At-Tawba (The Repentance)

86. “And whenever a Surah is sent down, saying ‘Believe in Allah and strive hard along with His Messenger’, those with abundant means among them ask leave of you, and they say: ‘Let us be with those who sit back.”

Sometimes it happened that a Surah or a verse of the Qur’ān concerning the believers was revealed and invited them to be firm in Faith and to strive in the way of Allah beside the Prophet (S).

Such revelations caused the believers to become spiritually encouraged, firm, and steadfast; but those Divine revelations caused the hypocrites to become inconvenient and despondent. So, they (the hypocrites) sometimes came to the Prophet (S) and uttered some materials which clearly indicated their hypocrisy.

This verse denotes that when a Surah was revealed wherein people were enjoined to belief in Allah and Holy Struggle beside the Prophet (S), some of the rich hypocrites came to the Messenger of Allah (S) and asked permission not to participate in the Holy Struggle.

They said that they might be allowed to stay at home with those who could stay at home, and not to take part in the Holy Struggle. The verse says:

“And whenever a Surah is sent down, saying ‘Believe in Allah and strive hard along with His Messenger’, those with abundant means among them ask leave of you, and they say: ‘Let us be with those who sit back.”