The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 718
CH. 9 R. 6. AT-TAUBAH PT. 10 يَا يُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ O ye who believe! What is. 38 the matter with you that, when انْفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ انَّا قَلْتُمْ إِلَى it is said to you, go forth in the way of Allah, you sink heavily الْاَرْضِ اَرَضِيْتُمْ بِالْحَيُوةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ towards the earth? Would you الْآخِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي the الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ be contented with the present life in preference to Hereafter? But the enjoyment of the present life is but little, as compared Hereafter. 1198 with the "13:27. b3:15. innovation, and as evidence of the untrustworthiness of the pagan Arabs, implying that as they could not keep the ordinances of God, they could not be expected to remain true to their engagements with Muslims. 1198. Commentary: Just as true Muslims should always be prepared to desist from war, whenever they are required to do so, (see preceding verse), they should also be ever ready to march forth in the cause of Allah whenever called upon. It is to this great truth that the present verse draws our attention. Indeed, with this verse the Quran begins to throw light on such residents of Medina as were weak of faith, including the hypocrites, and exposes the attitude they adopted to evade the obligations that devolved on them as members of the Muslim community. The hypocrites are particularly addressed, the reference being to the expedition to Tabūk, a town situated about halfway between 1158 Medina and Damascus. News was brought to the Holy Prophet that the Greeks of the Eastern Roman Empire were assembling their forces on the Syrian frontier. As the Greeks, popularly known as Romans, possessed a regular and well- disciplined army, the Holy Prophet thought it necessary to make thorough preparations to meet them. Contrary to his usual practice, he even announced his objective making no secret of his destination, so that those, who took part in it, should do so in full consciousness of the length and hardships of the journey. It was a time of great trial. The long and arduous journey through the desert was undertaken in the midst of the hot weather. The season promised drought and scarcity for those who took part in the expedition and the ripeness of the harvest for those who stayed behind. Pious Muslims, however, in their devotion to the cause of Islam, promptly responded to the Prophet's call. Of those who