Tafsir

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).)

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.

وكذلك لا إثم على الذين إذا ما جاؤوك يطلبون أن تعينهم بحملهم إلى الجهاد قلت لهم: لا أجد ما أحملكم عليه من الدوابِّ، فانصرفوا عنك، وقد فاضت أعينهم دَمعًا أسفًا على ما فاتهم من شرف الجهاد وثوابه; لأنهم لم يجدوا ما ينفقون، وما يحملهم لو خرجوا للجهاد في سبيل الله.

وقال مجاهد في قوله : ( ولا على الذين إذا ما أتوك لتحملهم ) نزلت في بني مقرن من مزينة .وقال محمد بن كعب : كانوا سبعة نفر ، من بني عمرو بن عوف : سالم بن عمير ، ومن بني واقف : هرمي بن عمرو ، ومن بني مازن بن النجار : عبد الرحمن بن كعب - ويكنى أبا ليلى - ومن بني المعلى : [ سلمان بن صخر ، ومن بني حارثة : عبد الرحمن بن يزيد أبو عبلة ، وهو الذي تصدق بعرضه فقبله الله منه ] ، ومن بني سلمة : عمرو بن عنمة وعبد الله بن عمرو المزني .وقال محمد بن إسحاق في سياق غزوة تبوك : ثم إن رجالا من المسلمين أتوا رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وهم البكاءون - وهم سبعة نفر من الأنصار وغيرهم ، من بني عمرو بن عوف : سالم بن عمير وعلبة بن زيد أخو بني حارثة ، وأبو ليلى عبد الرحمن بن كعب ، أخو بني مازن بن النجار ، وعمرو بن الحمام بن الجموح ، أخو بني سلمة ، وعبد الله بن المغفل المزني ؛ وبعض الناس يقول : بل هو عبد الله بن عمرو المزني ، وهرمي بن عبد الله ، أخو بني واقف ، وعرباض بن سارية الفزاري ، فاستحملوا رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وكانوا أهل حاجة ، فقال : لا أجد ما أحملكم عليه فتولوا وأعينهم تفيض من الدمع حزنا ألا يجدوا ما ينفقون .وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا عمر 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 إلا وقد شركوكم في الأجر ، ثم قرأ : ( ولا على الذين إذا ما أتوك لتحملهم قلت لا أجد ما أحملكم عليه ) الآية .وأصل هذا الحديث في الصحيحين من حديث أن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - قال : إن بالمدينة أقواما ما قطعتم واديا ، ولا سرتم [ مسيرا ] إلا وهم معكم .

قالوا : وهم بالمدينة ؟ قال : نعم ، حبسهم 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 .