Surah Al-Fath (48) — Ayah 15

(Ayah 15) ➊ { سَيَقُوْلُ الْمُخَلَّفُوْنَ اِذَا انْطَلَقْتُمْ اِلٰى مَغَانِمَ … :} In addition to the many favors Allah Almighty bestowed upon the Companions who participated in the Pledge of Ridwan, which will be mentioned in verses (18, 19), He also promised them a very soon-to-come victory in which they would obtain many spoils of war. The purpose was to compensate for the disappointment they experienced at Hudaybiyyah, as well as to reward the obedience, loyalty, and self-sacrifice they demonstrated throughout this entire expedition. These spoils refer to Khaybar, whose conquest had become extremely necessary due to the Jews’ continuous mischief and breaking of covenants, but difficulties arose because of the support from the Quraysh. Now, with no worries from the Quraysh, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) intended to march on Khaybar. The victory of the Muslims in this campaign and the acquisition of countless spoils was apparent to all, and so it happened that just three months after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) marched on Khaybar and conquered it with great ease. In fact, many Jewish settlements around Khaybar also fell into the hands of the Muslims without much resistance. Allah Almighty had already informed that when you set out towards Khaybar to obtain spoils, those who stayed behind will say, “Allow us to go with you.”
➋ { يُرِيْدُوْنَ اَنْ يُّبَدِّلُوْا كَلٰمَ اللّٰهِ:} That is, Allah Almighty had promised these spoils only to those who pledged allegiance under the tree, and these people want the spoils to also go to those who did not even leave their homes to accompany the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); how could they have pledged allegiance? If their request is accepted, then Allah’s word would no longer stand.
➌ { قُلْ لَّنْ تَتَّبِعُوْنَا:} Say to them, “You will never go with us, because this is the right of those who stood by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) when death was staring them in the face.”
➍ {كَذٰلِكُمْ قَالَ اللّٰهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ:} That is, Allah Almighty had already decided that only those who supported at the time of risking life and wealth are entitled to the fruits of victory.
➎ { فَسَيَقُوْلُوْنَ بَلْ تَحْسُدُوْنَنَا:} He (Allah) said, when these people are not allowed to go along, they will say, “Rather, you are jealous of us, lest our financial situation improves by obtaining these spoils.”
➏ { بَلْ كَانُوْا لَا يَفْقَهُوْنَ اِلَّا قَلِيْلًا:} He (Allah) said, the Muslims have no jealousy towards them, nor is there any room for it in their pure nature. Rather, the reality is that these people are unjustly blaming the Muslims; they did not understand their fault before, nor do they understand it now ({كَانُوْا} indicates continuity), that when previously they were not ready to take any risk to life or wealth, how can they now be made partners in the easily obtained spoils of war? And when previously their wealth and families prevented them from leaving home, why are they not preventing them from leaving now? “Very little understanding” means they do not understand at all. In the Qur’an and in Arabic speech, the word “little” is commonly used for absolute negation.

15. 1. In this, the Battle of Khaybar is mentioned, the conquest of which Allah Almighty had given glad tidings of at Hudaybiyyah. Also, Allah Almighty had stated that whatever spoils of war are obtained from here will be only for those who participated at Hudaybiyyah. Thus, after returning from Hudaybiyyah, when you ﷺ planned an attack on Khaybar due to the continuous breach of covenant by the Jews, the aforementioned defectors also expressed their intention to join merely for the acquisition of spoils of war, which was not accepted. In the verse, "maghanim" refers specifically to the spoils of Khaybar.

15. 2. By "the word of Allah" is meant Allah's promise to make the spoils of Khaybar exclusive for the people of Hudaybiyyah. The hypocrites wanted to participate in this and thereby alter the word of Allah, i.e., His promise.

15. 3. This negation is in the sense of prohibition, meaning you are not permitted to go with us. This is also the command of Allah Almighty.

15. 4. That is, these defectors will say that you are avoiding taking us along out of jealousy so that we do not share the spoils of war with you.

15. 5. That is, the matter is not as they understand it; rather, this restriction is a consequence of their staying behind. But the real matter is not being understood by them.

15. When you set out to acquire spoils of war, those who stayed behind will say, "Let us go with you [17]." They wish to change the command of Allah [18]. Say to them, "You shall never go with us [19]; Allah has already said this beforehand." Then they will say, "No, you are just jealous of us." But in fact, they [20] understand little.

[17]
Why Did the Hypocrites Desire to Participate in the Battle of Khaybar?

The event of the conquest of Khaybar took place three months after the expedition of Hudaybiyyah, in Muharram of the 7th year Hijri. The exiled Jews had gathered there and were engaged in activities against the Muslims. Banu Nadir, too, after being exiled from Madinah, had settled there. Their chief, Huyayy bin Akhtab, had incited the chief of Banu Qurayzah, Ka‘b bin Asad, to break the covenant and join the allied disbelievers against the Muslims in the Battle of Ahzab. After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, it became necessary to suppress these people. This journey was also relatively easy, and there was a great expectation of spoils of war from there. About the hypocrites who had stayed behind in the expedition of Hudaybiyyah, Allah Almighty had already informed three months earlier that when you set out on this journey, these people will immediately be ready to go with you, because there would be less risk to life and wealth, and a great expectation of obtaining spoils of war.

[18] Allah’s command or decision is that those who are sincere regarding Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, Allah will grant them victory and help, and also provide them with material benefits. But these hypocrites want that when there is a risk to life and wealth, they make excuses to save their lives and wealth, and only the sincere Muslims step forward in such difficult times. And when there is no fear for life and wealth, and there is hope of gaining wealth, then they too join in. Their desire cannot bring any change in Allah’s command.

[19]
Only Those Muslims Who Participated in the Pledge of Ridwan Were Taken Along in the Battle of Khaybar:

Therefore, when the time comes to march upon Khaybar and they desire to go along with the Muslims, you ﷺ should tell them in clear words that we cannot take you with us, because Allah has already forbidden us from this. Thus, this is exactly what happened in practice: you only took along those noble Companions ؓ in the Battle of Khaybar who had pledged allegiance to you to fight to the death at Hudaybiyyah.

[20]
The Response of the Hypocrites Is Also Based on Injustice:

That is, when you tell these excuse-making hypocrites that you cannot be included among the fighters of Khaybar, they will immediately accuse you further, saying: you do not even want us to get any share from the spoils of war, and you are jealous that we too might become well-off. That is, even at that time, their minds will not turn towards their own fault—that when we are not ready to take any risk to life or wealth, how can we be made partners in the easily obtained spoils of war? Even then, they will blame the Muslims. This is yet another proof of the evil within them.