۞ قَدْ يَعْلَمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنكُمْ وَٱلْقَآئِلِينَ لِإِخْوَٰنِهِمْ هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا ۖ وَلَا يَأْتُونَ ٱلْبَأْسَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا 18
Translations
Already Allāh knows the hinderers among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us," and do not go to battle, except for a few,
Transliteration
Qad ya'lamu Allahu al-mu'awwiqīna minkum wa-al-qā'ilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā wa-lā ya'tūna al-ba'sa illā qalīlā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses those who hindered believers from participating in the Battle of the Trench (Ghazwat al-Khandaq) and those who discouraged others from fighting, saying 'Come to us' while themselves remaining cowardly and rarely engaging in actual combat. Allah emphasizes His complete knowledge of such hypocrites and their weakness, exposing their deceptive behavior. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this verse condemns both active obstruction and passive cowardice, revealing the hypocrisy of those who evade their communal responsibilities while appearing to be part of the community.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of the Battle of the Trench (5 AH), one of the most critical battles in Islamic history when the Quraysh and their allies besieged Medina. The verse specifically addresses the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) of Medina who either discouraged participation or made excuses to avoid the battle. It falls within a section of Surah Al-Ahzab that deals extensively with the conduct of believers and hypocrites during this siege.
Related Hadiths
The behavior described relates to the general warning about hypocrisy; Sunan Ibn Majah records that the Prophet ﷺ said, 'The most grievous lie is for a man to claim to be the son of another father, or to attribute false ancestry.' While not directly about this ayah, it relates to false claims and deception. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari contains hadith accounts of the Battle of the Trench showing how the munāfiqūn spread discouragement.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's knowledge is absolute and inescapable—nothing hidden from Him escapes His sight—and serves as a powerful reminder that believers must remain steadfast and courageous when their community faces trials, rejecting the discouragement of hypocrites. For modern readers, it emphasizes the importance of integrity in faith and action, and warns against using words to discourage others while avoiding personal sacrifice.