وَلَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَآ أَجِدُ مَآ أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوا۟ وَّأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ ٱلدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُوا۟ مَا يُنفِقُونَ 92
Translations
Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you for you to take them along, you said, "I can find nothing upon which to carry you." They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend [for the cause of Allāh].
Transliteration
Wa lā 'alā alladhīna idhā mā atawka litaḥmilahum qulta lā ajidu mā aḥmilukum 'alayhi tawallaw wa a'yunuhum tafīḍu mina ad-dam'i ḥazanan allā yajidū mā yunfiqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses those who came to the Prophet (ﷺ) seeking provisions or mounts for the expedition to Tabūk but were turned away due to lack of resources. The verse emphasizes that there is no blame upon such people who, upon being refused, departed with tears streaming from their eyes out of genuine sorrow at their inability to contribute financially to the cause of Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this demonstrates the sincerity of their faith and the legitimacy of their excuse, as their grief stemmed from not being able to participate in jihad and spend in the way of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the preparation for the Tabūk expedition in the 9th year of Hijrah, a difficult military campaign during drought conditions. The surah broadly addresses those who were excused from participating in this expedition, establishing principles of fairness and divine justice. This specific verse provides mercy and understanding for the genuinely poor who wished to contribute but lacked the means.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim regarding the three who stayed behind during Tabūk relates to sincere intentions: Those who remained behind due to genuine inability or hardship were forgiven by the Prophet. Additionally, the principle that 'actions are judged by intentions' (Sahih Bukhari) applies here, as their tears demonstrated the purity of their desire to serve Islam despite material poverty.
Themes
Key Lesson
True worship and sincerity are measured by the condition of the heart and genuine intention rather than material capacity; a believer's sorrow at inability to serve Allah reflects authentic faith and commitment. Modern believers should understand that limitations in wealth or circumstance do not diminish spiritual value when one's intentions are pure and desires righteous.