the religion, fulfilling Allah’s promise. They were secure, attacking without being attacked and striking fear into the enemy without the enemy striking fear into them.

He, the Almighty and Majestic, said to those who had stayed behind rather than accompany His Prophet on the expedition to which Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, had summoned them:

“If Allah brings you back to a group of them and they ask your permission to go out, say, ‘You will never go out with me, nor will you ever fight an enemy alongside me. You were content to stay behind the first time, so remain with those who stay behind.’” [Al-Tawbah: 83]

When they met the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asking his permission to go out against the enemy, he did not permit them. Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, then revealed:

“Those who stayed behind will say, when you set out to take the spoils, ‘Let us follow you.’ They wish to change the words of Allah. Say, ‘You will not follow us. Thus has Allah already said.’ Then they will say, ‘Rather, you envy us.’ But they understood only a little.” [Al-Fath: 15]

And He said to them:

“Say to the Bedouins who stayed behind, ‘You will be called to face a people of great military might; you will fight them, or they will submit. If you obey, Allah will grant you a good reward. But if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a punishment