201 Page Notes

09 Surah At-Tawbah (continued)

Page 201 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

9:87

9:88

9:89

9:90

9:91

9:92

9:93

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 201 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 201 of the Quran covers Surah At-Tawbah (9), verses 87 through 93. This section deals extensively with the physical sorting of Medina's population during the mobilization for the Expedition of Tabuk (9 AH).

The text draws a stark moral division line: on one side are the wealthy, able-bodied hypocrites who fabricated excuses to stay behind in their comfortable shaded groves, and on the other are the sincere, destitute believers who wept bitterly because they could not afford the basic mounts, water skins, or provisions required to join the Prophet ﷺ.

1. Verses 87–89: Choice of the Elites vs. Sacrifices of the Companions

“They were satisfied to be with those who stayed behind, and their hearts were sealed, so they do not understand. But the Messenger and those who believed with him strove with their wealth and their lives. Those will have [all that is] good, and those are the successful.” (Quran 9:87–88)

The Sunnah Contrast: Chasing Shaded Comforts

The phrase "satisfied to be with those who stayed behind" refers to the hypocrites choosing to stay back in Medina with the non-combatant demographics (the elderly, children, and the chronically ill).

• The Seasonal Temptation: The Sunnah records that the Tabuk expedition precisely coincided with the ripening season of Medina’s date palms. Staying behind meant enjoying fresh fruit, shade, and safety.

• The Prophetic Counter-Model: The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and his core companions (Sahabah) was the polar opposite. They prioritized communal defense over seasonal agricultural profits, demonstrating that true faith requires active, sacrificial effort when the community faces existential threats.

2. Verse 90: The False Excuses of the Bedouins (Al-Mu'adhdhirun)

“And those who made excuses from the Bedouins came to be permitted [to remain], and those who had lied to Allah and His Messenger sat [at home]. There will strike those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.” (Quran 9:90)

Historical Sunnah Context: Tribal Politics

Medina was surrounded by various desert nomadic tribes (Bedouins). When the general call to mobilize was issued, many Bedouin leaders rode into town presenting elaborate, fabricated excuses to secure a formal exemption from the Prophet ﷺ.

The Sunnah preserved a strict policy regarding these interactions. While the Prophet ﷺ accepted their surface-level justifications at face value to prevent internal revolt, these verses exposed their internal deceit, clarifying that formal administrative exemptions do not cleanse a heart of spiritual treason.

3. Verses 91–92: The Famous Incident of the Weepers (Al-Bakka'un)

“There is not upon the weak or upon the ill or upon those who do not find anything to spend any blame when they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger... Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you that you might give them mounts, you said, 'I can find nothing for you to ride upon.' They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears of grief out of sorrow that they could not find something to spend.” (Quran 9:91–92)

Authentic Hadith Reference: The True Value of Intention

Verse 92 honors an iconic group of impoverished companions affectionately known in Islamic history as Al-Bakka'un (The Weepers). These men were so deeply desperate to join the struggle that when the Prophet ﷺ had to turn them away because the state treasury had run out of camels and horses, they broke down in tears.

The spiritual impact of their raw sincerity is captured in a beautiful, foundational Hadith:

Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

While we were returning from the Expedition of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Prophet ﷺ turned to us and said:

"Indeed, there are people left behind in Medina who—not a single mountain pass did you cross, nor a single valley did you traverse, except that they were right there sharing the spiritual reward with you."

The companions asked in surprise: "O Messenger of Allah! Even though they are all the way back in Medina?"

The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Yes, even though they are in Medina. They were held back only by a valid physical excuse (or lack of resources)."

— Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 56 (Book of Jihad), Hadith 2839; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1911.

4. Verse 93: Target of Condemnation

“The cause [for blame] is only against those who ask permission of you while they are rich. They were satisfied to be with those who stayed behind, and Allah has sealed their hearts so they do not know.” (Quran 9:93)

The Legal Criterion of Blame

This verse finalizes the legal and moral criteria for accountability in the Sunnah.

• The Distinction: Islam does not condemn people for their lack of physical capacity, poverty, or illness.

• The Crime of the Wealthy Hypocrites: The entire weight of divine condemnation is focused strictly on the wealthy elites who possessed excess horses, camels, food, and finances, yet weaponized bureaucratic loopholes to shirk their social and defensive responsibilities.

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (1997). Sahih al-Bukhari (Vols. 1-9). Darussalam Publishers.

• Al-Naysaburi, M. H. (2007). Sahih Muslim (Vols. 1-7). Darussalam Publishers.

• Ibn Kathir, I. O. (2003). Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged). Darussalam Publishers.

Verification of Primary Source Indexing:

• The Reward of the People Left Behind: Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 56, Hadith 2839; Sahih Muslim, Book 33 (Book of Leadership/Imarah), Hadith 1911.

• The Context of Al-Bakka'un: Detailed in classical Sirah (biography) materials and verified by Tafsir Ibn Kathir under the commentary for Surah At-Tawbah, 9:92.