Allah — الله

1. Brief Biography / Background

Central, absolute Divine subject of the Qur’an. In Surah At-Tawbah, Allah issues commands, clarifies covenant rules, forbids idolatry and treachery, and affirms justice and mercy.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah carries Allah’s proclamations regarding treaties, the conduct of war and peace, the punishment of treachery, the nature of repentance, and criteria for sincere faith (see overarching statements across the Surah, e.g., early and closing passages of chapter 9).

3. Personality & Attributes

Attributes highlighted include justice, sovereignty, mercy (for the repentant), wrath against treachery, and command of judgement.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Divine authority determines covenant ethics and communal boundaries.
• Mercy and stern justice coexist: repentance opens mercy; treachery provokes accountability.
• Believers should align conduct with Divine directives concerning treaties, charity and communal defence.

5. Supporting References

Qur’anic proclamations in Surah At-Tawbah themselves provide the basis; prophetic explanations and exegetical tradition clarify implementation in history and law.

Ahl al-‘Ahd — أهل العهد (People of the Covenant / Treaty Partners)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Groups or communities (tribes, delegations, or jurisdictions) who entered into treaties or covenants with the nascent Muslim polity. Historically these include Arab tribes and non-Arab delegations who negotiated terms with the Muslim community.

2. Role in the Surah

Surah At-Tawbah treats covenants and specifies that treaties remain valid until their expiry unless the other party breaks them; it admonishes those who break covenants and prescribes how to deal with treacherous parties (see several verses early and mid-Surah addressing treaty conduct).

“If any among the People of the Covenant breaks his covenant, fight them…” (paraphrase of the Surah’s thrust; see the covenant passages in chapter 9).

3. Personality & Attributes

Attributes are tied to covenant-keeping or covenant-breaking: loyalty, good faith, or treachery and perfidy.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Honour covenants; breaking them destroys mutual security.
• Communal safety requires clarity about who keeps and who breaks agreements.
• Practical rules follow: remind, preserve, and, if necessary, hold violators accountable while observing justice and proportion.

5. Supporting References

Classical explanatory tradition treats these verses as foundational for communal treaty ethics and their exceptional handling in time of breach.

Ahl al-Kitab — أهل الكتاب (People of the Book)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Communities that received earlier revealed scriptures (broadly those known as Jews and Christians). They are addressed in many places in the Qur’an, and in Surah At-Tawbah specific passages discuss their treaties, obligations, and how some among them behaved in relation to the Muslim community.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah clarifies that legitimate treaties with People of the Book must be respected; yet it also reproves those among them who allied with hostility or violated their pledges.

3. Personality & Attributes

Both positive and negative attributes appear: some People of the Book observe truth and covenant, others are reproved for hypocrisy or treacherous alliances.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Treat genuine adherents justly while remaining vigilant against treaty-breakers.
• Religious difference does not eliminate the moral requirement of fulfilling agreements.
• Discrimination should be based on conduct, not mere labels.

5. Supporting References

Verses in Surah At-Tawbah that speak of People of the Book are explained in tradition as guidance for inter-communal relations and the limits of political cooperation when covenants are broken.

Al-Mu’allafatu Qulubuhum — المؤلفة قلوبهم (Those Whose Hearts Are To Be Reconciled)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Term used in the Surah to denote people whose favorable disposition toward the Muslim community should be encouraged — for example, recent converts, allied tribes, or factions whose attachment needed strengthening.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah lists categories of those who may be supported or whose hearts should be conciliated, including guidance about when support is appropriate and when caution is necessary (see the verses enumerating categories entitled to assistance).

3. Personality & Attributes

Often they are sincere, weak in faith, or newly aligned; the community is asked to show wise generosity and care while ensuring the sincerity of attachment.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Softness and wise outreach can build communal cohesion.
• Generosity should be discerning: aimed at sincere reconciliation, not empowering treachery.
• Social policy must balance charity with security considerations.

5. Supporting References

Exegetical tradition discusses practical examples (financial support, treaty gestures) and cautions about misuse. The verse cluster framing assistance and its limits is central here.

Al-Mu’minun — المؤمنون (The Believers)

1. Brief Biography / Background

The faithful Muslims who internally believe and externally seek to live by Divine guidance. In Surah At-Tawbah they appear as those commanded to defend the community, give in charity, keep covenants, and test sincerity through action.

2. Role in the Surah

Believers are addressed with directives about trust, charity, fighting for the community when necessary, and distancing from hypocritical and treacherous elements. The Surah contrasts sincere believers with hypocrites and transient allies.

3. Personality & Attributes

The Qur’an highlights faith, courage, sacrifice, obedience, and upright conduct for believers; it also expects prudence and communal solidarity.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Sincere faith requires both inner conviction and practical commitment (spending, striving, covenant respect).
• Communal defence must be balanced with moral conduct and mercy when appropriate.
• Believers are responsible to preserve the ethical core of the community against corruption.

5. Supporting References

Passages throughout the Surah set obligations and promises for believers; exegetical tradition elaborates on the behavioral markers of true faith in this context.

Al-Muhajirun — المهاجرون (Emigrants)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who emigrated (made hijra) from hostile environments to join the Muslim community. Historically, they endured loss of home for the cause of faith.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah sets mutual obligations for emigrants and other benefactors (e.g., assistance, recognition of sacrifice), and discusses distribution of communal resources to those in need.

3. Personality & Attributes

Patience, sacrifice, loyalty to the community, and dependence on communal solidarity are emphasized.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Societies should recognize and support those who sacrifice for shared moral aims.
• Migration for faith is honored but must be matched by communal care.

5. Supporting References

Surah sections addressing categories of the needy and those deserving support include emigrants among others.

Al-Muqimun As-Salah — المقيمون الصلاة (Those Who Establish Prayer)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Devout persons who consistently observe the ritual prayers (a core marker of communal religiosity referenced across the Qur’an and alluded to in Surah At-Tawbah’s lists of virtuous groups).

2. Role in the Surah

Prayer-establishers are referenced as among those meriting reward and as an index of piety used by the Surah when distinguishing sincere believers from hypocrites.

3. Personality & Attributes

Regularity, humility, discipline, and devotion are the qualities highlighted.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Ritual practice functions as a social and spiritual anchor for communal ethics.
• Consistent worship correlates with sincerity in other duties (charity, covenant-keeping).

5. Supporting References

Traditional commentary uses this category to show concrete markers of faith noted by the Surah.

Al-Munafiqoon — المنافقون (The Hypocrites)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals who professed Islam outwardly while harboring disbelief or treacherous intent inwardly. Surah At-Tawbah contains some of the sharpest rebukes of hypocrisy in the Qur’an and addresses their conduct during crises like the Tabuk expedition.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah exposes hypocritical behavior: feigned loyalty, absence from communal defence, lies, false oaths, and plotting. It pronounces stern warnings, prescribes social caution, and continues to contrast hypocrites with true believers.

3. Personality & Attributes

Deceit, cowardice in crisis, opportunism, false promises, love of worldly comforts over religious duty, and attempts to sabotage communal unity are the core traits portrayed.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Public profession without inner conviction undermines communal trust.
• Leaders must test sincerity with trusted practices; communities must be watchful without falling into paranoia.
• Repentance is rhetorically possible but requires concrete change in action.

5. Supporting References

Several verses narrate their stratagems and consequences; traditional explanatory material sets out behavioral indicators and historical episodes connected to Tabuk and other events.

Al-Mushrikun — المشركون (The Polytheists / Idolaters)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who associate partners with God; commonly the pagan tribes of Arabia and other idolaters addressed in Surah At-Tawbah, especially regarding treaty relations and the call to submit to monotheism.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah announces a formal repudiation (a historic proclamation) regarding certain polytheist tribes and clarifies that the Muslim community will no longer be bound to their idols when hostility persists; it also sets practical guidelines for treatment of polytheists who accept terms.

3. Personality & Attributes

Stubbornness in idolatrous attachments, sometimes treachery in alliances; contrasted with those among them who accept truth and become allies.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Religious ideology may shape political alliances; when hostility persists, self-defence and clear policy follow.
• Invitation to truth remains but does not preclude defensive measures against persistent aggression.

5. Supporting References

Surah sections about disavowal and treaty termination apply directly to these groups and set historical precedents for inter-communal rules during that era.

Ansar — الأنصار (The Helpers)

1. Brief Biography / Background

The residents of Madinah who supported the emigrants and the Muslim community, offering shelter, resources and alliance during the Prophet’s time.

2. Role in the Surah

They are implicitly referenced as part of the community called to uphold defence, charity and communal obligations; their historical role in supporting expeditions and internal solidarity is the background to many directives in the Surah.

3. Personality & Attributes

Generosity, loyalty, readiness to assist community members, and civic responsibility.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Local supporters are essential for communal resilience.
• Societies should honour those who share burdens in times of need.

5. Supporting References

Traditional accounts interpret many communal directives in light of the interplay between emigrants and helpers; Surah guidance about support and solidarity is read with that history in mind.

As-Sabiqun al-Awwalun — السابقون الأولون (The Forerunners / The First Embracers)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals who were first to believe and to sacrifice — early supporters whose precedence is repeatedly praised in the Qur’an and indirectly affirmed in Surah At-Tawbah’s call to honour serious commitment.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah affirms special recognition for those who are steadfast and early in commitment when communal tests arise (e.g., during mobilizations and public sacrifice).

3. Personality & Attributes

Courage, precedence in sacrifice, devotion, and exemplary conduct.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Early, earnest commitment establishes moral leadership and sets standards for later generations.
• Communities should honour historical sacrifice while maintaining equitable systems.

5. Supporting References

The Surah’s praise of those who commit early and wholeheartedly is part of the Qur’an’s broader valuation of precedence in virtuous action.

At-Tawwabun — التوابون (Those Who Repent)

1. Brief Biography / Background

People who sincerely turn back to God seeking forgiveness and reform. Surah At-Tawbah grants prominence to true repentance as a path to Divine mercy.

2. Role in the Surah

Repentance is presented as available and effective for individuals who reform; the Surah differentiates genuine change from mere verbal claims.

3. Personality & Attributes

Humility, remorse, resolve to change, and active reparation.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• True repentance transforms social status: the repentant are restored, but proof lies in action.
• Communities must allow space for sincere reform while protecting themselves from repeat offenders.

5. Supporting References

Numerous Surah passages pair repentance with Divine mercy and discuss its practical signs.

Charity Givers — المتصدقون / أهل الصدقة (Those Who Give Charity)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals who spent wealth for communal support, defence, and the needy. Surah At-Tawbah emphasizes proper distribution of funds and the prioritization of needs.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah enumerates rightful recipients and reminds the community about moral obligations of spending and support, especially in crises.

3. Personality & Attributes

Generosity, foresight, and a sense of communal responsibility.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Charity is a key social stabilizer in times of strain.
• Proper allocation and transparency maintain trust in communal funds.

5. Supporting References

Practical rules in the Surah identify categories for support and caution against misuse of communal funds.

Fasiqun — الفاسقون (Transgressors / Evildoers)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who openly reject Divine bounds and display persistent immoral conduct; Surah At-Tawbah warns against their influence and prescribes measures against aggression they commit.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah declares firmness toward those who commit open aggression against the community and violate pacts, placing transgressors in the category of those to be resisted.

3. Personality & Attributes

Rebellion, corruption, public immorality, and a readiness to breach oaths.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Unchecked transgression endangers communal life; justice and proportionate measures are necessary.
• Distinguish between repentance and persistent transgression when making policy.

5. Supporting References

Core Surah language condemns persistent wrongdoing and sets the contours for corrective measures.

Participants of the Expedition (Tabuk) — المجاهدون / المخرجون

1. Brief Biography / Background

The members of the military expedition mentioned in the Surah — historically the Tabuk mobilization is the context of many verses. These are individuals who responded to the call to mobilize and publicly commit resources and persons.

2. Role in the Surah

They are commended and contrasted with those who refused without valid excuse; the Surah uses this event to distinguish sincerity from hypocrisy.

3. Personality & Attributes

Readiness to face hardship, sacrifice, solidarity, and trust in the communal cause are the highlighted traits.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Public tests reveal inner resolve; communal mobilization must be voluntary but morally charged.
• Those who answer the call deserve honour, but resources must be fairly accounted for.

5. Supporting References

Verses addressing the Tabuk event and the behaviour of participants and absentees are central to this card.

Those Who Stayed Behind (from Tabuk) — المتخلفون (The Laggards / Absentees)

1. Brief Biography / Background

People who refrained from the expedition without a valid excuse, or who gave weak reasons; the Surah condemns hypocritical absence and prescribes consequences while allowing genuine excuses.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah criticizes those whose excuses reveal lack of sincerity, recounting their mockery and the community’s response to protect itself from unreliability.

3. Personality & Attributes

Cowardice, hypocrisy, preoccupation with worldly comforts over communal duty are the attributes blamed.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Communal obligations require sacrifice; persistent shirking undermines group security.
• Not all absence is blameworthy — sincere excuses matter; wisdom is required to distinguish them.

5. Supporting References

Several verses in the Surah recount sharp rebukes and the social measures taken regarding such absences.

Women Who Stayed at Home — النساء اللواتي لم يخرجن (Women who remained at home)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Some verses indirectly reference those who did not participate in expeditions due to legitimate domestic responsibilities or other valid reasons; the Surah balances recognition of women’s roles with communal security needs.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah distinguishes between legitimate non-participation and feigned excuses, admonishing hypocrisy while acknowledging valid duties at home.

3. Personality & Attributes

Duty-oriented, protective of family responsibilities, and deserving of respect when reasons are genuine.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Gendered roles require mutual respect; presence on the battlefield is not the only measure of commitment.
• Communal policy must weigh both public duties and private responsibilities.

5. Supporting References

Surah wording and later tradition explain the appropriate evaluation of participation and excuse.

Hudna / Temporary Truce Parties — الحُدنة (Truce-holders)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Entities who agreed to temporary non-aggression. The Surah clarifies the limits and obligations of such arrangements and the circumstances in which they may be suspended or terminated.

2. Role in the Surah

Presence of truce arrangements informs the chapters’ procedural guidance about announcement of disavowal and maintenance of order when treaties lapse or are broken.

3. Personality & Attributes

Ambiguity: can be vehicles for peace or instruments for delay and conspiracy if misused.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Temporary truces can serve peace but require trust and verification.
• Practical discipline is needed to avoid exploitation of ceasefires for hostile ends.

5. Supporting References

Surah legal-political language frames the handling of truces and public proclamation of policy toward hostile parties.

Political Factions & Parties — الأحزاب الطائفية (Factions)

1. Brief Biography / Background

The Surah addresses groups within and adjacent to the community who form alliances that may be cohesive or treacherous. Political factions are evaluated by their conduct toward covenants and the community’s safety.

2. Role in the Surah

Warnings are issued against factions that prioritize personal advantage over communal covenant and integrity.

3. Personality & Attributes

Self-interest, opportunism, or alternatively discipline and communal service if rightly oriented.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Politics within a community must be subordinated to covenantal ethics and communal rights.
• Careful leadership and transparent institutions reduce factional harm.

5. Supporting References

Explanatory tradition reads many of the Surah’s cautions as guidance about internal party formation and responsibility.

Those Freed or Captured in War — الأسرى والمعتقون (Prisoners and Freed)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals affected by conflict—prisoners of war and those freed—whose status and treatment are regulated by Qur’anic principles. Surah At-Tawbah touches on conflict ethics that determine treatment and distribution of spoils and care for the needy.

2. Role in the Surah

While not a full legal manual, the Surah’s rules concerning campaigns and allocation of resources have implications for prisoners and the freed.

3. Personality & Attributes

Vulnerable position; potential for rehabilitation; a test for the community’s mercy and justice.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Humane treatment of captives and fair processes reflect communal virtue.
• Resources from campaigns must be managed ethically for reconstruction and care.

5. Supporting References

Surah guidance about wartime conduct and subsequent care grounds later pragmatic applications.

Kafirun — الكافرون (Disbelievers / Rejectors)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who openly rejected the message and refused to enter into terms of peaceful coexistence in the period in which the Surah was revealed. The term covers a range of people from hostile attackers to non-belligerent non-believers.

2. Role in the Surah

They are the social and political foil to which the Surah responds: their alliances, hostilities and treaty violations shape policy statements and defensive measures articulated in the chapter.

3. Personality & Attributes

Outright refusal of the message, active opposition, or conspiratorial conduct are identified as problematic traits.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Distinguish between resistance and peaceful unbelief; treat each according to conduct.
• Policy toward non-believers is contextual: negotiation, warning, or defence as the case requires.

5. Supporting References

Verses delineating the community’s posture toward hostile non-believers are foundational here.

Those Who Professionally Proclaim Faith but Fail in Deeds — المنافقون الظاهرون (Outward Professors)

1. Brief Biography / Background

A subset of hypocrites whose professions of faith are visible but whose actions betray their lack of commitment. Surah At-Tawbah particularly castigates hypocritical professions that collapse under trial.

2. Role in the Surah

They are cited as a warning: statements without sacrifice are insufficient and create internal corrosion.

3. Personality & Attributes

Showmanship, opportunism, and willingness to deceive both the community and themselves.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Sincerity is measured by sacrifice and obedience, not mere words.
• Communities must apply wise tests to guard collective trust.

5. Supporting References

The Surah’s repeated contrasts between words and deeds inform this characterization.

Leaders of the Hypocrites — رؤساء المنافقين (Leading Hypocrites)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals who orchestrated or guided hypocritical groups, often using influence to subvert communal goals. Surah At-Tawbah singles out the greater harm done by leading figures who encourage collective treachery.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah warns sharply against leadership that spreads perfidy and advises decisive communal measures against organized treachery.

3. Personality & Attributes

Charisma misused, ambition, political manipulation, and duplicity.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Leadership carries disproportionate responsibility; its betrayal endangers many.
• Guard institutions against corrupt leadership tactics.

5. Supporting References

Surah language about organized treachery and public deception frames this card.

Rahibun — رهبان (Christian Monks)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Christian ascetics who withdrew into monastic life. Surah At-Tawbah contains a notable mention that some monks abandoned the worldly life and expected that to be accepted as a religious privilege; the Surah clarifies that piety is not measured by monastic withdrawal alone.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah comments that some religious withdrawal (monastic seclusion) was not instituted by God for a universal ideal but became an innovation; the critique concerns claims that seclusion alone suffices for spiritual superiority.

3. Personality & Attributes

Seclusion, ascetic practices, and in some cases misguided claims; the Surah calls for balanced understanding of devotion.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Piety cannot be defined by external withdrawal alone; God values sincere obedience and ethical conduct.
• Religious innovations that claim exclusivity are subject to critique.

5. Supporting References

The single-verse mention regarding monks has been read historically as a caution against assuming religious monopoly through self-imposed seclusion.

Al-Mu’allafatu (Subcategories) — فئات المتألفة قلوبهم (Subgroups of Those to Be Reconciled)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Within the broad category of ‘those whose hearts are to be reconciled’ the Surah specifies subcategories (e.g., needy persons, allied tribes, new adherents) who may legitimately receive support.

2. Role in the Surah

Each subcategory is described with conditions under which assistance or favorable treatment is warranted; the Surah balances generosity with rightful caution.

3. Personality & Attributes

Generally assumed to be pliable, open to persuasion, or newly connected to the community.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Social policy must be granular: support those likely to integrate, but verify sincerity to avoid exploitation.

5. Supporting References

Traditional expositions unpack practical treatments for each subcategory named in the Surah.

Those Who Withhold / Hoard Wealth — ممسكون بالأموال

1. Brief Biography / Background

People who unjustly withhold wealth from communal obligations (e.g., zakat, or contributions to defence/aid). The Surah implicitly condemns stinginess that harms collective well-being.

2. Role in the Surah

Passages about rightful distribution and the need for resources in campaigns imply critique of hoarding and stress the need to support community causes.

3. Personality & Attributes

Self-interest, miserliness, and lack of communal concern.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Wealth entails social duties; withholding in times of need is a moral failure.
• Communities should design systems that reduce hoarding and ensure aid to vulnerable groups.

5. Supporting References

Surah sections on spending and the categories prioritised for support form the background for this critique.

Oath-Breakers — قاطعي العهد (Those Who Break Oaths / Covenants)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Entities who violated their pledges to the Muslim community. The Surah identifies breach of covenant as a grave offense with specific social and political consequences.

2. Role in the Surah

Numerous verses set out the implications of broken treaties and how the community should respond to deliberate treachery.

3. Personality & Attributes

Perfidiousness, unreliability, and a willingness to exploit trust.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Covenants are the backbone of lawful relations; breaking them merits measured response to protect the innocent.
• Justice must be proportionate and avoid collective punishment of innocents.

5. Supporting References

Surah legal language and its historical context illustrate implementation and penalties for breach.

Prophet Muhammad — محمد ﷺ

1. Brief Biography / Background

The final Messenger whose life and actions provide the central practical frame for Surah At-Tawbah; the Surah contains commands, reassurances and the Prophet’s policy-directives in the political and social sphere.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah addresses matters revealed in his lifetime; instructions often presuppose the Prophet’s leadership and the community’s following of his directives in treaty, military, and social affairs.

3. Personality & Attributes

Leader, lawgiver, moral exemplar, and arbiter of communal policy; his example legitimises the Surah’s practical prescriptions.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Leadership requires balancing mercy with firmness, and prudence with moral clarity.
• Prophetic practice models how Divine guidance is implemented amid real political circumstances.

5. Supporting References

Verses directed to or about the Prophet in this Surah set policy and moral parameters; exegetical tradition links verses to events such as Tabuk and treaty management.

Poor and Needy — الفقراء والمساكين

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals lacking material means; the Surah enumerates rightful recipients of communal funds and stresses support for vulnerable people.

2. Role in the Surah

They are primary beneficiaries of charitable allocations and should be protected especially during public mobilizations and resource scarcity.

3. Personality & Attributes

Vulnerability, humility, and dependence on communal care.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Communal obligations include care for the poor; financial mobilization must consider the vulnerable first.
• Ethical spending prioritises survival and integration of needy persons into community life.

5. Supporting References

Surah passages listing the categories of recipients contextualize the moral economy of the community.

Accusers of Chaste Women — مَفْتَرُونَ (Those Who Make False Accusations)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who spread slander; while Surah At-Tawbah’s primary focus is political, the Qur’anic ethos against slander and defamation colours the broader moral teaching about protecting reputations in the community.

2. Role in the Surah

Implicitly, the Surah’s stress on justice and truth implies condemnation of false accusations which undermine social trust.

3. Personality & Attributes

Malice, dishonesty, and willingness to damage reputations.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Truth-telling is foundational; false accusations destroy communal cohesion.
• Protection of the vulnerable includes safeguarding honour and process of adjudication.

5. Supporting References

While the Surah speaks politically, its moral vocabulary about falsehood and accountability encompasses social harms like slander.

Office-holders & Trustees — الأمناء والقائمون بالمناصب

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals entrusted with communal resources, leadership or official responsibilities; Surah At-Tawbah’s legal and moral guidance implies high standards for those roles.

2. Role in the Surah

Officials are implicitly bound by rules of transparency, fairness and fidelity to covenants; breaches by officials attract serious rebuke.

3. Personality & Attributes

Responsibility, accountability, and the need for integrity.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Public trust requires honest stewardship; leaders must not exploit position for self-interest.
• Institutions should include checks and balances to prevent misuse.

5. Supporting References

Surah language about funds, distribution and covenant duties forms the ethical basis for public office behaviour.

Intermediaries & Diplomats — وسطاء المصالحة

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who mediate between groups to preserve or restore covenant relations; Surah At-Tawbah’s concern with treaties and reconciliation makes the role of intermediaries important.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah supports sincere reconciliation while warning against superficial peace engineered by bad faith actors.

3. Personality & Attributes

Prudence, sincerity, negotiation skill and impartiality.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Skilful diplomacy can prevent conflict; it must be underpinned by truth and safeguards.

5. Supporting References

Surah’s approach to treaties and reconciliation sets the contours for legitimate diplomatic practice.

Recipients of Reconciliation — أصحاب المصالحة

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals or groups whose hearts were suitably reconciled and who became allies; they may include new converts, allied tribes, or supporters whose loyalty was strategically fostered.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah permits and regulates policies toward these recipients, balancing encouragement with assurance that aid not be abused.

3. Personality & Attributes

Often malleable in attachment, potentially sincere or opportunistic.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Generosity towards potential allies is wise when grounded in honest assessment.
• Long-term integration demands reciprocity and tested commitment.

5. Supporting References

The Surah’s enumerations of deserving categories and its cautions about misuse frame practice toward reconcilable parties.

Conspirators and Traitors — المتآمرون (Plotters)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who secretly plotted against the community or exploited treaties for hostile ends. Surah At-Tawbah names the dangers of secret collusion and prescribes firm action when discovered.

2. Role in the Surah

They serve as examples of behaviour that justifies defensive measures; the Surah’s stringent tone toward such actors underscores communal survival needs.

3. Personality & Attributes

Duplicity, malice, and willingness to exploit trust for harm.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Secrecy for malign ends threatens the community; transparency and vigilance are necessary.
• Fair processes must still govern responses to exposed conspiracies.

5. Supporting References

Language in the Surah about plotting and its consequences is the basis for this card.

Former Hypocrites Who Reformed — تابو المنافقين (Reformed Hypocrites)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals who previously displayed hypocritical behavior but later sincerely repented and acted righteously; Surah At-Tawbah emphasises that sincere reformation is accepted.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah juxtaposes their potential for mercy if repentance is real, against the fate of persistent hypocrites.

3. Personality & Attributes

Remorse, corrective action, and renewed commitment mark reformed persons.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Transformation is possible; communities should allow entrance back when evidence of change is clear.
• Repentance must be measured by consistent deeds, not words alone.

5. Supporting References

Surah passages about repentance and divine mercy address the condition and value of genuine reform.

Trustkeepers Among Treaty Parties — الأمناء على العهود

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those who honour agreements faithfully and thereby stabilise inter-group relations. The Surah extols the moral premium of keeping covenants.

2. Role in the Surah

They are the positive mirror to those who break covenants; their conduct is recommended and enjoined as exemplary.

3. Personality & Attributes

Integrity, faithfulness, and responsibility.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Societies flourish when agreements are honoured; treat faithful partners with dignity and fairness.

5. Supporting References

Multiple Surah verses presuppose and require covenant fidelity; tradition elaborates ethical ties with trustworthy partners.

Excuse-Makers — المتذرعون (Those Making Excuses)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals who present flimsy or self-serving excuses to avoid duty. The Surah distinguishes between valid excuses and opportunistic avoidance.

2. Role in the Surah

The Surah reproves those whose excuses belied their true motives and who abused communal leniency.

3. Personality & Attributes

Cunning, evasiveness, and lack of responsibility.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Community leaders must discriminate between genuine need and self-serving avoidance.
• Excuse-making corrodes trust when habitual and dishonest.

5. Supporting References

Surah passages about absentees and hypocrites frame the treatment of excuse-makers.

Shaytan — شيطان (Evil Whisperer / Temptation)

1. Brief Biography / Background

The archetypal tempter whose influence the Qur’an warns against; in Surah At-Tawbah his whispering is implicated in encouraging malice, division, and hypocritical stratagems.

2. Role in the Surah

Surah themes of deceit, internal division and treachery are framed as partly the effect of satanic whispering that prompts fear, selfishness and false excuses.

3. Personality & Attributes

Sowing division, inciting cowardice and falsehood, and distracting people from communal duties.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Guard against internal whisperings that rationalise shirking obligations or plotting harm.
• Spiritual vigilance and ethical discipline blunt such corrupting influence.

5. Supporting References

General Qur’anic motifs about satanic influence are applied by commentators to the moral vices addressed in this Surah.

Scribes and Signatories — كتاب العهود والمواثيق

1. Brief Biography / Background

Those entrusted with recording agreements and proclamations. The Surah’s emphasis on clear public announcements of treaty termination highlights the role of record-keeping.

2. Role in the Surah

Accurate record-keeping helps ensure clarity about when a covenant stands and when it does not, thereby preventing misunderstandings that can escalate into conflict.

3. Personality & Attributes

Fidelity, attention to detail, and public service orientation.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Transparency and careful documentation are essential for just political life.
• Administrative integrity prevents needless escalation and protects innocents.

5. Supporting References

Surah direction to publicly declare certain proclamations presupposes recorders and witnesses to formalize civic acts.

Zakat Collectors & Fund Managers — أمين الصدقات (Treasurers of Communal Funds)

1. Brief Biography / Background

Individuals charged with distributing zakat and communal resources. Surah At-Tawbah’s concern for correct allocation of funds bears directly on their duties.

2. Role in the Surah

They ensure that allocated funds reach the rightful categories (the poor, the needy, those reconcilable, etc.), and thereby protect social stability during resource mobilization.

3. Personality & Attributes

Trustworthiness, accountability, and fairness.

4. Major Lessons & Morals

• Proper management of communal resources is ethically mandated and crucial for social health.
• Transparency, oversight and moral integrity guard against corruption.

5. Supporting References

The Surah’s listing of rightful recipients provides the practical framework which fund-managers must follow.