At-Tawba (The Repentance)

49. “And among them there is he who says: ‘Give me permission and do not tempt me.’ Surely into temptation have they already fallen; and verily Hell encompasses the infidels.”

One of the chiefs of the tribe Bany Salamah, who was one of the hypocrites, asked the Messenger of Allah (S) not to attend in the Battle of Tabūk. His pretext was that if he saw the Roman women, he would be enamoured of them and would commit sins.

The Holy Prophet (S) allowed him so. Then, this verse was revealed and counted him sinful and fallen in temptation for the sake of not participating in the battlefield. The Prophet (S) resigned him from his rank, the presidency of the tribe, and appointed Bushr-ibn-Bur’ā’, a generous and good tempered man, in his place.

However, for believers, a battlefield is the site of temptation and examination, and those who are worried about the temptation of war and avoid going toward Holy Struggle, will fall into a greater temptation. The verse says:

“And among them there is he who says: ‘Give me permission and do not tempt me.’ Surely into temptation have they already fallen...”

To deceive the believers, some of hypocrites abuse the religious matters and ordinances and, under the name of, for example, ‘looking at the Roman girls’, disobey the command of Allah and the Messenger.

It should be noted that escape from the Divine trial is impossible; and encompassment of Hell upon infidels and hypocrites is for the encompassment of Hell upon infidels and hypocrites is for the encompassment of sin upon their entity. The verse continues saying:

“…and verily Hell encompasses the infidels.”