Eyes Overflowing With Tears

The ayah about those who are excused from going out has been recited. The next ayah speaks of some of the Companions who came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, carry us — meaning, provide us with transport; we have nothing. Because part of the preparation is that you need a camel or a horse to travel: this was a long distance; you could not just go without any preparation. So these were very poor Companions, but they sincerely wanted to go. So they came to the Messenger of Allah and said: O Messenger of Allah, provide for us, help us; we want to join. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: I cannot provide you with anything; I do not have anything. They were so sad at being deprived — deprived of the honour of joining this army — that they left with tears flowing down their cheeks.

So one can see the contrast here between some people who had wealth and ability, and who were happy to stay behind — Allah (ʿazza wa jall) says they were happy to stay behind — and, on the other hand, these poor Companions, who eagerly wanted to go, and when they were prevented, they wept. So there is a difference in the hearts here, between these and those. So Allah (ʿazza wa jall) says:

Nor is there blame upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said: I can find nothing for you to ride upon; they turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears, out of grief that they could not find something to spend for the cause of Allah. The cause for blame is only upon those who ask permission of you while they are rich; they are satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and Allah has sealed over their hearts, so they do not know. So Allah said in the previous ayah that they have no fiqh, and in this ayah that they have no knowledge: so they have no understanding and they have no knowledge; they have neither.