In this lesson of Sūrah At-Tawbah, verses 16-22, Shaykh Dr. Aḥsan Ḥanīf discusses how Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ tests the believers to distinguish those who sincerely strive for His cause, remaining loyal to Him, His Messenger ﷺ, and the believers without forming close alliances with others. The passage strongly rebukes the polytheists for maintaining Allāh’s mosques while openly rejecting faith, declaring their deeds worthless and their ultimate abode as the Hellfire. Instead, true custodians of the mosques are those who believe in Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakāh, and fear none but Him. The verses also reject the idea that acts like providing water to pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque can be equated to true faith. True superiority in Allāh’s sight belongs to those who believe, emigrate, and sacrifice their wealth and lives for His sake. Allāh عَزَّوَجَلَّ honours them with glad tidings of His mercy, approval, and everlasting pleasure in Paradise.