Surah 9

Surah 9:110

"Their building which they have built will continue (to be a cause of) doubt in their hearts, unless their hearts are cut (to pieces). God is knowing, wise."
The Difference between Masjid At-Taqwa and Masjid Ad-Dirdr Verses 9:109-110
Show Full Scripture Context (9:109-110) — 2 Verses
Verse 109

أَفَمَنۡ أَسَّسَ بُنۡيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقۡوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٰنٍ خَيۡرٌ أَم مَّنۡ أَسَّسَ بُنۡيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٖ فَٱنۡهَارَ بِهِۦ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

So is someone who founded his building on (the obligation of) guarding (oneself) against God, and (on His) approval, better, or someone who founded his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice, (which) then collapsed with him into the Fire of Gehenna? God does not guide the people who are evildoers.

Verse 110

لَا يَزَالُ بُنۡيَٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِي بَنَوۡاْ رِيبَةٗ فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

Their building which they have built will continue (to be a cause of) doubt in their hearts, unless their hearts are cut (to pieces). God is knowing, wise.

Quoted Scripture
"109. Is it then he who laid the foundation of his building on Taqwa to Allah and His good pleasure better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on the brink of an undetermined precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the wrongdoers."

"110. The building which they built will never cease to be a cause of hypocrisy and doubt in their hearts unless their hearts are cut to pieces. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

Allah the Exalted says that the Masjid that has been built on the basis of Taqwa of Allah and His pleasure is not the same as a Masjid that was been built based on causing harm, disbelief and causing division among the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger. The latter built their Masjid on the edge of a steep hole,
{into the fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the wrongdoers.},

Allah does not bring aright the works of those who commit mischief. Jabir bin 'Abdullah said, "I saw the Masjid that was built to cause harm with smoke rising up from it, during the time of the Messenger of Allah." Allah's statement,
{The building which they built will never cease to be a cause of doubt in their hearts}

and hypocrisy. Because of this awful action that they committed, they inherited hypocrisy in their hearts, just as those who worshipped the calf were inclined to adoring it. Allah said next,
{unless their hearts are cut to pieces.} until they die, according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, Zayd bin Aslam, As-Suddi, Habib bin Abi Thabit, Ad-Dahhak, 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and several other scholars of the Salaf.
{And Allah is All-Knowing,} of the actions of His creation,
{All-Wise.} in compensating them for their good or evil actions.

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 4, Page 518-519)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.