upon the rabble who (1) were among them, [including] the hypocrites (2) and those whom He knew would apostatize (3). He said:
“Whoever among you turns back from his religion, Allah will soon bring forth” (4)—against the apostates in their own lands (5)—“a people He loves and who love Him”: Abū Bakr and his companions—may Allah be pleased with them.
Through his chain of transmission, he also narrated this view from Qatādah, al-Hasan, al-Dahhāk, and Ibn Jurayj (6). Some stated that they were the Ansār (7), while it was reported from others that they were the people of Yemen (8). He preferred this latter view, namely, that they were the clan of Abū Mūsā (9). He said (10): “Were it not for the authenticity of the report from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—to that effect, the only view I would hold [on this matter] would be the view (11) of those who said: ‘They are Abū Bakr and his companions.’” (12)
He said: “When the apostates renounced the faith, Allah brought these people forth during the time of Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—(13).”
(1) M and B read *alladhīna* (“those who”).
(2) N, M, and S read: “Among them are the hypocrites.”
(3) N, M, and S read *an yartadda* (“that he would apostatize”).
(4) Al-Tabarī’s *Tafsīr* reads: “He said: ‘O you who believe, whoever turns back.’”
(5) B reads *fī dīnihim* (“in their religion”).
(6) See al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10:411–413.
(7) See al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10:417–418.
(8) See al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10:416–417.
(9) Al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10:419.
(10) Al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10 *t* 419.
(11) N, M, and S read: “The only view I would hold would be the view of…”
(12) Al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10:419: “Were it not for the report related concerning this matter from the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—as transmitted from him, the only view I would hold on the matter would be that of those who said: ‘They are Abū Bakr and his companions.’”
(13) Al-Tabarī, *Tafsīr*, 10:420: “It was said to him: ‘Allah—exalted be His mention—did not promise the believers that, in place of those among them who apostatized that day, He would give them people better than the apostates to fight the apostates. Rather, He informed them that He would bring them people better than those apostates as replacements for them. He did so for them soon thereafter, not much later, bringing them during the reign of Umar…’” S and B read *lammā* (“when”).