The Excuses of Those Who Stayed Behind

Allah (swt) says that, the journey being so hard — al-ḥamdu li-llāh — very few of the believers stayed behind. They went, whatever their circumstances; very few remained. The munāfiqīn, however, knew this one to be difficult. They were with the Muslims only for what they might gain by it. Hence it is said in many verses that where they judged a victory easy, they would join the Muslims; where they judged it hard, they would not stand with them. And if the Muslims were afterwards attacked and suffered, they would say: there, we told you. That is why we did not come with you. We knew it was not worth it. Such was their tactic throughout.

So in verse 42 Allah (swt) tells the Prophet (peace be upon him) in advance that these munāfiqīn will come to him swearing great oaths — that had we had the strength we should have come with you, but we could not — for they will make every kind of excuse. As has been said, the great majority of the Muslims went, whatever their circumstances, excepting a few, who are discussed later in this chapter. The Prophet (peace be upon him) dealt with them with akhlāq and with character, Allah having already told him what would come, as will be seen. He simply said: very well, you have an excuse; very well; very well; leave it to Allah. He did not press them, though it was plain enough that their excuses were feeble. Some of them, indeed, brought forward truly foolish excuses.

One of them, by the name of Jadd ibn Qays — Jadd ibn Qays — said: O Messenger of Allah, I am very weak. I am very weak of resolve. This is in verse 49. Looking at verse 49, he says:

Iʾdhan lī wa-lā taftinnī: give me leave not to go, and do not expose me to fitnah. And what is the fitnah? He says that he has not much resolve, and mā shāʾ Allāh, these Roman women are very fair and attractive, and he feels that he might go out for jihād and there fall into fitnah. Such ideas as that. Hence Allah (swt) records that some of them say: permit me, and do not expose me to fitnah. Alā fī al-fitnati saqaṭū: they have fallen already; they are headlong in fitnah as it is. Wa-inna jahannama la-muḥīṭatun bi-l-kāfirīn: and Hell encompasses the disbelievers.

Allah (swt) mentions several other things: that they will swear great oaths to persuade you; that they will use excuses; that they will do this and that.