At-Tawba (The Repentance)

41. “Go forth light and heavy! and strive in Allah’s way with your possessions and your selves, this is better for you if you know.”

The objective meaning of the Arabic couple of words: /xifāf/ and /θiqāl /, mentioned in the verse, is either of the following opposite terms: ‘light and heavy’, ‘bachelor and married’, ‘poor and rich’, ‘on horseback and on foot’, ‘young and old’, ‘to have a large family and to have a small family’, ‘of ease and of discomfort’ and ‘trade and farming’.

It is cited in Fi-Zilāl, a commentary of the Qur’ān, that when some old persons such as: ‘Abū-’Ayyūb’Ansāri, Miqdād, and Abū-Talhah, who became ready to go towards the battle-fields, were told that they were too old to go to fight, they often recited the abovementioned verse.

However, when the command of general mobilization for battlefield is issued, do not pretext any barrier. The verse says:

“Go forth light and heavy!…”

And do know that everything should be devoted to the religion, including wealth and life, not only either of them. The verse continues saying:

“…And strive in Allah’s way with your possessions and your selves, this is better for you if you know.”

Therefore, striving with life for the poor and striving with both wealth and life for the rich is obligatory.