Tafseer of The Repentance · At-Tawba · 9:93
The cause [for blame] is only upon those who ask permission of you while they are rich. They are satisfied to be with those who stay behind, and Allah has sealed over their hearts, so they do not know.
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 saying: إِنَّمَا السَّبِيلُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يَسْتَأْذِنُونَكَ وَهُمْ أَغْنِيَاءُ رَضُوا بِأَنْ يَكُونُوا مَعَ الْخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَ (9:93)
(Truly, the ground [for blame] rests only upon those who ask your permission while they are rich; they were content to be with those who stayed behind, and Allah has sealed their hearts, so that they do not know.)
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: There is no ground for punishment against the people who have a valid excuse, O Muḥammad, but it does rest upon those who ask your permission to stay behind after your departure, and to abandon the jihād with you, while they are people of wealth, strength, and the capacity for jihād and fighting — out of hypocrisy (nifāq) and doubt concerning the promise and the threat of Allah. رَضُوا بِأَنْ يَكُونُوا مَعَ الْخَوَالِفِ (they were content to be with those who stayed behind), He says: they were content to remain, after your departure, sitting with the women — and they are "those who stayed behind" (al-khawālif), who remain in the houses behind the men — and to abandon the fighting with you. وَطَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ (and Allah has sealed their hearts), He says: and Allah has sealed their hearts because of the sins they have acquired. فَهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَ (so that they do not know), [they do not know] the evil outcome awaiting them because of their staying behind from you and their abandoning the jihād with you, nor what awaits them of disgraceful mention in this world and tremendous trial in the Hereafter.
