Who Should Fight

When a chapter is revealed, commanding, “Believe in Allah and strive alongside His Messenger,” the wealthy among them ask for exemption, saying, “Leave us with those who stay behind.”

They preferred to remain with those who lagged behind. Their hearts were sealed, so they do not understand.

Some desert Arabs came with excuses, seeking exemption

Had the gain been near and the journey short, they would have followed you, but the distance seemed too far. They will swear, “Had we been able, we would have joined you.” They ruin themselves, for Allah knows they are lying.

May Allah pardon you! Why did you grant them permission before verifying who was truthful and who was lying?

Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day do not ask to be excused from striving with their wealth and lives.

Only those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day seek exemption; their hearts are filled with doubt, and they waver in uncertainty.

Had they truly intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it. But Allah disliked their participation, so He held them back, and they were told, “Stay behind with those who remain.”

Had they gone forth with you, they would have only spread discord and hurried among you, seeking to cause division. Some among you would have listened to them, but Allah knows the wrongdoers.

They had already sought to stir up trouble before, turning matters upside down until the truth prevailed and Allah’s command was fulfilled, despite their dislike.

Some say, “Grant me exemption and do not test me.” But they have already fallen into trial.

If Allah brings you back to a group of them and they ask to join you, say, “You will never march with me, nor fight an enemy alongside me. You were content to stay behind the first time, so remain with those who lag behind.”

And when a group among them said, “O people of Yathrib, you cannot withstand this retreat!” Yet another faction sought permission from the Prophet, claiming, “Our homes are exposed,” though they were not. They only wished to flee.

Had the city been breached and they were invited to treachery, they would have readily complied.

Yet they had already pledged to God that they would not turn away. A covenant with God is a solemn responsibility.

Say, “Fleeing will not benefit you if you escape death or killing, you will only enjoy life for a short while.”

Say, “Who can shield you from God if He wills harm or mercy for you?”

God already knows those among you who hinder others and secretly say, “Come to us,” while they themselves rarely join the battle.

They are miserly toward you. When fear grips them, you see them staring at you with eyes rolling in terror, like one fainting at the moment of death. But when the fear passes, they lash out at you with sharp tongues, greedy for wealth. Such people have no true faith, and that is easy for Allah

They think the enemy has not withdrawn. If the enemy were to return, they would wish to be far away in the desert, merely hearing news of the battle rather than fighting in it. Even if they were among you, they would barely participate.

Say to those desert Arabs who stayed behind: “You will be summoned against a people of great might, you will fight them unless they surrender. If you obey, God will grant you a fine reward. But if you turn away, as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment.”

If good comes to you, it grieves them. But if hardship befalls you, they say, “We had already taken precautions,” and they turn away rejoicing.

Those who remained behind rejoiced in their refusal to march with the Messenger. They disliked striving with their wealth and lives in Allah’s cause and said, “Do not go forth in the heat.” Say, “The Fire of Hell is far hotter, if only they understood.”

So let them laugh a little, for they will weep much as a consequence of what they earned.

Those who lied to Allah and His Messenger remained behind. A painful punishment will afflict the disbelievers.

Say, “Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed. He is our protector. In Him, the believers should place their trust.”

Say, “Are you waiting for anything to happen to us except one of two good outcomes? But we await that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands. So, wait—we too are waiting.”

Blame is upon those who seek exemption despite having the means. They preferred to stay behind with those who lagged.

They will offer excuses when you return. Say, “Do not make excuses, we will never believe you. Allah has already informed us about you. Allah and His Messenger will observe your actions, then you will be returned to the Knower of the unseen and the seen, and He will inform you of what you did.”

They will swear to you to make you pleased with them. But even if you are pleased, Allah is not pleased with rebellious people.

They swear to you so that you accept them, but even if you do, Allah does not accept rebellious people.

And indeed, among you is one who will hold back, dragging his feet, then if hardship strikes you, he says, 'Ah, how gracious was God to me, that I was not there to witness their fate.'"

If fortune comes your way, they say, as if no bond ever existed between you, ‘Oh, I wish I had been with them to gain such success!’

What holds you back from fighting for the oppressed men, women, and children, who cry out, ‘Our Lord, rescue us from this unjust land and grant us a protector and a helper!’

O believers! What is wrong with you when you are told, “March forth in Allah’s cause,” but you cling heavily to the earth?

If you do not march forth, He will punish you severely and replace you with another people.

If you do not support him, Allah has already helped him, when the disbelievers drove him out, and he was one of two in the cave. He said to his companion, “Do not grieve; Allah is with us.” Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him, strengthened him with unseen forces, and made the word of the disbelievers the lowest, while Allah’s word is supreme.

Those who believe say, “Why has a surah not been sent down?” But when a decisive surah is revealed and fighting is mentioned, you see those with sickness in their hearts looking at you as if death looms over them.

Obedience and good words would be better for them. But when the matter is resolved, if they had been true to God, it would have been better for them.

So, would you perhaps turn away, causing corruption in the land and severing family ties?

These are the ones God has cursed; He made them deaf and blinded their sight.

When a chapter is revealed, commanding, “Believe in Allah and strive alongside His Messenger,” the wealthy among them ask for exemption, saying, “Leave us with those who stay behind.”

Say, “Spend willingly or unwillingly, it will never be accepted from you. You are a rebellious people.”

Their donations are only rejected because they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, come to prayer lazily, and give reluctantly.

What holds you back from giving in His cause, when all that is in the heavens and the earth belongs to Him? Those who gave and struggled before victory are greater in rank than those who did so later, yet to all, God has promised the best, and God is fully aware of what you do.

Believe in God and His Messenger, and strive in God’s cause with your wealth and your lives, that is better for you, if only you knew.

No blame is upon the weak, the sick, or those who lack the means, if they are sincere toward Allah and His Messenger. There is no cause for blame against the righteous.

Nor upon those who came to you asking for mounts, but you said, “I have nothing to carry you on.” They turned away with tears in their eyes, grieving that they could not afford to join the struggle.

There is no blame on the blind, nor on the lame, nor on the sick. Whoever obeys God and His Messenger, He will admit him into Gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever turns away, He will punish him with a painful punishment.