Al-Fath (The Victory)

15. Those who lagged behind [at Hudaybiyya] will say, when you set forth to take the spoils [of Khaybar], “Allow us to follow you.” They want to change Allah’s Words [to the effect that those other than the companions of Hudaybiyya were not supposed to participate at Khaybar]. Say [unto them]: “You shall not follow us. Thus Allah has said [about you] in advance.” Then they will say: “Nay, you envy us [and do not want us to benefit from the spoils which is not true].” Nay, but they understand not except a little.

The majority of Qur’anic exegets maintain that these blessed Verses treat of the conquest of Khaybar occurring in 7 AH/627, one year following the Treaty of Hudaybiyya.

It is worthy of note that according to traditions, it was upon the Noble Prophet’s (S) return from Hudaybiyya that by Divine Command he bore glad tidings to those participating at Hudaybiyya that Muslims would conquer Khaybar and specified that they were solely supposed to participate at the battle of Khaybar; as a consequence of which they rather than those lagging behind, could have war spoils.

However, when these timid mammonists noticed that the Noble Prophet (S) shall definitely be triumphant at the prospective war and many spoils shall fall into the share of the army of Muslims took the opportunity to come to him asking for permission to take part in the battle of Khaybar.

They resorted to the apology that they intended to compensate for their past faults, repent of their sins, and serve the cause of the Islamic faith and the Holy Qur’an with sincerity! They were ignorant of the revelation of the Qur’anic Verses that disclosed their secret intentions:

“Those who lagged behind [at Hudaybiyya] will say, when you set forth to take the spoils [of Khaybar], ‘Allow us to follow you.’ They want to change Allah’s Words [to the effect that those other than the companions of Hudaybiyya were not supposed to participate at Khaybar].”

It may be noted that in other instances such avaricious, indolent, and self-indulgent people fled hardships and perils and aimed at accruing mammons which entailed less hardships.

At any rate, the blessed Qur’anic Verses in question provides an answer to these opportunists:

“They want to change Allah’s Words.”

Then, it is further added:

“You shall not follow us.”

It is not what the Noble Prophet (S) says of his own, but

“Thus Allah has said [about you] in advance”

informing Muslims of your future deeds. It is Divine Command that the spoils of Khaybar shall fall into the share of the companions of Hudaybiyya and others are not supposed to accompany them in this respect.

It is worthy of note that such shameless defectors persist in their false claims and accuse Muslims of entertaining envy;

“Then they will say: “Nay, you envy us.”

Thus, they even impliedly refute the Noble Prophet’s (S) words, claiming that they enviously impede them from taking part in the battle of Khaybar!

The blessed Verse closes thus:

“Nay, but they understand not except a little.”

Their misfortunes spring from their ignorance regarding God Almighty, the elevated state of His Messenger (S), man’s fate, and transience of worldly possessions. It is true that they were clever and precise in financial matters and personal gains, but they were too ignorant to exchange whatever they had with transient mammons.

Finally, the Noble Prophet (S), as per historical accounts, distributed the spoils of the battle of Khaybar amongst the companions of Hudaybiyya, even the person present at Khaybar who failed to participate in the battle of Khaybar, received a share. He is no one but Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah Ansari.¹