Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:81

(The laggards rejoiced): That is, those whom the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) left behind, and gave them permission to stay behind; or whom Allah the Exalted left behind by restraining them for a wisdom He knew; or whom Satan left behind by enticing them; or whom laziness and hypocrisy left behind.

(In their staying behind): Related to "rejoiced," and it is a mim-prefixed verbal noun (masdar) meaning "staying." It is also said: it is a noun of place, meaning the city, and the former is the opinion of the majority—meaning they rejoiced in their refraining from the military expedition.

(Contrary to the Messenger of Allah): That is, after him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and following his departure, since he went forth while they did not. It is in the accusative case as an adverbial of time, meaning "after" and "behind." The Arabs have used it in this sense, and the operative word governing it—as Abu al-Baqa said—is "staying" (maq'ad). It is also permitted that it is governed by "rejoiced" (fariha). It is also said: it means "opposition," being a verbal noun of "opposed" (khalafa), similar to "fighting" (qital). In that case, it is valid for it to be a circumstantial qualifier (hal), meaning "being in opposition to the Messenger of Allah," or an object for which an action is done (maf'ul lahu). The operative word is either "rejoiced"—meaning they rejoiced on account of opposing him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) by staying behind—or "staying"—meaning they rejoiced in their staying for the sake of opposition. Opposition is made the cause based on the fact that this was their intent due to their hypocrisy. There is no need to say their intent was comfort; rather, when their affair led to that, it was made a cause, as they say regarding the "lam" of consequence. It is also permitted that it is in the accusative as an absolute object (masdar) for a verb implied by the context.

(And they hated to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah): Preferring comfort and the enjoyment of food and drink, along with the disbelief and hypocrisy in their hearts. Between "rejoicing" and "hating" is a conceptual antithesis, because rejoicing is for what one loves. Preferring this phrasing over saying "and they hated to go forth with the Messenger of Allah" is a notification that striving in the cause of Allah the Exalted—despite it being one of the most desirable things that competitors should compete for—they hated, just as they rejoiced in the ugliest of ugly things, which is staying behind contrary to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). In the speech, there is an allusion to the believers who preferred that [striving] and loved it, seeking the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger.

(And they said): That is, to their brethren, to keep them firm in staying behind and to enjoin corruption upon one another, or to the believers, to discourage them from striving, to forbid the good, and to express some of the excuses that led them to what they rejoiced in. The speakers are men from the hypocrites, as narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah, which is what the apparent meaning necessitates.

Ibn Jarir narrated from Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qurazi that the speaker was a man from the Banu Salamah. The use of the plural pronoun in this case is understood according to what has passed more than once.

(Do not march forth): Do not go out for the expedition in the heat.

(For the intensity of it is unbearable).

(Say): O Muhammad, in refutation of them and to expose their ignorance:

(The fire of Hell): Which is your destination due to what you have done,

(Is more intense in heat than this heat) that you see as a hindrance to marching forth. Why, then, do you not fear it, and why do you expose yourselves to it by preferring to stay behind and opposing Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?

(If they could understand). This is a concluding sentence (tadhil) from Him, the Exalted, not part of the commanded speech, emphasizing its content. The conclusion of "if" is implied, as is the object of "understand"—meaning: if they knew it was so, or knew its states and horrors, or that their return is to it, they would not have preferred the comfort of a little time over the eternal punishment. The most ignorant of people is he who safeguards himself from a minor matter while casting himself into a great calamity. Az-Zamakhshari quoted: A joy of ages, followed by a day of distress, when I see it, it is like bitter colocynth; So how is it to receive a joy of an hour, behind which follows the distress of ages?

Some implied the conclusion as: "they would have been affected by this binding argument," but this is contrary to the apparent meaning. It is also permitted that "if" is merely for wishing, signaling the impossibility of the fulfillment of its content, and the transitive verb is treated as an intransitive one; thus, there is no conclusion and no object. The meaning reduces to the fact that they were not among the people of discernment and understanding, and the speech is similar to His saying: "Say, 'Observe what is in the heavens and the earth.' But of what avail will signs or warners be to a people who do not believe?" This, too, is contrary to the apparent meaning.