Surah At-Tawbah: Verses (81 - 82)

The ones left behind rejoiced in their sitting...

Translation and Exegesis

This section describes another type of the reprehensible actions of the hypocrites: their joy in staying behind and their aversion to Jihad.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said this refers to the hypocrites who remained behind when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went out on the expedition of Tabuk. The Mukhallafoon (those left behind) are those who were left behind from those who departed.

Objection: If they schemed to stay behind, would it not have been more appropriate to say al-Mutakhallifoon (those who deliberately stayed behind)?

Answer (from multiple perspectives):

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) prevented certain groups from accompanying him because he knew they would cause corruption and disorder. Therefore, these individuals were Mukhallafoon (left behind by command), not Mutakhallifoon (those who stayed behind by their own choice).
2. Those who were initially Mutakhallifoon become Mukhallafoon in the subsequent verse: ${ \text{If Allah returns you to a group of them, then they will ask your permission to go out, so say, "You will never go out with me again, nor will you ever fight an enemy with me." Indeed, you were content with staying behind the first time, so remain with those who stay behind.} (At-Tawbah: 83)$. Since Allah commanded them not to go out, they became Mukhallafoon by this decree.
3. Whoever stays behind the Messenger (peace be upon him) after he has set out for Jihad with the believers is described as Mukhallafoon in the sense that they did not rise up, but remained and stayed put.

Regarding the phrase "in their sitting" (بِمَقْعَدِهِم):

• Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said it means the city (Medina). In this case, maq'ad (sitting place) is a noun for a location.
• Muqatil said it means their act of sitting (بِقُعُودِهِم). In this case, it is a verbal noun (masdar).

Regarding the phrase "behind the Messenger of Allah" (خِلافَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ): There are two opinions:

1. This is the view of Qutrub, Al-Mu'arraj, and Al-Zajjaj. It means in opposition to the Messenger of Allah when he departed while they remained. They argue it is in the accusative case (منصوب) because it functions as the maf'ul li-ajlih (object of cause), meaning they sat down because of their opposition to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
2. Al-Akhfash said that khilaf means behind (خلف). Yunus narrated this from 'Isa ibn 'Umar, meaning after the Messenger of Allah. This view is supported by the reading of those who recited it as خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (Khalfa Rasoolillah). In this case, khilaf is a noun denoting a specific direction, like khalf (behind). The reason is that a person faces forward; the direction behind them is contrary to the direction they are facing in terms of orientation. The word khilaf meaning khalf is attested. Abu 'Ubaydah cited a verse by Al-Ahwas:

Regarding the phrase "and hated to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allah" (وَكَرِهُوا أَنْ يُجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ):

This means they rejoiced because of staying behind and hated going out for the campaign.

Know that the joy of staying behind, coupled with the hatred of departing, is mentioned by Allah, though the concept of staying behind was already established. This repetition is for emphasis. Perhaps the meaning is that their nature inclined toward staying due to their familiarity with that town and their comfort with their families and children, and they hated going out on campaign because it exposed their wealth and lives to potential loss and destruction.

Also, what prevented them from going out was the intense heat at the time the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) departed, which is what is meant by their saying: "And they said, 'Do not go forth in the heat.'" (وَقَالُوا لَا تَنْفِرُوا فِي الْحَرِّ).

Allah responded to this last excuse by saying: "Say, 'The fire of Hell is more intense in heat.'" (قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّا).

This means that after this temporary world, there is another abode, and after this life, there is another life. Furthermore, this hardship (heat) is transient, while that hardship (Hellfire) is everlasting. The poet said:

Then Allah Almighty said: "So let them laugh a little and let them weep much." (فَلْيَضْحَكُوا قَلِيلًا وَلْيَبْكُوا كَثِيرًا).

Although this is phrased as a command, its meaning is a statement that this situation will occur. The proof is the subsequent statement: "as recompense for what they used to earn." (جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ).

The meaning of the verse is that even if they rejoice and laugh throughout their entire lives, this is little, because the entire world is little. However, their grief and weeping in the Hereafter will be much, as it is an unending punishment. The finite, when compared to the infinite, is little. For this reason, He said: "So let them laugh a little and let them weep much."

Al-Zajjaj said that "as recompense" (جَزَاءً) is the maf'ul li-ajlih (object of cause), meaning: let them weep for this reason (the recompense).

Regarding "for what they used to earn" (بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ): This refers to their deeds in the world, such as hypocrisy. The argument used by the Mu'tazila from this verse—that the servant is the creator of his own actions, and that if Allah were to inflict harm upon them directly, without their earning it, He would be unjust—is well-known, but we have refuted it repeatedly before, making further repetition unnecessary.

Verse 82

فَإِنْ رَجَعَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى طَائِفَةٍ مِنْهُمْ فَاسْتَأْذَنُوكَ لِلْخُرُوجِ فَقُلْ لَنْ تَخْرُجُوا مَعِيَ أَبَدًا وَلَنْ تُقَاتِلُوا مَعِيَ عَدُوًّا إِنَّكُمْ رَضِيتُمْ بِالْقُعُودِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَاقْعُدُوا مَعَ الْخَالِفِينَ

"If Allah returns you to a group of them, then they will ask your permission to go out, so say, 'You will never go out with me again, nor will you ever fight an enemy with me. Indeed, you were content with staying behind the first time, so remain with those who stay behind.'"