At-Tawba (The Repentance)

45. “Only those ask permission from you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and their hearts are in doubt, so they waver in their doubt.”

Those who, in the course of the Battle of Tabūk, came to the Prophet (S) and asked him to stay at home, were the very hypocrites and some Muslims of a weak faith, else those believers whose faith was safe and complete and did believe in Allah and the Resurrection Day never asked permission from the Prophet (S) to offend upon the subject of Holy Struggle.

It is understood from this verse that such believers were so obedient to the Prophet’s command that they would never say anything against the question of Holy Struggle and participated in it by their properties and selves without any hesitation, and Allah was aware of the circumstances of those pious ones.

Only those disputed upon the question of Holy Struggle who were weak in their belief, or were hypocrites, and had not a proper faith in Allah and the Resurrection Day.

Such people came to the Prophet (S) and, by some vain excuses and pretexts, they asked permission from Him not to take part in the Holy Struggle. Concerning these people, the Qur’ān announces that their hearts are in doubt and they have not reached to a conclusive belief, then they are bewildered in their own doubt and hesitation. The verse says:

“Only those ask permission from you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and their hearts are in doubt, so they waver in their doubt.”

Hadrat Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) in one of his sayings has cited:

“…and he who waves in doubt, Satans trample him under their feet.”1