9:92 At-Tawba (The Repentance)

‏{‏وَلَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ‏}‏ فلم يصادفوا عندك شيئا ‏{‏قُلْتَ‏}‏ لهم معتذرا‏:‏ ‏{‏لَا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوْا وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلَّا يَجِدُوا مَا يُنْفِقُونَ‏}‏ فإنهم عاجزون باذلون لأنفسهم، وقد صدر منهم من الحزن والمشقة ما ذكره اللّه عنهم‏.‏ فهؤلاء لا حرج عليهم، وإذا سقط الحرج عنهم، عاد الأمر إلى أصله، وهو أن من نوى الخير، واقترن بنيته الجازمة سَعْيٌ فيما يقدر عليه، ثم لم يقدر، فإنه ينزل منزلة الفاعل التام‏.‏

ثم بين تعالى الأعذار التي لا حرج على من قعد معها عن القتال فذكر منها ما هو لازم للشخص لا ينفك عنه وهو الضعف في التركيب الذي لا يستطيع معه الجلاد في الجهاد ومنه العمى والعرج ونحوهما ولهذا بدأ به " ومنها ما هو عارض بسبب مرض عَنَّ له في بدنه شغله عن الخروج في سبيل الله أو بسبب فقره لا يقدر على التجهيز للحرب فليس على هؤلاء حرج إذا قعدوا ونصحوا في حال قعودهم ولم يرجفوا بالناس ولم يثبطوهم وهم محسنون في حالهم هذا ولهـذا قال " ما على المحسنين من سبيل والله غفور رحيم ". وقال سفيان الثوري عن عبد العزيز بن رفيع عن أبي ثمامة رضي الله عنه قال: قال الحواريون يا روح الله أخبرنا عن الناصح لله؟ قال: الذي يؤثر حق الله على حق الناس وإذا حدث له أمران أو بدا له أمر الدنيا وأمر الآخرة بدأ بالذي للآخرة ثم تفرغ للذي للدنيا وقال الأوزاعي خرج الناس إلى الاستسقاء فقام فيهم بلال بن سعد فحمد الله وأثنى عليه ثم قال: يا معشر من حضر: ألستم مقرين بالإساءة؟ قالوا اللهم نعم اللهم أنا نسمعك تقول ما على المحسنين من سبيل اللهم وقد أقررنا بالإساءة فاغفر لنا وارحمنا واسقنا ورفع يديه ورفعوا أيديهم فسقوا وقال قتادة نزلت هذه الآية في عائذ بن عمرو المزني حدثنا ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا أبي حدثنا هشام بن عبيد الله الرازي حدثنا ابن جابر عن ابن فروة عن عبدالرحمن بن أبي ليلى عن زيد بن ثابت قال: كنت أكتب لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فكنت أكتب براءة فإني لواضع القلم على أذني إذ أمرنا بالقتال فجعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ينظر ما ينزل عليه إذا جاء أعمى فقال كيف بي يا رسول الله وأنا أعمى؟ فنزلت ليس على الضعفاء. الآية. وقال العوفي عن ابن عباس في هذه الآية وذلك أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر الناس أن ينبعثوا غازين معه فجاءته عصابة من أصحابه فيهم عبدالله ابن مغفل بن مقرن المزني فقالوا يا رسول الله أحملنا فقال لهم والله لا أجد ما أحملكم عليه فتولوا وهم يبكون وعز عليهم أن يجلسوا عند الجهاد ولا يجدون نفقة ولا محملا. فلما رأى الله حرصهم على محبته ومحبة رسوله أنزل عذرهم في كتابه وقال" ليس على الضعفاء" إلى قوله فهم لا يعلمون وقال مجاهد في قوله "ولا على الذين إذا ما أتوك لتحملهم" نزلت في بني مكرم من مزينة وقال محمد بن كعب كانوا سبعة نفر من بني عمرو بن عوف سالم بن عوف ومن بني واقف حرمي بن عمرو ومن بني مازن بن النجار عبدالرحمن بن كعب ويكنى أبا ليلى ومن بنى المعلى فضل الله ومن بني سلمة عمرو بن عتبة وعبدالله ابن عمرو والمزني وقال محمد بن إسحاق في سياق غزوة تبوك ثم إن رجالا من المسلمين أتوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهم البكاؤون وهم سبعة نفر من الأنصار وغيرهم من بني عمرو بن عوف سالم بن عمير وعلية بن زيد أخو بني حارثة وأبو ليلى عبدالرحمن بن كعب أخو بني مازن بن النجار وعمرو بن الحمام بن الجموح أخو بني سلمة وعبدالله بن المغفل المزني وبعض الناس يقول بل هو عبدالله ابن عمرو المزني وحرمي بن عبدالله أخو بني واقف وعياض بن سارية الفزاري فاستحملوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وكانوا أهل حاجة فقال لا أجد ما أحملكم عليه تولوا وأعينهم تفيض من الدمع حزنا إلا يجدوا ما ينفقون وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا عمرو بن الأودي حدثنا وكيع عن الربيع عن الحسن قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لقد خلفتم بالمدينة أقواما ما أنفقتم من نفقة ولا قطعتم واديا ولا نلتم من عدو نيلا وقد شركوكم في الأجر. ثم قرأ" ولا على الذين إذا ما أتوك لتحملهم قلت لا أجد ما أحملكم عليه" الآية. وأصل الحديث في الصحيحين من حديث أنس أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال إن بالمدينة أقواما ما قطعتم واديا ولا سرتم سيرا إلا وهم معكم قالوا وهم بالمدينة؟ قال نعم حسبهم العذر وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا وكيع حدثنا الأعمش عن أبي سفيان عن جابر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لقد خلفتم بالمدينة رجالا ما قطعتم واديا ولا سلكتم طريقا إلا شركوكم في الأجر حبسهم المرض. ورواه مسلم وابن ماجه من طرق عن الأعمش به.

Legitimate Excuses for staying away from Jihad

Allah mentions here the valid excuses that permit one to stay away from fighting. He first mentions the excuses that remain with a person, the weakness in the body that disallows one from Jihad, such as blindness, limping, and so forth. He then mentions the excuses that are not permanent, such as an illness that would prevent one from fighting in the cause of Allah, or poverty that prevents preparing for Jihad. There is no sin in these cases if they remain behind, providing that when they remain behind, they do not spread malice or try to discourage Muslims from fighting, but all the while observing good behavior in this state, just as Allah said,

مَا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ مِن سَبِيلٍ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(No means (of complaint) can there be against the doers of good. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) Al-Awza`i said, "The people went out for the Istisqa' (rain) prayer. Bilal bin Sa`d stood up, praised Allah and thanked Him then said, `O those who are present! Do you concur that wrong has been done' They said, `Yes, by Allah!' He said, `O Allah! We hear your statement,

مَا عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ مِن سَبِيلٍ

(No means (of complaint) can there be against the doers of good.) O Allah! We admit our errors, so forgive us and give us mercy and rain.' He then raised his hands and the people also raised their hands, and rain was sent down on them." Mujahid said about Allah's statement,

وَلاَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ

(Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts) Mujahid said; "It was revealed about Bani Muqarrin from the tribe of Muzaynah. " Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Al-Hasan said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«لَقَدْ خَلَّفْتُمْ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَقْوَامًا مَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ نَفَقَةٍ وَلَا قَطَعْتُمْ وَادِيًا وَلَا نِلْتُمْ مِنْ عَدُوَ نَيْلًا إِلَّا وَقَدْ شَرَكُوكُمْ فِي الْأَجْر»

(Some people have remained behind you in Al-Madinah; and you never spent anything, crossed a valley, or afflicted hardship on an enemy, but they were sharing the reward with you.) He then recited the Ayah,

وَلاَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَآ أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لاَ أَجِدُ مَآ أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ

(Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, when you said: "I can find no mounts for you.") This Hadith has a basis in the Two Sahihs from Anas, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«إِنَّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ أَقْوَامًا مَا قَطَعْتُمْ وَادِيًا وَلَا سِرْتُمْ سَيْرًا إِلَّا وَهُمْ مَعَكُم»

(Some people have remained behind in Al-Madinah and you never crossed a valley or marched forth, but they were with you.) They said, "While they are still at Al-Madinah" He said,

«نَعَمْ حَبَسَهُمُ الْعُذْر»

(Yes, as they have been held back by a (legal) excuse.) Then, Allah criticized those who seek permission to remain behind while they are rich, admonishing them for wanting to stay behind with women who remained in their homes,

وَطَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

(and Allah has sealed up their hearts, so that they know not (what they are losing).)

Nor against those who when they came to you so that you might give them a mount to ride with you on the raid — these were seven men of the Ansār; but it is also said that they were the Banū Muqrin — you having said to them ‘I cannot find a mount whereon to mount you’ this last sentence is a circumstantial qualifier turned back this is the response to the clause beginning with idhā ‘when’ that is they departed their eyes flowing pouring with tears min al-dam‘i min is explicative for sorrow that they could not find the means to expend for the campaign struggle.

Commentary

Previous verses mentioned people who were not really excusable from participation in Jihad but sat it out because of laziness. Then, there were hypocrites who had taken permission from the Holy Prophet ﷺ under false pretexts because of their disbelief and hypocrisy. And then there were the arrogant ones who did not bother about excuses and permissions and just sat back. They were told there that they were not excusable and that there was a painful punishment waiting for those of them who practiced disbelief and hypocrisy.

The present verses mention sincere Muslims who were deprived of participation in Jihad because they were genuinely incapable of doing so. Some of them were blind, or sick, or handicapped. Their excuse was all too evident. Then, there were some of those who were ready to take part in Jihad, in fact, were ` dying' to go into the Jihad, but they could not make the trip because they did not have an animal to ride on. The journey was long and the weather was very hot. They told the Holy Prophet ﷺ how eager they were to participate in the Jihad but how unfortunate that they had nothing to ride on. They requested him to see if they could have some mounts.

There are many events of this nature recorded in books of Exegesis and History. So, different things happened. To some of them who came initially, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had no choice but to say that they had no arrangements to provide mounts to warriors. But, these people returned from him weeping and when they kept weeping in despair, Allah Ta` ala took care of them in His own way. Six camels arrived before the Holy Prophet ﷺ right at that time. He let them have these. (Mazhari) Then, Sayyidna ` Uthman ؓ arranged mounts for three of them, although he had already made similar ar-rangements for many more of them earlier.

(Nor unto those whom, when they came to thee (asking) that thou shouldst mount them, thou didst tell: I cannot find whereon to mount you) [9:92]. This verse was revealed about the weepers who were seven in number: Ma�qil ibn Yasar, Sakhr ibn Khunays, �Abd Allah ibn Ka�b al-Ansari, �Utbah ibn Zayd al-Ansari, Salim ibn �Umayr, Tha�labah ibn �Anamah and �Abd Allah ibn Mughaffal. These men went to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and said: �O Prophet of Allah, Allah, glorious and majestic is He, has recommended that we go out [to fight for His sake], so carry us with you � even though we wear mended slippers and sewed sandals � so that we fight with you�. He said to them: �I do not have any mounts on which to carry you�, upon which they withdrew crying. Mujahid said: �This verse was revealed about the sons of Muqarrin: Ma�qil, Suwayd and al-Nu�man�.