Holding back means turning a person away from something he would otherwise do. Ibn Abbās said, “He means that He discouraged them and made them sluggish about going forth.” In another narration, he said, “He restrained them.” Muqātil said, “He inspired their hearts: ‘Remain with those who stay behind.’”

He—glorified is He—explained His wisdom in holding them back and withholding His aid, both before and after this passage. He said:

9:45–46 “Only those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day ask your leave. Their hearts are filled with doubt, so they waver in their doubt. Had they intended to go forth, they would have made preparations for it. But Allah disliked their setting out, so He held them back, and it was said, ‘Remain with those who stay behind.’”

Since they abandoned faith in Him and in meeting Him, doubted that which admits of no doubt, had no intention of going forth in obedience to Allah, and neither sought to do so nor made ready for it, He—glorified is He—disliked the setting out of people in such a state. For someone who pays no heed to Him, His Messenger, or His Book; who does not accept the gift He has offered him through the dearest and most honoured of His creation; and who neither appreciates this blessing nor gives thanks for it, but exchanges it for disbelief—Allah, glorified is He, dislikes such a person’s obedience and his going forth with His Messenger. He therefore held him back so that the departure He disliked would not occur, and put it into his heart, through His decree governing creation, to remain with those who stay behind.

Then He—glorified is He—explained the wisdom concerning the believers in keeping these people back from joining them:

[Surah al-Tawbah (9): verse 47]

“Had they gone forth among you, they would have added nothing to you but disorder, and would have hurried about in your midst, seeking to sow discord among you. Among you are those who would listen to them. And Allah knows the wrongdoers well.” (47)

Disorder here means corruption and turmoil. Had they gone forth with the believers, they would have disrupted their affairs, causing turmoil and disarray among them. Ibn Abbās explained, “They would have added nothing to you but disorder,” as meaning “weakness and cowardice.” That is, they would have frightened them away from facing the enemy by exaggerating the enemy’s strength and making them seem formidable in their eyes.

Then He said:

9:47 “And would have hurried about in your midst.”

That is, they would have hastened to move among you to sow division and corruption. Ibn Abbās said, “He means that they would have weakened your courage”—that is, by sowing division among them, breaking their unity so that they would lose the courage to face the enemy.

Al-Hasan said, “They would have hurried about in your midst spreading malicious gossip to ruin relations between you.” Al-Kalbī said, “They would have moved among you, seeking to find fault with you.” Labīd said: