Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 87–93

9. At-Tawba · The Repentance

Madinan129 verses

رَضُوا۟ بِأَن يَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَوَالِفِ وَطُبِعَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ

9:87They are pleased to be with those who stay back, and their hearts have been sealed. So they do not understand.

لَٰكِنِ ٱلرَّسُولُ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ جَٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتُ ۖ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

9:88But the Apostle and the faithful who are with him wage jihad with their possessions and persons, and to such belong all the blessings, and it is they who are the felicitous.

أَعَدَّ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

9:89Allah has prepared for them gardens with streams running in them, to remain in them [forever]. That is the great success.

وَجَآءَ ٱلْمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ لِيُؤْذَنَ لَهُمْ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ

9:90Some of the Bedouins who sought to be excused came, so that they may be granted leave [to stay back]; while those who lied to Allah and His Apostle sat back. Soon there shall visit the faithless among them a painful punishment.1

لَّيْسَ عَلَى ٱلضُّعَفَآءِ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلْمَرْضَىٰ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَجِدُونَ مَا يُنفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ إِذَا نَصَحُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ ۚ مَا عَلَى ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ مِن سَبِيلٍۢ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

9:91There is no blame on the weak, nor on the sick, nor on those who do not find anything to spend, so long as they are sincere to Allah and His Apostle. There is no [cause for] blaming the virtuous, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.2

وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَآ أَجِدُ مَآ أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوا۟ وَّأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُوا۟ مَا يُنفِقُونَ

9:92Nor [is there any blame] on those to whom, when they came to you to provide them with a mount, you said, ‘I do not find any mount for you,’ and they turned back, their eyes flowing with tears, grieved because they did not find any means to spend.3

۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَـْٔذِنُونَكَ وَهُمْ أَغْنِيَآءُ ۚ رَضُوا۟ بِأَن يَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

9:93The blame lies only on those who ask leave of you [to stay behind] though they are well-off. They are pleased to be with those who stay back; Allah has set a seal on their hearts, so they do not know [the outcome of their conduct].

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 87

1.The law of holy war in Islam is so comprehensive it never compels any helpless person and never leaves any artful person and those who put up lame excuses. That is why these people are criticized. Those who have given lame excuses and have remained at home, whether they were townsmen or villagers or they stayed home by lying or are happy not to go to the battlefield or taunted the Muslims or discouraged them or being wealthy have not spent money in the way of Allah. And then is announced exemption of those who were weak and poor or were helpless to join the battle due to their illness or they had no money to spend or in spite of complete preparation they had no arrangement of riding or the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) himself excused them. Their sign was that they were continuously crying that they could not attend the war in the way of Allah. After both these attributes, those warriors are praised who fought by giving the sacrifice of their properties and life and had given all types of sacrifices.

Verse 92

2.The name of these people in history are Mauqal Bin Yasaar, Hajar Bin Khasarah, Abdullah Bin Ka’ab, Saalam bin Aamir. Abdullah Bin Mauqal, Utba bin Zaid and Abu Utba and that only Ibne Aamir was lucky to get conveyance among them and the rest returned. There were 20,000 horsemen and 10,000 foot soldiers in the army.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    The hearts of the hypocrites were sealed when they supported those who wanted to stay behind and did not accompany the holy warriors. This is a clear proof that there is no compulsion in Islam. However, there is indeed punishment for evil deeds. No one could be given amnesty from this punishment and these evil deeds result in the destruction of Tawfeeq.

  2. 1

    Some villagers excused themselves and certain liars concocted excuses. The Holy Quran ignored the first group and informed the second group of a painful chastisement. They were mentioned as the exclusive target of divine chastisement. Not only cowards, they were actual disbelievers.

  3. 2

    This is a general law that if a person performs according to his capacity he is exempted from extra duties. However, sincerity should accompany helplessness.

  4. 3

    These are people other than the weak persons. These people were absolutely poor and could not even afford a mount. But they had such an enthusiasm for Jihad that they did not feel happy by the exemption they received from fighting. They lamented that they were deprived from performing Jihad. If only the Muslims of the present age could show such enthusiasm