At-Tawbah 9:120–129

It is not for the people of Medina and for the Bedouins [who dwell] around them to stay behind God’s Messenger, when he sets out on a campaign, and to prefer their lives to his life, by guarding them against hardships which he [the Prophet] is content [to suffer] himself (this statement is a prohibition expressed as a predicate); that, prohibition against staying behind, is because neither thirst nor toil nor hunger afflicts them in the way of God, nor tread they any tread (mawti’an is a verbal noun, meaning wat’an) that enrages the disbelievers, nor gain any gain from the enemy, of God, be it through slaughter, capture or plunder, but a righteous deed is therefore recorded for them, that they may be rewarded for it. Truly God does not leave the wage of the virtuous to go to waste, that is, the wage of those [mentioned], rather He rewards them.

Nor expend they, therein [in the way of God], any sum, small, even if it be a single date, or great, nor do they cross a valley, during a [campaign] march, but it is recorded for them, as a righteous deed, that God may reward them the best of what they used to do, that is, the [due] reward thereof.

When the Prophet (s) was about to dispatch a raiding party — after they [certain Muslims] had been reproached for staying behind — all of them went forth, and so the following was revealed: It is not for the believers to go forth, on a raid, altogether: why should not a party, a group, of every section, of every tribe, of them go forth, while the others remain behind, so that they, those who remain behind, may become learned in religion and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, from the raid, by teaching them some of the rulings which they have come to learn, so that they may beware? of God’s punishment, by adhering to His commands and prohibitions. Ibn ‘Abbās said that this [verse] is specifically [intended] for raiding parties, while the previous one is [specifically] to prohibit any individual staying behind when the Prophet (s) sets out [on a campaign].

O you who believe, fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, that is, the nearest, followed by the next nearest of them, and let them find harshness in you, that is, severity, in other words, be harsh with them, and know that God is with the pious, helping and granting [them] victory.

And whenever a sūra, of the Qur’ān, is revealed, there are some of them, that is, the hypocrites, who say, to their companions, mockingly: ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’, and God says: As for those who believe, it has increased them in faith, because they accept that it is true, and they rejoice, because of it.

But as for those in whose hearts is sickness, a weakness of faith, it only adds abomination to their abomination, that is, [it only adds] disbelief to their disbelief, since they disbelieve in it, and they die while they were disbelievers.

Do they not see, that is, the hypocrites ([in which case] read a-wa-lā yarawna; or if read a-wa-lā tarawna, ‘do you, O believers, not see’) that they are tested, afflicted, every year once or twice?, with drought and diseases. Still they do not repent, of their hypocrisy, nor do they remember, [nor] do they heed admonition.

And whenever a sūra is revealed, wherein is mention of them, and the Prophet (s) recites it, they look at one another, desiring to flee, and saying: ‘Will anyone see you?’, if you get up [and flee]?, and so if no one can see them they get up [and leave], otherwise they stay put. Then they turn away, persisting in their disbelief. God turns their hearts away, from guidance, because they are a folk who do not understand, the truth, for they do not reflect [on it].

Verily there has come to you a messenger from among yourselves, that is, one of you — Muhammad (s) — for whom it is grievous, hard, that you should suffer, that is, your suffering, your experiencing hardship and encountering harm [is hard on him]; who is full of concern for you, that you should be rightly guided; to the believers full of pity, profoundly compassionate, merciful, desiring good for them.

So if they turn away, [refraining] from believing in you, say: ‘God suffices me. There is no god except Him. Upon Him I rely, in Him have I put my trust, and in none other, and He is the Lord of the Tremendous Throne’ (al-‘arsh al-azīm), the kursī, which is singled out for mention because it is the greatest of all things created. Al-Hākim reported in al-Mustadrak [by way of an isnād] from Ubayy b. Ka‘b that he [Ubayy] said: ‘The last verse to be revealed was [from], Verily there has come to you a messenger… to the end of the sūra’ [sc. Q. 9:128-129].