سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 120
مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلٌ صَـٰلِحٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿120﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
It was not becoming of the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins of the neighbourhood to remain behind Allâh’s Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم when fighting in Allâh’s Cause) and (it was not becoming of them) to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither thirst nor fatigue, nor hunger in the Cause of Allâh, nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness. Surely, Allâh wastes not the reward of the Muhsinûn
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
كَانَ
kāna
it was
لِأَهْلِ
li-ahli
(for) the people
ٱلْمَدِينَةِ
l-madīnati
of the Madinah
وَمَنْ
waman
and who
حَوْلَهُم
ḥawlahum
were around them
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْأَعْرَابِ
l-aʿrābi
the bedouins
أَن
an
that
يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟
yatakhallafū
they remain behind
عَن
ʿan
after
رَّسُولِ
rasūli
the Messenger
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
of Allah
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَرْغَبُوا۟
yarghabū
they prefer
بِأَنفُسِهِمْ
bi-anfusihim
their lives
عَن
ʿan
to
نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ
nafsihi
his life
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That is
بِأَنَّهُمْ
bi-annahum
because [they]
لَا
lā
(does) not
يُصِيبُهُمْ
yuṣībuhum
afflict them
ظَمَأٌۭ
ẓama-on
thirst
وَلَا
walā
and not
نَصَبٌۭ
naṣabun
fatigue
وَلَا
walā
and not
مَخْمَصَةٌۭ
makhmaṣatun
hunger
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَطَـُٔونَ
yaṭaūna
they step
مَوْطِئًۭا
mawṭi-an
any step
يَغِيظُ
yaghīẓu
that angers
ٱلْكُفَّارَ
l-kufāra
the disbelievers
وَلَا
walā
and not
يَنَالُونَ
yanālūna
they inflict
مِنْ
min
on
عَدُوٍّۢ
ʿaduwwin
an enemy
نَّيْلًا
naylan
an infliction
إِلَّا
illā
except
كُتِبَ
kutiba
is recorded
لَهُم
lahum
for them
بِهِۦ
bihi
in it
عَمَلٌۭ
ʿamalun
(as) a deed
صَـٰلِحٌ ۚ
ṣāliḥun
righteous
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يُضِيعُ
yuḍīʿu
allow to be lost
أَجْرَ
ajra
the reward
ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
l-muḥ'sinīna
(of) the good-doers
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
120. 1 Since a general call had been made for participation in the Battle of Tabuk, except for those who were excused, elderly, or had other legitimate reasons, participation was obligatory for everyone. But still, those who did not participate in this jihad from Madinah or its surroundings—Allah, condemning and reproaching them, is saying that they should not have stayed behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
120. 2 That is, it is also not appropriate for them to protect their own lives while being unconcerned about the protection of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Rather, they should stay with the Messenger and take more care for his protection than their own.
120. 3 The reason for not staying behind is being explained by ذٰلِکَ. That is, they should not stay behind because whatever thirst, fatigue, or hunger they suffer in the way of Allah, or any such actions that increase the anger and rage of the disbelievers, likewise killing the enemy’s men or taking them captive—all these deeds will be written as righteous deeds. That is, righteous deeds are not only those where a person sits in the mosque or in a corner performing voluntary prayers, reciting, or remembering Allah, but every hardship and difficulty faced in jihad, even those actions that instill fear or provoke rage in the hearts of the enemy, each of these things will be written as a righteous deed with Allah. Therefore, even out of eagerness for worship, avoiding jihad is not justified, let alone a person shirking jihad without any excuse.
120. 4 This refers to passing through such areas on foot or mounted on horses, etc., so that the sound of their footsteps and the hoofbeats of their horses strike terror into the hearts of the enemy and ignite their fire of rage.
120. 5 “Taking anything from the enemy or taking them to task” means killing or capturing their men, defeating them, or obtaining spoils of war.
120. 2 That is, it is also not appropriate for them to protect their own lives while being unconcerned about the protection of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Rather, they should stay with the Messenger and take more care for his protection than their own.
120. 3 The reason for not staying behind is being explained by ذٰلِکَ. That is, they should not stay behind because whatever thirst, fatigue, or hunger they suffer in the way of Allah, or any such actions that increase the anger and rage of the disbelievers, likewise killing the enemy’s men or taking them captive—all these deeds will be written as righteous deeds. That is, righteous deeds are not only those where a person sits in the mosque or in a corner performing voluntary prayers, reciting, or remembering Allah, but every hardship and difficulty faced in jihad, even those actions that instill fear or provoke rage in the hearts of the enemy, each of these things will be written as a righteous deed with Allah. Therefore, even out of eagerness for worship, avoiding jihad is not justified, let alone a person shirking jihad without any excuse.
120. 4 This refers to passing through such areas on foot or mounted on horses, etc., so that the sound of their footsteps and the hoofbeats of their horses strike terror into the hearts of the enemy and ignite their fire of rage.
120. 5 “Taking anything from the enemy or taking them to task” means killing or capturing their men, defeating them, or obtaining spoils of war.
