In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.
Abridged by Dr. Aqil ibn Salim al-Shammari.
Surah al-Ahzab.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
“Allah already knoweth those of you who hinder, and those who say unto their brethren: "Come ye hither unto us!" and they come not to the stress of battle save a little,” (33:18)
“Allah already knoweth those of you who hinder, and those who say unto their brethren: "Come ye hither unto us!" and they come not to the stress of battle save a little,” (33:18)
“Allah already knoweth those of you who hinder, and those who say unto their brethren: "Come ye hither unto us!" and they come not to the stress of battle save a little,” (33:18)
Allah indeed knows those among you who hinder others from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
They turn them away from him and from witnessing the battle alongside him.
Out of hypocrisy and a desire to discourage people from Islam and its followers.
They say to their brethren, "Come to us, and abandon Muhammad."
"Do not attend any battle with him."
"For we fear that you will perish if he perishes."
They do not attend war or combat, and if they do, it is only as a mere pretense.
And to defend themselves from the believers.
Being stingy toward you.
“Being sparing of their help to you (believers). But when the fear cometh, then thou (Muhammad) seest them regarding thee with rolling eyes like one who fainteth unto death. Then, when the fear departeth, they scald you with sharp tongues in their greed for wealth (from the spoil). Such have not believed. Therefor Allah maketh their deeds fruitless. And that is easy for Allah.” (33:19)
“Being sparing of their help to you (believers). But when the fear cometh, then thou (Muhammad) seest them regarding thee with rolling eyes like one who fainteth unto death. Then, when the fear departeth, they scald you with sharp tongues in their greed for wealth (from the spoil). Such have not believed. Therefor Allah maketh their deeds fruitless. And that is easy for Allah.” (33:19)
“Being sparing of their help to you (believers). But when the fear cometh, then thou (Muhammad) seest them regarding thee with rolling eyes like one who fainteth unto death. Then, when the fear departeth, they scald you with sharp tongues in their greed for wealth (from the spoil). Such have not believed. Therefor Allah maketh their deeds fruitless. And that is easy for Allah.” (33:19)
“Being sparing of their help to you (believers). But when the fear cometh, then thou (Muhammad) seest them regarding thee with rolling eyes like one who fainteth unto death. Then, when the fear departeth, they scald you with sharp tongues in their greed for wealth (from the spoil). Such have not believed. Therefor Allah maketh their deeds fruitless. And that is easy for Allah.” (33:19)
And that is easy for Allah.
Stingy toward the believers regarding the spoils of war and goodness.
And stingy in spending in the way of Allah upon the poor among the Muslims.
When danger approaches and fighting breaks out.
You see them, O Muhammad, looking at you with eyes rolling like one who is fainting.
Their eyes darting in fear of being killed.
Like the rolling of the eyes of one who is swooning from the death descending upon him.
But when the war ends and they feel secure.
They assail you with sharp tongues.
Stingy with the spoils of war when the believers are victorious.
These are the ones whose characteristics I have described.
They did not believe in Allah and His Messenger.
Rather, they are people of disbelief and hypocrisy.
So Allah rendered their deeds fruitless and nullified them.
And the nullification of the deeds they performed before their apostasy and hypocrisy was easy for Allah.
Because they are dwellers in the desert.
“They hold that the clans have not retired (for good); and if the clans should advance (again), they would fain be in the desert with the wandering Arabs, asking for the news of you; and if they were among you, they would not give battle, save a little.” (33:20)
They ask about your news.
“They hold that the clans have not retired (for good); and if the clans should advance (again), they would fain be in the desert with the wandering Arabs, asking for the news of you; and if they were among you, they would not give battle, save a little.” (33:20)
These hypocrites think the confederates have not departed.
Even though they have already departed.
Out of cowardice and panic.
And if the confederates were to come against the believers.
They would wish, out of fear and cowardice, that they were away from you in the desert with the Bedouins.
For fear of being killed.
These hypocrites inquire about your news from the desert.
Asking if Muhammad and his Companions have perished.
Even if they were among you, they would not have benefited you.
And they would not have fought the polytheists except as a pretense.
Because they do not fight for the sake of Allah nor in hope of reward.
“Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much.” (33:21)
“Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much.” (33:21)
“Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much.” (33:21)
And you will be with him wherever he is.
“Verily in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example for him who looketh unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembereth Allah much.” (33:21)
“And when the true believers saw the clans, they said: This is that which Allah and His messenger promised us. Allah and His messenger are true. It did but confirm them in their faith and resignation.” (33:22)
“And when the true believers saw the clans, they said: This is that which Allah and His messenger promised us. Allah and His messenger are true. It did but confirm them in their faith and resignation.” (33:22)
“And when the true believers saw the clans, they said: This is that which Allah and His messenger promised us. Allah and His messenger are true. It did but confirm them in their faith and resignation.” (33:22)
When the believers in Allah and His Messenger saw the groups of disbelievers.
“And when the true believers saw the clans, they said: This is that which Allah and His messenger promised us. Allah and His messenger are true. It did but confirm them in their faith and resignation.” (33:22)
The gathering of the confederates only increased them in faith in Allah and submission to His decree and command.
And He granted them victory and triumph over their enemies.
“Of the believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle), and some of them still are waiting; and they have not altered in the least;” (33:23)
Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow, and among them are those who wait.
And they have not altered [their commitment] by any alteration.
Among the believers in Allah and His Messenger are men who fulfilled what they covenanted with Him regarding patience in hardship and adversity.
Some of them have completed the work they vowed to Allah and which He made obligatory upon them.
They were martyred on the day of Badr, the day of Uhud, and other occasions.
And others are waiting to fulfill their vow and complete their task.
Just as those who passed before them fulfilled their covenant with Allah.
And [awaiting] the victory from Allah over His enemy.
And they did not change the covenant they made with their Lord in any way.
And He will reward the truthful for their truthfulness and punish the hypocrites.
“That Allah may reward the true men for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He will, or relent toward them (if He will). Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (33:24)
Indeed, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
So that Allah may reward the truthful for their truthfulness in what they covenanted with Him.
And [punish] their hypocrisy, or accept their repentance from their hypocrisy.
Indeed, Allah is ever-covering of the sins of those who repent.
Merciful to those who repent, that He would not punish them after their repentance.
“And Allah repulsed the disbelievers in their wrath; they gained no good. Allah averted their attack from the believers. Allah is ever Strong, Mighty.” (33:25)
“And Allah repulsed the disbelievers in their wrath; they gained no good. Allah averted their attack from the believers. Allah is ever Strong, Mighty.” (33:25)
And Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty.
Allah turned back those who disbelieved in Him and His Messenger—from the tribes of Quraysh and Ghatafan—in their anger and grief.
Because they missed out on the victory they had hoped for.
And their disappointment in what they had coveted of triumph.
They did not obtain any wealth or captives from the Muslims.
“And Allah repulsed the disbelievers in their wrath; they gained no good. Allah averted their attack from the believers. Allah is ever Strong, Mighty.” (33:25)
With hosts of angels and the wind that He sent against them.
And Allah is All-Powerful to do whatever He wills.
He grants victory to whom He wills among them over whom He wills to forsake.
His retribution is severe against those of His enemies whom He punishes.
And Allah brought down those who aided the confederates against the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, from the People of the Scripture.
He meant by them the tribe of Banu Qurayza.
From their fortresses, which they thought would protect them from Allah, the Blessed and Exalted.
And He cast into their hearts fear of you.
You killed a group of them.
They are the ones whom the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, killed.
They are the ones whom the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, killed.
Among them when he prevailed over them.
And you took a group of them captive.
They are their women and children who were taken as captives.
And He caused you to inherit their land, their homes, their wealth, and land you had not yet trodden.
And Allah is over all things competent.
And He gave you possession after their destruction of their farms, plantations, and homes.
And their dwellings and wealth.
And land you had not trodden on that day.
It was not Makkah, nor Khaybar.
Nor the lands of Persia, Rome, or Yemen.
Of what they had trodden on that day.
Then they trod upon that later.
And Allah caused them to inherit it.
All of that is included in the land.
All of that is included in the land which you had not trodden.
And Allah is, regarding causing the believers to inherit that and other matters,
Possessed of power; nothing He wills is impossible for Him.
“O Prophet! Say unto thy wives: If ye desire the world's life and its adornment, come! I will content you and will release you with a fair release.” (33:28)
“But if ye desire Allah and His messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then lo! Allah hath prepared for the good among you an immense reward.” (33:29)
“But if ye desire Allah and His messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then lo! Allah hath prepared for the good among you an immense reward.” (33:29)
A great reward.
He has prepared for those of you who act according to the command of Allah and His Messenger a great reward.
Which is Paradise.
“O ye wives of the Prophet! Whosoever of you committeth manifest lewdness, the punishment for her will be doubled, and that is easy for Allah.” (33:30)
And that is easy for Allah.
O wives of the Prophet, whoever among you commits the known indecency for which Allah has ordained a punishment.
The punishment for her immorality will be doubled for her in the Hereafter, twice that of the immorality of other women.
And such doubling of the punishment for those who do that among them is easy for Allah.
A summary of the Tafsir of al-Tabari.