(81–83) “Those who were left behind rejoiced in remaining behind Allah’s Messenger, and they disliked striving with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah. They said, ‘Do not march forth in the heat.’ Say, ‘The Fire of Hell is far hotter,’ if only they understood. * So let them laugh a little and weep much, as a recompense for what they used to earn. * If Allah brings you back to a group of them and they ask your permission to go forth, say, ‘You shall never go forth with me, nor shall you ever fight an enemy alongside me. You were content to stay behind the first time, so remain behind with those who stay behind.’”
Allah Most High explains how the hypocrites brazenly exulted in staying behind and were unconcerned about doing so—conduct that demonstrates their lack of faith and their preference for disbelief over faith.
“Those who were left behind rejoiced in remaining behind Allah’s Messenger.” This went beyond merely staying behind: their failure to go forth was itself forbidden, and, in addition, they were pleased to commit this sin and brazenly boasted of it.
“They disliked striving with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah.” This was unlike the believers, who, if they stayed behind—even for a valid excuse—were grieved by it and felt the deepest regret. They loved to strive with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah because of the faith in their hearts and because they hoped for Allah’s bounty, beneficence, kindness, and gracious favor.
“They said”—that is, the hypocrites—“Do not march forth in the heat.” In other words, they said that marching forth would be arduous for them because of the heat. They thus preferred brief, fleeting comfort over perfect, everlasting comfort.
They guarded themselves against heat from which shade offers protection and which the mornings (1) and evenings dispel, instead of guarding themselves against the fierce heat whose intensity is beyond measure: the blazing Fire.
Hence He said: “Say, ‘The Fire of Hell is far hotter,’ if only they understood,” for they preferred what perishes over what endures and fled from a light, temporary hardship only to face a severe and everlasting one.
Allah Most High said: “So let them laugh a little and weep much.” That is, let them enjoy this fleeting world, delight in its pleasures, and amuse themselves with its diversions; they will soon weep much amid a painful punishment, “as a recompense for what they used to earn” of disbelief, hypocrisy, and refusal to submit to their Lord’s commands.
“If Allah brings you back to a group of them”—namely, those who stayed behind without an excuse and felt no grief over doing so—“and they ask your permission to go forth” on a campaign other than this one, when they see that it will be easy, “say” to them as punishment: “You shall never go forth with me, nor shall you ever fight an enemy alongside me.” Allah will dispense with you.
“You were content to stay behind the first time, so remain behind with those who stay behind.” This is like the statement of Allah Most High: “We turn their hearts and their eyes away, just as they refused to believe in it the first time.” A person who drags his feet and fails to carry out what he was commanded when the opportunity should have been seized will not thereafter be granted success in doing it, but will be kept from it.
This also served to discipline them. Once it became established among the Muslims that these people had been barred from going forth for jihad because of their disobedience, this was ⦗347⦘ a rebuke to them, a disgrace upon them, and a deterrent to anyone who might act as they did.