house will be built for him in its heights."

Sahih al-Bukhari #2578Narrated An-Nu`man bin Bashir:Sahih

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's orders and limits (or the one who abides by the limits and regulations prescribed by Allah) in comparison to the one who do wrong and violate Allah's limits and orders is like the example of people drawing lots for seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part while the others in the lower part ; those in the, lower part have to pass by those in the upper one to get water, and that troubled the latter. One of them (i.e. the people in the lower part) took an ax and started making a hole in the bottom of the boat. The people of the upper part came and asked him, (saying), 'What is wrong with you?' He replied, "You have been troubled much by my (coming up to you), and I have to get water.' Now if they prevent him from doing that they will save him and themselves, but if they leave him (to do what he wants), they will destroy him and themselves."

Sunan an-Nasa'i #690It was narrated from 'Amr bin 'Abasah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:Sahih

"Whoever builds a Masjid in which Allah is remembered, Allah, (the Mighty and Sublime) will build for him a house in Paradise."

Sunan Ibn Majah #3899It was narrated that Anas said:Sahih

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed by a dome-shaped structure at the door of a man among the Ansar and said: ‘What is this? ‘They said: ‘A dome that was built by so-and-so.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘All wealth that is like this (extravagant) will bring evil consequences to its owner on the Day of Resurrection.’ News of that reached the Ansari, so he demolished it. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by (that place) later on and did not see it. He asked about it and was told that its owner had demolished it because of what he had heard from him. He said: ‘May Allah have mercy on him, may Allah have mercy on him.’”

Sahih Muslim #1091Ubaidullah al-Khaulini reported:Sahih

'Uthman b. 'Affan listened to the opinion of the people (which was not favourable) when he rebuilt the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Thereupon he said: You have not been fair to me for I have heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: He who built a mosque for Allah, the Exalted, Allah would build for him a house in Paradise. Bukair said: I think he (the Holy Prophet) said: While he seeks the pleasure of Allah (by building the mosque). And in the narration of Ibn 'Isa (the words are):" (a house) like that (mosque) in Paradise."