Tafsir of Al-Fath 48:17

{ There is no blame upon the blind }—meaning, no sin—{ nor is there any blame upon the lame, nor is there any blame upon the sick }—that is, regarding staying behind from the military expedition due to the excuse and infirmity they possess. Negating the blame from each of the enumerated groups demonstrates special care for their situation and an expansion of the scope of the exemption. The negation of blame upon them is not a prohibition against their participation in the expedition; indeed, they have stated that their reward is multiplied in the expedition. Ibn Maktum, who was blind—may Allah the Exalted be pleased with him—participated in expeditions, and he was present in some of the battles of al-Qadisiyyah, where he would hold the banner. In al-Bahr, it is stated that if the Muslims are besieged, the obligation of Jihad applies according to one's capacity.

{ And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger }—in what has been mentioned of commands and prohibitions—{ He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; and whoever turns away }—from obedience—{ He will punish him with a painful punishment }—the extent of which cannot be estimated. The meaning of the promise and the threat here is more general than the meaning of those in the previous passage, as indicated by the expression "whoever" here compared to the address pronoun [used] there. It has been said regarding the threat { He will punish him }, etc., that it does not say "He will admit him to the Fire," or similar expressions that are explicit in the contrast to His saying: { He will admit him to gardens }, etc. This is out of concern for the matter, since a painful punishment on the Day of Judgment necessitates admission into the Fire, while mere admission into it does not necessitate that [specific type of] punishment. It was emphasized because the context requires it; for this reason, it was brought forth almost like a repetition of the previous threat. It is sufficient, in pointing toward the precedence of mercy, that the promise here is an elaboration of what preceded, and that the expression there was "granting a good reward," which is manifest in terms of entitlement, while attributing the granting to the Majestic Name itself. So contemplate this, for the path of the intellect is vast.

Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Abu Ja'far, al-A'raj, Shaybah, Ibn Amir, and Nafi' read { nudkhilhu (We shall admit him) and nu'adhdhibhu (We shall punish him) } with the letter nun in both. And when the Exalted mentioned the state of those who stayed behind from the journey with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah the Exalted bless him and grant him peace—He, the Majestic and Exalted, mentioned the state of the sincere believers who traveled with him—upon him be the best of prayers and peace—by His saying: