Tafseer of The Repentance · At-Tawba · 9:92
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].
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: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوْا وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَلا يَجِدُوا مَا يُنْفِقُونَ (9:92)
(Nor is there any ground [for blame] against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts, and you said, "I find nothing on which to mount you," turned away while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they found nothing to spend.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: And there is also no ground [for punishment] against the group of men who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts — they asked you for mounts to reach their field of battle for the jihād against the enemies of Allah, together with you, O Muḥammad — whereupon you said to them: "I find no mount on which I can carry you." تَوَلَّوْا (they turned away), He says: they turned away from you, وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا (while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief), and they wept out of grief over the fact that they found nothing to spend and with which they could take upon themselves the burden of the jihād in the path of Allah.
* * *
And some of them mentioned that this verse was revealed concerning a group of men from [the tribe of] Muzayna.
* Mention of who said that:
17080 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts, and you said, "I find nothing on which to mount you"), he said: they were of Muzayna.
17081 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq informed us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid concerning His word: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), he said: they were the Banū Muqarrin, of Muzayna.
17082 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Suwayd related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj by recitation, on the authority of Mujāhid concerning His word: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), up to His word: حَزَنًا أَلا يَجِدُوا مَا يُنْفِقُونَ (out of grief that they found nothing to spend), he said: they were the Banū Muqarrin, of Muzayna.
17083 — Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Ibn Numayr related to us, on the authority of Warqāʾ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), he said: they were the Banū Muqarrin, of Muzayna.
17084 — ...... he said: my father related to us, on the authority of Abū Jaʿfar, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, on the authority of Abū al-ʿĀliya, on the authority of ʿUrwa, on the authority of Ibn Mughaffal al-Muzanī — and he was one of the group of men concerning whom was revealed: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), the verse.
17085 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq informed us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr related to us, on the authority of Ibn ʿUyayna, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid concerning His word: تَوَلَّوْا وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا (they turned away while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief), he said: among them was Ibn Muqarrin. And Sufyān said: The people said: among them was ʿIrbāḍ ibn Sāriya.
* * *
And others said: it was rather revealed concerning ʿIrbāḍ ibn Sāriya.
* Mention of who said that:
17086 — Muḥammad ibn al-Muthannā related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of Thawr ibn Yazīd, on the authority of Khālid ibn Maʿdān, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAmr al-Sulamī and Ḥujr ibn Ḥujr al-Kalāʿī, both said: We entered upon ʿIrbāḍ ibn Sāriya, and he is the one concerning whom was revealed: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), the verse.
17087 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: al-Walīd related to us, saying: Thawr related to us, on the authority of Khālid, on the authority of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAmr and Ḥujr ibn Ḥujr, in similar fashion.
* * *
And others said: it was rather revealed concerning a group of seven men, from various tribes.
* Mention of who said that:
17088 — Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz related to us, saying: Abū Maʿshar related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb and others, he said: There came men from the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who asked him for mounts, and he said: "I find nothing on which I can carry you!" Then Allah revealed: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), the verse. He said: they were seven men: from the Banū ʿAmr ibn ʿAwf: Sālim ibn ʿUmayr; from the Banū Wāqif: Harmī ibn ʿAmr; from the Banū Māzin ibn al-Najjār: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Kaʿb, with the nickname Abū Laylā; from the Banū al-Muʿallā: Salmān ibn Ṣakhr; from the Banū Ḥāritha: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yazīd, Abū ʿAbla, and he is the one who gave his honor as alms, and Allah accepted that from him; and from the Banū Salima: ʿAmr ibn Ghanama and ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr al-Muzanī.
17089 — Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Ibn Isḥāq, [concerning] His word: وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ (Nor against those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with mounts), up to His word: حَزَنًا (out of grief), and they are the Weepers, they were seven.
