on earth and sever your ties of kinship?”

“Those are the ones whom Allah has cursed, so He made them deaf and blinded their sight.”

“Then do they not reflect upon the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts?”

“Indeed, those who turned back after guidance had become clear to them—Satan enticed them and filled them with false hopes.”

“That is because they said to those who hated what Allah revealed, ‘We will obey you in some matters.’ And Allah knows their secrets.”

And Allah Most High says:

“And among them are those who pledged to Allah, ‘If He gives us of His bounty, we will surely give charity and be among the righteous.’”

“But when He gave them of His bounty, they withheld it and turned away in aversion.”

“So He punished them with hypocrisy in their hearts until the Day they meet Him, because they broke their promise to Allah and because they used to lie.”

And Allah Most High says:

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

And Allah Most High says, by contrast:

“Allah has promised you abundant spoils that you will take, and He has hastened these for you and restrained people’s hands from you, so that it may be a sign for the believers and that He may guide you to a straight path.”

—up to His words—

“And if those who disbelieve had fought you, they would have turned their backs; then they would have found neither protector nor helper.”

“This is Allah’s established way, which has prevailed before, and you will never find any change in Allah’s established way.”

Their turning their backs is not something they were forbidden to do; rather, it is part of the recompense for their deeds. This is a vast subject.