Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:120-121

Surah At-Tawbah (9): Verses 120-121

Translation and Exegesis (Tafsir) based on Mafatih al-Ghayb (Al-Razi)

{ما كان لأهل المدينة ومن حولهم من الأعراب أن يتخلفوا عن رسول الله ولا يرغبوا بأنفسهم عن نفسه} It was not for the people of Medina and those around them of the wandering Arabs to remain behind the Messenger of Allah, nor should they desire for themselves anything in preference to him.

Commentary:

1. Context: After commanding believers to "be with the truthful" (i.e., conforming to the Prophet in all expeditions), Allah emphasizes this by forbidding them from staying behind in this verse.
2. The People Addressed: This includes the people of Medina and the Arabs surrounding it. Ibn Abbas mentioned specific tribes: Muzaynah, Juhaynah, Ashja', Aslam, and Ghifar. Others suggest it applies generally to all Arabs around Medina, as the wording is general, and restricting it is arbitrary.
3. The Prohibition: In either case, they are forbidden from staying behind the Prophet, nor should they seek personal safety and comfort while the Messenger of Allah is enduring hardship and difficulty.
4. Meaning of {ولا يرغبوا بأنفسهم عن نفسه} (nor should they desire for themselves anything in preference to him):
   • It means they should not hold back from what the Prophet wills for himself.
   • The root raghiba (to desire/prefer) implies stopping and abandoning something. The meaning here is that they should not prefer their own well-being over what the Prophet chooses for himself.

The apparent meaning of these words suggests that Jihad is obligatory upon all these groups. However, we state that the sick, the weak, and the incapable are exceptions based on:

1. Reason (Aql): It is impossible to burden the incapable.
2. Scriptural Evidence: Allah's saying: {Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear} (Al-Baqarah: 286).
3. Scriptural Evidence: Allah's saying: {There is no blame upon the blind...} (An-Nur: 61, Al-Fath: 17).
4. Consensus (Ijma'): Consensus dictates that Jihad is not obligatory upon every single individual.

Therefore, the general ruling is restricted by these two categories (incapacity and consensus), and everyone else falls under this general obligation.

Allah, having forbidden lagging behind, clarifies that any hardship they face during the journey will result in immense reward from Him. He then mentions five types of hardship:

1. Thirst ({ظمأ}): Intense thirst.
2. Fatigue ({نصب}): Exhaustion and weariness.
3. Hunger ({مخمصة}): Severe hunger that causes the stomach to shrink (hence khamis al-batn—a shrunken stomach).
4. Impact on the Enemy ({ولا يطؤون موطئاً يغيظ الكفار}): Not stepping foot (or their mount stepping foot) anywhere that provokes the anger of the disbelievers. Ibn al-A'rabi stated that ghāẓahu, ghayẓahu, and aghāẓahu all mean the same: to anger someone.
5. Gaining from the Enemy ({ولا ينالون من عدو نيلًا}): Not achieving any gain from the enemy, whether it be captives, killing, or defeat, however small or large.

The Result: {إلا كتب لهم به عمل صالح} (Except that there will be written for them a righteous deed because of it).

This implies that anyone intending obedience to Allah—their standing, sitting, walking, movement, and stillness—are all recorded as good deeds with Allah. This shows the great blessing of obedience and the great misfortune of disobedience.

Scholarly Opinions on Application:

• Qatadah: This ruling is specific to the Prophet's presence; no one may stay behind when he personally goes out to fight, except with a valid excuse.
• Ibn Zayd: This applied when Muslims were few. Later, Allah abrogated it when they became numerous by saying: {It was not for the believers to go forth all together} (At-Tawbah: 122).
• ‘Atiyyah (The Correct View): They were not permitted to stay behind when the Messenger of Allah commanded them. This is correct because obedience and compliance with the Messenger of Allah are obligatory when he commands. Similarly, this applies to other leaders and Imams when they call for mobilization and specify individuals, because if we allowed those designated to stay behind, it would lead to some staying behind while others go, resulting in the suspension of Jihad.

{ولا ينفقون نفقة صغيرة ولا كبيرة} (Nor do they spend, small or great [expenditure]). This means anything from the smallest thing, like a date, up to larger amounts, or from the smallest effort, like the thong of a whip, upwards.

{ولا يقطعون وادياً} (Nor do they cross a valley). A valley (wādī) is any depression between mountains or hills that serves as a path for floodwater.

{إلا كتب الله لهم ذلك} (Except that Allah records it for them). All that spending and all that travel is recorded for them.

{ليجزيهم الله أحسن ما كانوا يعملون} (That Allah may reward them with the best of what they used to do).

There are two interpretations:

1. "Best" describes their actions: Their actions include obligatory, recommended, and permissible deeds. Allah rewards them for the best of these actions (the obligatory and recommended), excluding the merely permissible ones.
2. "Best" describes the recompense: Allah rewards them with a recompense that is better than their deeds—a reward that is more sublime and superior (i.e., the reward itself).

{وما كان المؤمنون لينفروا كافة فلولا نفر من كل فرقة منهم طائفة ليتفقهوا في الدين ولينذروا قومهم إذا رجعوا إليهم لعلهم يحذرون} And it was not for the believers to go forth all together. So why did not a group from every division of them go forth to gain understanding in religion and to warn their people when they return to them, that they might beware?

(This verse introduces the concept of Tafaqquh fi al-Din—gaining deep understanding in religion—and the necessity of a dedicated group for this purpose, even during military mobilization.)