وَإِذَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ مَعَ رَسُولِهِ ٱسْتَـْٔذَنَكَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلطَّوْلِ مِنْهُمْ وَقَالُوا۟ ذَرْنَا نَكُن مَّعَ ٱلْقَـٰعِدِينَ 86
Translations
And when a sūrah was revealed [enjoining them] to believe in Allāh and to fight with His Messenger, those of wealth among them asked your permission [to stay back] and said, "Leave us to be with them who sit [at home]."
Transliteration
Wa-idha unzilat sūratun an āminū billāhi wa-jāhidū ma'a rasūlihī istadhnaka ulū al-ṭawli minhum wa-qālū dharnā nakun ma'a al-qā'idīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how certain wealthy and able-bodied individuals from among the hypocrites (munāfiqūn) would seek permission from the Prophet (ﷺ) to stay behind when a surah commanding belief in Allah and striving (jihād) with His Messenger was revealed, claiming they wished to remain with those who stayed behind. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a manifestation of hypocrisy and spiritual weakness, where these individuals prioritized their worldly comfort and wealth (al-ṭawl) over obedience to divine command and participating in jihād alongside the Prophet.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period within Surah At-Tawbah, which deals extensively with the obligations of believers and the exposure of hypocrites. The specific context relates to the campaigns during the Prophet's lifetime, particularly referencing the reluctance of certain segments of the Muslim community to participate in military expeditions. The surah as a whole addresses the distinction between true believers and those with wavering faith.
Related Hadiths
The themes of this ayah are reinforced in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, where numerous hadiths discuss the obligation of jihād and the prohibition of hypocrisy. One relevant hadith is from Muslim where the Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized that the best jihād is speaking a word of truth before a tyrannical ruler. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Mājah contains hadiths about the punishment of those who abstain from jihād without valid excuse.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith requires active commitment and sacrifice, not merely passive belief or seeking excuses based on worldly advantage; believers must examine their intentions when hesitating to fulfill religious duties and recognize that wealth and comfort should never become obstacles to obeying Allah and His Messenger.
Related Ayahs
لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ ۚ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةًۢ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved [i.e., rejected faith] after your belief. If We pardon one faction of you - We will punish another faction because they were criminals.
وَلَوْ دُخِلَتْ عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَقْطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُوا۟ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ لَـَٔاتَوْهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُوا۟ بِهَآ إِلَّا يَسِيرًا
And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah [i.e., disbelief] had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly.
أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضْغَـٰنَهُمْ
Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allāh would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?
وَمِنْهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌ ۚ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَّكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And among them are those who abuse the Prophet and say, "He is an ear." Say, "[It is] an ear of goodness for you that believes in Allāh and believes the believers and [is] a mercy to those who believe among you." And those who abuse the Messenger of Allāh - for them is a painful punishment.