Tafsir of Al-Fath 48:16

"Say to the laggards among the Bedouins..."

Their mention is repeated with this title as an exaggeration in condemnation and as an indication of the heinousness of their staying behind.

"...You will be called to [fight] a people of great military might..."

Meaning, possessors of great courage and intensity in war. According to what Ibn al-Mundhir and al-Tabarani narrated from al-Zuhri, they are the Banu Hanifa, the people of Musaylimah and his tribe, the people of Yamama, and a group [of scholars] supports this. In another narration from him, there is an addition: "the people of apostasy." This has also been narrated from al-Kalbi.

Rafi’ ibn Khadij said: "We used to recite this verse in the past and did not know who they were, until Abu Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—called for the fighting of Banu Hanifa, and it was understood that they were the ones intended by it."

From ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah, Mujahid (in one narration), ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani, and Ibn Abi Layla: they are the Persians. This was also recorded by Ibn Jarir, al-Bayhaqi in al-Dala’il, and others from Ibn ‘Abbas. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated from Ibn Jurayj that he said regarding this verse: "‘Umar ibn al-Khattab—may Allah be pleased with him—called the Bedouins of Medina—Juhaynah and Muzaynah, whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had called to go out to Mecca—to fight the Persians."

‘Ikrimah, Ibn Jubayr, and Qatadah said: They are Hawazin and those who fought the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) at Hunayn. In a narration by Ibn Jarir and ‘Abd ibn Humayd from Qatadah, there is an explicit mention of Thaqif alongside Hawazin. In a narration by al-Faryabi and Ibn Marduyah from Ibn ‘Abbas, he said: "They are Hawazin and Banu Hanifa." Ka’b said: "They are the Romans, against whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out in the year of Tabuk, and those whom he sent [forces] against in the battle of Mu’tah."

Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Abu Hurayrah: "The Bariz, meaning the Kurds," as stated in al-Durr al-Manthur. Ibn al-Mundhir and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir narrated from Mujahid that he said: "The Bedouins of Persia and the Kurds of the Ajam (non-Arabs)." The apparent implication of the conjunction is that the Kurds of the Ajam are not of the Bedouins of Persia. The addition of "Kurds" to "Ajam" suggests that there are Kurds referred to as "Arab Kurds," though we do not know of this classification. We only know of a people called "Kurds" without attribution to Arab or Ajam.

Scholars differ on whether they are originally Arabs or otherwise. It is said they are not Arabs, and it is said they are. Qadi Shams al-Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khallikan stated in the biography of al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufrah: "Abu ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, the author of al-Isti’ab, narrated in his book al-Qasd wa al-Umam fi Ansab al-‘Arab wa al-‘Ajam that the Kurds are from the descendants of ‘Amr Muzayqiya ibn ‘Amir ibn Ma’ al-Sama’, and that they entered the land of the Ajam, reproduced there, and their offspring increased, so they were named Kurds." Some poets said regarding this, which supports what Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: "By your life, the Kurds are not the sons of Persia; rather, they are Kurds from ‘Amr ibn ‘Amir."

In the Qamus: "The Kurd (with a damma) is a well-known people, the plural is Akrad, and their ancestor is Kurd ibn ‘Amr Muzayqiya ibn ‘Amir Ma’ al-Sama’." This ‘Amir is undeniably from the Arabs. [The lineage follows] until Qahṭan, and some hold that Qahṭan is from the progeny of Ishmael—peace be upon him. Ibn Hajar considered it most probable that all the tribes of Yemen, including ‘Amr Muzayqiya, are from the offspring of Ishmael—peace be upon him. This is supported by al-Bukhari’s chapter heading: "Chapter on attributing Yemen to Ishmael—peace be upon him."

The benefit of this difference of opinion appears in matters such as suitability in marriage (kafa’ah). The masses do not consider them among the Arabs, so do not be negligent of this. What prevails in my estimation is that among the people called Kurds today, it is not far-fetched that some are from the offspring of ‘Amr Muzayqiya, and it is likewise not far-fetched that there are others among them who are Arabs but not of the offspring of ‘Amr. However, many of them are not Arabs at all. There have entered into the ranks of this people individuals said to be from the progeny of Khalid ibn al-Walid, others from the progeny of Mu’adh ibn Jabal, others from the progeny of al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and others from the Umayyads. None of this is authentic to me. Nevertheless, a group of the Sayyids—descendants of al-Husayn—resided with the Kurds; they are called the Barzanji, and there is no doubt regarding the authenticity of their lineage or the nobility of their status.

In summary, the Kurds are well-known, and many of them have attained excellence, and it is even established that some were Companions. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar in al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah mentioned: "Jaban, the father of Maymun... narrated from his father that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) more than once..." [The text continues with a Hadith regarding the condemnation of those who cheat in dowries or debts].

The most famous of the sayings regarding these people is that they are the Banu Hanifa.

Abu Hayyan said: "What I say is that these statements are examples provided by those who said them, not definitive identifications of the people." Although this reconciles these statements, it contradicts the apparent meaning.

His saying, "you will fight them or they will submit"—the meaning is that one of the two will occur: either fighting or Islam (submission). Thus, "or" is for categorization and limitation, not for doubt, which is common. This is supported by the reading of Ubayy and Zayd ibn ‘Ali: "or they submit" (omitting the nun), as it is in the accusative case. This requires "or" to mean "unless," i.e., "unless they submit," providing limitation; or it means "until," i.e., "until they submit," and the ghayah (limit) implies that fighting does not cease without submission, which also provides the same meaning.

"If you obey..."—meaning, [obeying] the call to what you are invited—"...Allah will give you a good reward"—which is, as said, the spoils of war in this world and Paradise in the Hereafter.

"But if you turn away..."—from the call—"...as you turned away before..."—at Hudaybiyyah—"...He will punish you with a painful punishment."—due to the multiplication of your crime. This punishment, as stated in al-Bahr, may be in this world or the Hereafter. To me, it is most consistent with what preceded—as has been said—that it is in both. There is no objection to both the rewarding and the punishing being in the Hereafter; in fact, that is the most immediate meaning due to its frequent usage in that context. It is not appropriate for both to be in this world, nor for the first to be in the Hereafter and the second only in this world.