سورة التوبة

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): It is Masjid al-Dirar, which was founded on the edge of a crumbling, collapsing precipice, and with its collapse takes him down into the fire of Hell.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): In the book Awali al-La'ali it is thus narrated: When the tribe of Banu Amr built Masjid Quba, they sent someone to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) came to them and prayed in that masjid. Their brothers, the tribe of Banu Ghanm ibn Awf, envied them and built a masjid and sent someone to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) so that he would come to them and pray in it. [The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)] gave the excuse that he intended to go to the battle of Tabuk [and could not come now], and [promised] that whenever he returned, he would come to them and pray in that [masjid]. When he returned from the battle of Tabuk, this verse was revealed: وَ الَّذِینَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِداً ضِراراً [And those who built a masjid to cause harm]. [The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)] sent a group of his companions, among whom was Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah have mercy on him), and said, "Go to this oppressive masjid and demolish it and burn it." And he ordered that its place be made a dumping ground for carcasses.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): الَّذِینَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِداً ضِراراً وَ کُفْراً [Those who took a masjid for causing harm and unbelief]. The occasion of its revelation is this: a group of the hypocrites came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Will you permit us to build a masjid in [the quarter of] Banu Salim for the sick, for rainy nights, and for the aged elder?" The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) gave them permission. Then, while he was setting out for Tabuk, they went to him and said, "O Messenger of Allah! If it is possible, come to us and pray in it." He said, "I am now setting out on a journey, and whenever I return [if Allah wills] I will come and pray in it." When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) returned from Tabuk, this verse was revealed concerning that masjid and Abu Amir the monk, and they had sworn to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) that they were building it for righteousness and good works. Allah revealed this verse to His Prophet: وَ الَّذِینَ اتَّخَذُواْ مَسْجِداً ... إِرْصَاداً لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ اللهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ مِن قَبْلُ [And those who took a masjid ... and as an ambush for whoever had made war against Allah and His Messenger before], meaning Abu Amir the monk, who used to come to them and speak of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and his companions. لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَی التَّقْوَی [Certainly a masjid founded on piety], meaning Masjid Quba. فِیهِ رِجَالٌ یُحِبُّونَ أَن یَتَطَهَّرُواْ [In it are men who love to purify themselves]; they used to purify themselves with water.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Hypocrites from the ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), after the death of Sad ibn Muadh and Muhammad's (peace be upon him and his family) departure toward Tabuk, chose Abu Amir the monk as commander and chief and pledged allegiance to him, and agreed among themselves to plunder Medina and take captive the children of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and the rest of his family and companions. And on the other hand they also plotted a night attack against Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) to kill him on his way to Tabuk. But Allah defended Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) excellently and disgraced and humiliated the hypocrites... Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) hastened back toward Medina to nullify the scheme of the hypocrites in setting up that calf — that same Abu Amir whom the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) named "the transgressor" (al-fasiq). And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) returned in this journey victorious and with spoils, and Allah brought the scheme of the hypocrites to nothing, and commanded the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) to burn down Masjid al-Dirar. And Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed concerning this: وَ الَّذِینَ اتَّخَذُوا مَسْجِداً ضِراراً وَ کُفْراً وَ تَفْرِیقاً [And those who took a masjid for causing harm and for unbelief and for causing disunion]. Allah destroyed this calf in the days of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and afflicted him with colic, paralysis, leprosy and laqwa (twisting of the mouth and trembling of the chin from a stroke). He remained for forty days in the most severe torment [until he perished] and departed to the punishment of Allah."