Tafseer of The Repentance · At-Tawba · 9:122
And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of them a group [remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.
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 explanation of His word: وَمَا كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْلا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ (122) (And the believers ought not to march forth all together. Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, that they may acquire understanding in the religion and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may be on their guard.) (122)
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose renown is mentioned, says: The believers ought not to have marched forth all together.
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We have already expounded the meaning of "al-kāffa" (all together) with the proof-texts for it, as well as the statements of the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) concerning it, so that it is superfluous to repeat that here.
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Then the people of interpretation differed concerning the meaning that Allah intended by this verse, and concerning what the "marching forth" (al-nafr) was that He disapproved of for all the believers.
Some of them said: It was a marching forth that came from a people who dwelt in the desert (al-bādiya). The Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, had sent them out to teach the people Islam. When His word was revealed: مَا كَانَ لأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُمْ مِنَ الأَعْرَابِ أَنْ يَتَخَلَّفُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (It does not befit the people of Medina and the bedouin around them to remain behind the Messenger of Allah), they turned away from the desert toward the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, out of fear that they would be among those who remained behind him, and among those intended by the verse. Then Allah revealed concerning that their excuse with His word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, and He disapproved of the return of all of them from the desert to Medina.
* Mention of who said that:
17466 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, he said: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: And the believers ought not to march forth all together; why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, he said: They were people of the companions of Muḥammad, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, who went out to the desert regions. They obtained from the people kindness and from the fertility that from which they profited, and they called whomever of the people they met to the guidance. The people said to them: "We see you as nothing but that you have abandoned your companions and come to us!" Then they felt about that a constriction within themselves, and they all returned from the desert until they entered upon the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him. Then Allah said: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, seeking the good = that they may acquire understanding (li-yatafaqqahū), and that they may hear what is among the people and what Allah has revealed after them = and that they may warn their people, all the people = when they return to them, so that they may be on their guard.
17467 - Al-Muthannā related to us, he said: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, he said: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, the like of it = except that in his narration he said: Then Allah said: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, a party marched forth and a party remained sitting, seeking the good.
17468 - ...... he said: Isḥāq related to us, he said: ʿAbdullāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, approximately like his narration on the authority of Abū Ḥudhayfa.
17469 - Al-Qāsim related to us, he said: Al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid, approximately like the narration of al-Muthannā on the authority of Abū Ḥudhayfa = except that in his narration he said: "We see you as nothing but that you have abandoned your companion!" And he said: that they may acquire understanding, that they may hear what is among the people.
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And others said: The meaning of it is: The believers ought not to have marched forth all together against their enemy and left their Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, alone, as:-
17470 - Yūnus related to me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, he said: that they should not all go = why then does not a party from every tribe and lineage march forth, while a party remains behind = that they may acquire understanding in the religion, that those who remain behind with the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, may acquire understanding in the religion = and that those who remain behind may warn those who marched forth when these return to them, so that they may be on their guard.
* * *
* Mention of who said that:
17471 - Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: ʿAbdullāh related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, he says: The believers ought not to have marched forth all together and left the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, alone = why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, by which is meant a band, namely the war-parties (al-sarāyā), and they did not march forth except with his permission. Then when the war-parties returned and Qurʾān had come down after them, those who remained behind learned it from the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, and they said: "Allah has revealed Qurʾān to your Prophet after you, and we have learned it." Then the war-parties would stay to learn what Allah had revealed to their Prophet after them, [and He would send out other war-parties; that is His word: that they may acquire understanding in the religion, he says: they learn what Allah has revealed to His Prophet], and they teach the war-parties when these return to them, so that they may be on their guard.
17472 - Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, his word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, up to his word: so that they may be on their guard, he said: This is when the Prophet of Allah sent out the armies; he commanded them not to leave his Prophet exposed, and that a party should remain with the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, to acquire understanding in the religion, while a party would depart to call its people and to warn them of Allah's decrees against those who had passed away before them.
17473 - Al-Ḥusayn related to us, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh saying: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān related to us, he said: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk saying concerning His word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, the verse: When the Prophet of Allah himself went forth to battle, it was not permitted for any of the Muslims to remain behind him, except for those who had a valid excuse. And when he stayed and the war-parties marched forth, it was not permitted for them to depart except with his permission. Then when a man marched forth and Qurʾān came down after him, the Prophet of Allah would recite it to his companions who had remained behind with him. Then when the war-party returned, those who had remained with the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, would say to them: "Allah has revealed Qurʾān to His Prophet after you," and they would recite it to them and instruct them in understanding of the religion. That is His word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, he says: When the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, stayed = why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, by which is meant: it does not befit the Muslims to march forth all together while the Prophet of Allah stays, but when the Prophet of Allah stays, the war-parties march forth and the bulk of the people remain with him.
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And others said: Rather the meaning of it is: These who marched forth are not believers; had they been believers, they would not have all marched forth, but they are hypocrites (munāfiqūn). And had they been truthful that they were believers, a party would have marched forth to acquire understanding in the religion and to warn its people when it returns to them.
* Mention of who said that:
17474 - Al-Muthannā related to me, he said: ʿAbdullāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, it is not about the jihād, but when the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, [supplicated] against Muḍar [for] barren years, their lands withered, and the tribe among them came in its entirety until they settled in Medina out of destitution. They feigned Islam, while they lied, and they pressed hard upon the companions of the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, and wore them out. Then Allah revealed, informing the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, that they were not believers. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah sent them back to their kin-groups, and he warned their people that they should not do their deed. That is His word: and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may be on their guard.
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And there is reported on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās concerning that a third statement, namely what:-
17475 - Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, he said: My father related to me, he said: My uncle related to me, he said: My father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, his word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, up to his word: so that they may be on their guard, he said: From every lineage of the Arabs a group departed, and they came to the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, and asked him about what they wished of their religion, and they acquired understanding in their religion. And they said to the Prophet of Allah: What do you command us to do, and inform us what we shall say to our kin-groups when we depart to them? He said: Then the Prophet of Allah commanded them with obedience to Allah and obedience to His Messenger, and he sent them to their people with the prayer (al-ṣalāh) and the alms (al-zakāh). And when they arrived at their people, they would proclaim: "Whoever submits (aslama), he is of us," and they would warn them, until a man would even make known his father and his mother [as such]. And the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, informed them, and they warned their people. Then when they returned to them, they called them to Islam, and warned them of the Fire, and gave them the glad tidings of Paradise.
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And others said: This is only a refutation by Allah of hypocrites who reviled the bedouin among the Muslims and others for their remaining behind and their opposition of the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, while they were among those whom Allah had excused for remaining behind.
* Mention of who said that:
17476 - Al-Ḥārith related to me, he said: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, he said: Sufyān ibn ʿUyayna related to us, on the authority of Sulaymān al-Aḥwal, on the authority of ʿIkrima, he said: When this verse was revealed: مَا كَانَ لأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُمْ مِنَ الأَعْرَابِ أَنْ يَتَخَلَّفُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (It does not befit the people of Medina and the bedouin around them to remain behind the Messenger of Allah), up to: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ (Indeed, Allah does not let the reward of the doers of good be lost), some people of the hypocrites said: Whoever remained behind is lost! Then was revealed: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, up to: so that they may be on their guard, and there was revealed: وَالَّذِينَ يُحَاجُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ حُجَّتُهُمْ دَاحِضَةٌ (And those who argue concerning Allah after He has been answered, their argument is null), the verse [Surah al-Shūrā: 16].
17477 - Al-Muthannā related to us, he said: Isḥāq related to us, he said: ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Zubayr related to us, on the authority of Ibn ʿUyayna, he said: Sulaymān al-Aḥwal related to us, on the authority of ʿIkrima, he said: I heard him saying: When was revealed: إِلا تَنْفِرُوا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا (If you do not march forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment) [Surah al-Tawba: 39], and مَا كَانَ لأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُمْ مِنَ الأَعْرَابِ (It does not befit the people of Medina and the bedouin around them), up to his word: لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (that Allah may reward them the best of what they used to do), the hypocrites said: The desert-dwellers who remained behind with Muḥammad and did not march forth with him are lost! Now there were people of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, who had gone out to the desert, to their people, to give them understanding [in the religion]. Then Allah revealed: And the believers ought not to march forth all together; why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, up to his word: so that they may be on their guard, and there was revealed: وَالَّذِينَ يُحَاجُّونَ فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ (And those who argue concerning Allah after He has been answered), the verse.
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And those who said: "By it was intended the prohibition of all of them marching forth in the war-party and leaving the Prophet, peace be upon him, alone," differed concerning who was meant by His word: that they may acquire understanding in the religion and that they may warn their people when they return to them.
Some of them said: By it was meant the community that remained behind with the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him. And they said: The meaning of the word is: Why then does not a party from every group march forth for the jihād, that those who remain behind may acquire understanding in the religion and that they may warn their people, who have marched forth in the war-party, when these return to them from their campaign? That is the statement of Qatāda, and we have already mentioned the narration of it on his authority, in the narration of Saʿīd ibn Abī ʿArūba, and there is:-
17478 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, that they may acquire understanding in the religion, the verse, he said: That those who have remained sitting with the Prophet of Allah may acquire understanding = and that they may warn their people when they return to them, he says: that they may warn those who have marched forth when these return to them.
17479 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of al-Ḥasan and Qatāda: And the believers ought not to march forth all together, they both said: all together, and leave the Prophet, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, behind.
* * *
And others among them said: Rather the meaning of it is: that the marching party may acquire understanding, not the party remaining behind, and that the marching party may warn the party remaining behind.
* Mention of who said that:
17480 - Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, he said: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of al-Ḥasan: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, that they may acquire understanding in the religion, he said: that those who have marched forth may acquire understanding through what Allah shows them of victory over the polytheists (mushrikīn) and of support, and that they may warn their people when they return to them.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the most correct of the statements in the interpretation of that is that one says that the interpretation of it is: The believers ought not to have marched forth all together and left the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, alone; and that Allah by this verse has forbidden the believers in Him to march forth all together in a campaign, a jihād, or anything else of their affairs, and to leave the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, solitary. Rather it is their duty, when the Messenger of Allah sends out a war-party, that there march forth with it from every tribe of the Arab tribes = and that is "the group" (al-firqa) = a party (ṭāʾifa), and that is from one person up to whatever number is reached, as Allah, exalted is His praise, said: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, he says: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth? And this, up to here, is according to one of the statements reported on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, and it is the statement of al-Ḍaḥḥāk and Qatāda.
And we have only said that this statement is the most correct of the statements concerning it, because Allah, the Exalted whose renown is mentioned, had forbidden remaining behind and opposing the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, before this verse, for the believers in Him among the people of Medina, the city of the Messenger, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, and among the bedouin, without an excuse by which they are excused, when the Messenger of Allah marches forth for a campaign and the jihād against an enemy, with His word: It does not befit the people of Medina and the bedouin around them to remain behind the Messenger of Allah. Then the Exalted, whose praise is lofty, followed it with His word: And the believers ought not to march forth all together. Thus it was thereby known = since He had already, in the verse before it, made known to them what was obligatory upon them of the duty of marching forth, and what was permitted to them of omitting it in the case of the campaign of the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, and his departure from his city for the jihād against an enemy, and made known to them that remaining behind in opposition to him was not permitted to them except for an excuse, after he had summoned some of them and left others = that after their being made aware of that, He would make known to them what was obligatory upon them when the Messenger of Allah, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him, stays in his city and sends out others from it, just as the beginning was with their being made aware of what was obligatory upon his departure and his leaving some of them behind.
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And as for His word: that they may acquire understanding in the religion and that they may warn their people when they return to them, the most correct of the statements concerning it is the statement of him who said: That the marching party may acquire understanding through what it witnesses of Allah's support to the people of His religion and the companions of His Messenger against the people of enmity to Him and disbelief in Him, so that through that witnessing the true knowledge of the affair of Islam and its victory over the [other] religions is acquired by whoever had not yet acquired it; and that they may warn their people and make them fear that there should befall them, from Allah's power, the like of what befell those whom they witnessed and saw of those whom the Muslims overcame among the people of shirk = when they return to them from their campaign = so that they may be on their guard, he says: so that their people, when they warn them of what they witnessed of that, may be on their guard and believe in Allah and His Messenger, out of fear that there should befall them what befell those about whose fate they were informed.
And we have only said that this is the most correct of the statements, and it is the statement of al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī which we have related on his authority, because we have earlier expounded concerning "the marching forth" (al-nafr) that, when it is used absolutely without connection to anything, the predominant usage that the Arabs make of it is in the sense of the jihād and the campaign. Since that is the predominant of the meanings therein, and the Exalted, whose praise is lofty, said: Why then does not a party from every group among them march forth, that they may acquire understanding in the religion, it is known that His word that they may acquire understanding is only a qualification for the marching forth and for nothing else, since it followed it and nothing else of the words.
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If someone were to say: And why do you reject that the meaning of it should be: that those who remain behind may acquire understanding in the religion?
Then it is said: We reject that because of its incongruity. For if the marching forth of the marching party were a cause for the understanding of the party remaining behind, then it would necessarily follow that their staying with them would be a cause for their ignorance and the omission of acquiring understanding; and we already know that their staying, had they stayed and not marched forth, would not have been a cause to prevent them from acquiring understanding.
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And furthermore: He, whose praise is lofty, said: and that they may warn their people when they return to them, in conjunction with His word: that they may acquire understanding in the religion, and there is no doubt that the marching party did not march forth except while the warning had already preceded from Allah to them, and it is for the sake of the warning and the fear of the threat that they marched forth. What then is the sense of the warning of the marching party by the party remaining behind, while they were both equal in the knowledge of Allah's warning to them both? And even were it permissible that one of the two should be described with the warning of the other, then the one most entitled to be described with it would be the marching party, for it has witnessed of Allah's power and the support to the believers against the people of disbelief in Him what the party remaining behind has not witnessed. But it is, if Allah wills, as we have said, namely that it [the marching party] warns whoever of its lineage and tribe did not believe in Allah, when it returns to him: that there should befall him what befell those whom it witnessed, of those among the people of shirk over whom Allah granted the believers the victory and who were their like.
