Tafseer of The Clans · Al-Ahzaab · 33:18
Already Allah knows the hinderers among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us," and do not go to battle, except for a few,
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The statement concerning the explanation of His words, the Exalted: qad yaʿlamu Allāhu al-muʿawwiqīna minkum wal-qāʾilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā wa-lā yaʾtūna al-baʾsa illā qalīlā ("Allah already knows those among you who hold others back and those who say to their brothers: 'Come to us,' and they come to the battle only a little") (33:18).
The Exalted, Whose praise is exalted, says: Allah already knows those among you who hold the people back, away from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and turn them away from him and from attending the war at his side, out of hypocrisy (nifāq) on their part and in order to deter from Islam and its people. wal-qāʾilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā ("and those who say to their brothers: 'Come to us'") — that is to say: come to us, and abandon Muḥammad, do not attend his battlefield with him, for we fear for you destruction at his destruction. wa-lā yaʾtūna al-baʾsa illā qalīlā ("and they come to the battle only a little") — He says: and they do not attend the war and the fighting, and if they do attend it, then only by way of pretext and to clear themselves before the believers.
And in terms similar to what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have expressed themselves.
* Mention of who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: qad yaʿlamu Allāhu al-muʿawwiqīna minkum wal-qāʾilīna li-ikhwānihim ("Allah already knows those among you who hold others back and those who say to their brothers") — he said: these were some people of the hypocrites, who said to their brothers: "Muḥammad and his companions are no more than a single mouthful for one mouth; if they were meat, Abū Sufyān with his companions would devour them. Leave this man, for he is doomed to destruction."
And His statement: wa-lā yaʾtūna al-baʾsa illā qalīlā ("and they come to the battle only a little") — that is to say: they do not attend the fighting, they remain absent from it.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, saying: Yazīd ibn Rūmān related to us: qad yaʿlamu Allāhu al-muʿawwiqīna minkum ("Allah already knows those among you who hold others back") — that is to say: the people of hypocrisy (nifāq); wal-qāʾilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā wa-lā yaʾtūna al-baʾsa illā qalīlā ("and those who say to their brothers: 'Come to us,' and they come to the battle only a little") — that is to say: only to clear themselves and by way of pretext.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: qad yaʿlamu Allāhu al-muʿawwiqīna minkum wal-qāʾilīna li-ikhwānihim ("Allah already knows those among you who hold others back and those who say to their brothers ...") to the end of the ayah, he said: this was on the day of the Confederates (al-Aḥzāb). A man returned from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and found his brother with roasted meat, a loaf of bread, and nabīdh drink before him. He said to him: "You are sitting here with the roasted meat, the bread, and the nabīdh, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is amid the spears and the swords?" He said: "Come here, for it has come to such a pass with you and your companion — by Him by Whom one swears, Muḥammad will never meet that [victory]." He said: "You lie, by Him by Whom one swears." He said — and he was his brother on his father's and mother's side —: "Well then, by Allah, I shall surely inform the Prophet ﷺ of your affair." He said: and he went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to inform him. He said: and he found him while Jibrāʾīl, peace be upon him, had already descended with the report concerning that: qad yaʿlamu Allāhu al-muʿawwiqīna minkum wal-qāʾilīna li-ikhwānihim halumma ilaynā wa-lā yaʾtūna al-baʾsa illā qalīlā ("Allah already knows those among you who hold others back and those who say to their brothers: 'Come to us,' and they come to the battle only a little").
------------------------
The footnotes:
(1) Thus in the original; and in al-Durr al-Manthūr of al-Suyūṭī: "lā yustaqā lahā" ("no water shall be drawn for it").
