Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (4/48)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

“O you who believe, what is the matter with you that, when you are told, ‘Go forth in Allah’s cause,’ you cling heavily to the earth? Are you content with the life of this world in preference to the Hereafter? Yet the enjoyment of this worldly life is but little compared with the Hereafter. If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and replace you with another people; and you will not harm Him in the least. Allah has power over all things.”

Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: “O you who believe, what is the matter with you that, when you are told, ‘Go forth in Allah’s cause,’ you cling heavily to the earth?” This verse was revealed to urge the people to join the expedition to Tabuk. After the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned from al-Ta’if, he was commanded to wage jihad against the Romans. This came at a time of hardship among the people and intense heat, when the fruits had ripened and the shade was pleasant.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would not intend an expedition without alluding instead to another destination—until this expedition. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, undertook it in severe heat, facing a long journey, formidable desert wastes, and a numerous enemy. So he made the matter clear to the Muslims, so that they could prepare themselves with the necessary provisions to face their enemy. But setting out was difficult for them, and they were reluctant; so Allah, Exalted is He, revealed: “O you who believe, what is the matter with you that, when you are told”—(1) that is, when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, tells you—“Go forth”: go out in Allah’s cause. “You cling heavily to the earth”: that is, you remain attached to your land and dwellings. “Are you content with the life of this world in preference to the Hereafter?” That is, are you content with the ease and comfort of this world instead of the bliss of the Hereafter? “Yet the enjoyment of this worldly life is but little compared with the Hereafter.”

He then warned them of the consequences of abandoning jihad, saying: “If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment”—in the Hereafter. It was also said that this punishment was the withholding of rain from them in this world.

Najdah ibn Nufay’ asked Ibn Abbas about this verse, and he replied: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, called a tribe from among the Arabs to mobilize, but they were reluctant to respond to him. So rain was withheld from them, and that was their punishment.” (2)

“And replace you with another people”: better and more obedient than you. Sa’id ibn Jubayr said: “They are the sons of Persia.” It was also said: they are the people of Yemen. “And you will not harm Him in the least”—by failing to go forth. “Allah has power over all things.”

(1) See al-Tabari, 14:253; al-Wahidi, Asbab al-Nuzul, p. 283; al-Durr al-Manthur, 4:190. (2) Reported by al-Tabari, 14:254-255; authenticated by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak, 2:118; and recorded in abbreviated form by Abu Dawud in al-Sunan, 3:367, and by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan, 9:48. See also al-Durr al-Manthur, 4:193-194.

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انْفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُمْ بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ (٣٨) إِلَّا تَنْفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (٣٩) ﴾ . قَوْلُهُ ﷿: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انْفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ﴾ الْآيَةَ، نَزَلَتْ فِي الْحَثِّ عَلَى غَزْوَةِ تَبُوكَ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمَّا رَجَعَ مِنَ الطَّائِفِ أُمِرَ بِالْجِهَادِ لِغَزْوَةِ الرُّومِ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي زَمَانِ عُسْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ، وَشِدَّةٍ مِنَ الْحَرِّ، حِينَ طَابَتِ الثِّمَارُ وَالظِّلَالُ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ غَزْوَةً إِلَّا وَرَّى بِغَيْرِهَا حَتَّى كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْغَزْوَةُ، غَزَاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ، وَاسْتَقْبَلَ سَفَرًا بَعِيدًا، وَمَفَاوِزَ هَائِلَةً، وَعَدُوًّا كَثِيرًا، فَجَلَّى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَمْرَهُمْ لِيَتَأَهَّبُوا أُهْبَةَ عَدوِّهُمْ، فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخُرُوجُ وَتَثَاقَلُوا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ﴾ (١) أَيْ: قَالَ لَكُمْ رسول الله صلى اللَّهِ: ﴿انْفِرُوا﴾ اخْرُجُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ﴿اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ﴾ أَيْ: لَزِمْتُمْ أَرْضَكُمْ وَمَسَاكِنَكُمْ، ﴿أَرَضِيتُمْ بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ﴾ أَيْ: بِخَفْضِ الدُّنْيَا وَدِعَتِهَا مِنْ نَعِيمِ الْآخِرَةِ. ﴿فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ﴾ . ثُمَّ أَوعَدَهُمْ عَلَى تَرْكِ الْجِهَادِ، فَقَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِلَّا تَنْفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا﴾ فِي الْآخِرَةِ. وَقِيلَ: هُوَ احْتِبَاسُ الْمَطَرِ عَنْهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا. وَسَأَلَ نَجْدَةُ بْنُ نُفَيْعٍ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْتَنْفَرَ حَيًّا مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ الْعَرَبِ، فَتَثَاقَلُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَأَمْسَكَ عَنْهُمُ الْمَطَرُ، فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَذَابَهُمْ (٢) ﴿وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ﴾ خَيْرًا مِنْكُمْ وَأُطَوَعَ. قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ: هُمْ أَبْنَاءُ فَارِسَ. وَقِيلَ: هُمْ أَهْلُ الْيَمَنِ، ﴿وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا﴾ بِتَرْكِكُمُ النَّفِيرَ. ﴿وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾

(١) انظر، الطبري: ١٤ / ٢٥٣، أسباب النزول للواحدي ص (٢٨٣) ، الدر المنثور: ٤ / ١٩٠. (٢) أخرجه الطبري: ١٤ / ٢٥٤-٢٥٥، وصححه الحاكم في المستدرك: ٢ / ١١٨، وأخرجه أبو داود في السنن مختصرا: ٣ / ٣٦٧، والبيهقي في السنن: ٩ / ٤٨. وانظر: الدر المنثور: ٤ / ١٩٣-١٩٤.