Translation
God indeed relented to the Prophet, the immigrants (from Makkah) and the helpers (from Madinah) who followed him throughout the hardship (of Tabuk expedition and prior difficult undertakings), even as some were tempted to deviate (from the task at hand); He tuned to them in mercy as well. God is ever Gentle and Merciful to them, including those three who failed to join. The earth, despite its vastness, was constraining to them (social isolation) and their own souls felt confined (sense of guilt and failure) such that they fully realized that they have no one to turn to but God; God relented to them so that they might repent to Him. God is Ever Relenting and Merciful. 451
O People of Faith, maintain your sense of duty and commitment and always be with those who are truthful. It is inappropriate for the citizens of Madinah and the Bedouins from the surrounding areas to remain behind (despite a call from the Prophet) and to prefer their lives to his. Whatever afflictions you may suffer of thirst or hunger or fatigue in pursuit of truth and justice [God’s way] or traverse a path [or purpose] that might enrage those who deny God’s grace [unbelievers and unjust] or any triumph or failure you suffer from your adversary, all are written down in your account for good work. Any support you provide, large or small (for common cause) and a distant journey (deliberate effort) you take, it is documented so that God may compensate you for your works.452
The communities of faithful should not go forth all together. It is better that some from every community should refrain from going for (war or journey) to devote time and effort to improve their understanding of their faith (holistic education of all branches of human knowledge) so that they may guide their communities, including those who when they come back so that all can be mindful (of their collective responsibilities and commitments). 453
Interpretation
451 The Tabuk expedition took place in September through December of 630 and was the last major battle preparation by the Prophet in the face of rumors that the imperial forces of Byzantine were massing along the border of Syria to attack Arabia as the news of the Prophet’s ascendency as a leader of the Arabian faithful was traveling through the traditional trade routes and annual pilgrimage to Makkah, especially after Makkah came under the control of the Muslims in 628 and Kabbah was repurposed to enable the worship of One God, as was intended by Abraham.
This was difficult and long journey in the full heat of the summer and came on the heels of the battle of Mutah, the conquest of Makkah and the following battle of Hunayin as well as many other minor but constant minibattles and skirmishes that were part of the tribal warfare, as loyalty was in flux with the increasing dominance of the Prophet and his followers when they finally conquered their own homeland (Makkah), from which they had been driven out fewer than eight years before. Presumably, there were battle fatigue and battle weariness, the presence of newly converted Muslims who did not yet fully grasp the deep sense of commitment to truth and justice that comes with acceptance of faith. And the prospect of taking on the most powerful force of the Byzantine Empire was a daunting prospect for some. It was in the mix of such mental, spiritual, and physical challenges that the Prophet and his core group of followers wanted to pursue this face-up with the Byzantine Empire and were able to amass thirty thousand volunteers, while many others made excuses and invented false pretexts to avoid going to this battle and travel the distance involved.
In general, the Prophet had always respected people’s excuses, even when he doubted their real intentions, since was he was more interested in the purity of intention, real commitment to the cause, and volunteers who were fully committed to the cause, whatever the odds might be. It is the legacy of such group of committed human beings, nurtured and inspired by the Prophet and guided by God’s continued presence in the form the Qur’anic revelations and insights given to the faithful, that we, the current-day believers, owe our faith and our understanding of the works of God and our sense of purpose in this life.
452 God makes His presence known during, before, and after such challenging tasks that confront the believing human beings with encouragement, admonitions, and predictions to help guide them for the immediate tasks at hand but also to build their character, commitment, and mindfulness on how to behave in the future under similar and perhaps more intense challenges and consequential events to unfold. God lays out some fundamental imperatives that in the face an assault on truth and justice, one should (1) be mindful of his or her responsibility to God and to fellow human beings, (2) build coalitions and participate actively and collectively to oppose falsehood and injustice, (3) not make false or deliberate excuses to avoid challenging tasks, and (4) not prefer his or her life over the lives of others and especially the life of the Prophet, who makes the ultimate sacrifice for all of them in ensuring hardship and meticulously conveying and interpreting God’s guidance for them.
To bring more clarity to the above imperatives, God also provides elucidation on the nature of His rewards and compensation for such efforts and pursuits. Every effort exerted, every journey taken, every failure endured, and every success achieved are all being recorded and noticed by God and will be accounted for and duly remunerated, irrespective of the final outcome (success or failure), though the final outcome (success) will correspond to their best effort and best intention in the long run as the law of nature created by God for human existence.
453 Here comes another bit of guidance that has implications for all generations: that is to ensure that in every generation and in every society—while life be can overconsuming at times due to hardship, conflicts, taking care of day-to-day chores, and living—one cannot and should not neglect the individual and collective responsibility to seek knowledge, know the truth, understand the nature of justice, explore the nature of the world, and take a deep dive into the human spirit, soul, and human condition so that each can pursue what one is good at and collectively can provide holistic guidance to all members of society while taking care of difficult challenges that we come to face with as a community, a nation, and humanity at large.
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REFLECTION
While many people look at the Qur’an to seek out rituals and religious obligations, the essence of the Qur’an is the real exposition of faith in God and how to conduct ourselves in life, in the face of intense conflicts and difficulties, and how to balance the constant pursuit of seeking knowledge and truth and then ensuring peace and justice for every human being while taking care of our planet, which sustains our lives.
ACTION
These verses are full of practical and real guidance on what to do and not to do. Perhaps we should go back and read them again—this time slowly, deliberately, and with a sense that God is speaking to us in the first person and in His presence. See if this time, the message becomes real, and see how it influences your thinking going forward, as it did to the Prophet and his sincere and committed followers.
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Key Arabic Term
128. taba (to relent, to repent) (9:117)