Surah At-Tawbah, Ayah 120
Quran 9:120 · The Repentance · Madani · Para 11 · Page 206
مَا كَانَ لِاَهْلِ الْمَدِیْنَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُمْ مِّنَ الْاَعْرَابِ اَنْ یَّتَخَلَّفُوْا عَنْ رَّسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا یَرْغَبُوْا بِاَنْفُسِهِمْ عَنْ نَّفْسِهٖ ؕ ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّهُمْ لَا یُصِیْبُهُمْ ظَمَاٌ وَّلَا نَصَبٌ وَّلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا یَطَـُٔوْنَ مَوْطِئًا یَّغِیْظُ الْكُفَّارَ وَلَا یَنَالُوْنَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَّیْلًا اِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ بِهٖ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا یُضِیْعُ اَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ ۟ۙ
Transliteration
Ma kana li-ahli almadeenatiwaman hawlahum mina al-aAArabi an yatakhallafooAAan rasooli Allahi wala yarghaboo bi-anfusihimAAan nafsihi thalika bi-annahum la yuseebuhumthamaon wala nasabun walamakhmasatun fee sabeeli Allahi wala yataoonamawti-an yagheethu alkuffara walayanaloona min AAaduwwin naylan illa kutiba lahumbihi AAamalun salihun inna Allaha layudeeAAu ajra almuhsineen
Saheeh International
It was not [proper] for the people of Madīnah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allāh, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that it is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allāh does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
It is not for the people of Medina, or those around them of the people who live in the desert, to stay behind the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)if he himself goes out to fight, or to be stingy with themselves and give preference to their own safety over the safety of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, they should sacrifice themselves for him. This is because they suffer no thirst, tiredness or hunger for the sake of Allah, and do not step anywhere in the land of those who deny the truth with their own feet or the hooves of their horses or camels, angering thereby those who oppose the truth, and do not make a gain over their enemy, killing or capturing them, making war gains or defeating them, except that Allah records for them the reward of a good action for them, which He accepts from them. Allah does not allow the reward of those who do good to be lost. Rather, He gives it to them in full, and increases the reward for them.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
It was neither befitting for the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins of the neighborhood to remain behind Allah's Messenger nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither Zama' nor Nasab, nor Makhmasah in the cause of Allah, nor did they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy, but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness. Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good (120)
Rewards of Jihad
Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, criticizes the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins around it, who did not participate in the battle of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They sought to preserve themselves rather than comfort the Messenger ﷺ during the hardship that he suffered in that battle. They incurred a loss in their share of the reward, since,
لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ
(they suffer neither 'Ẓama''), thirst,
وَلَا نَصَبٌ
(nor 'Naşab'), fatigue,
وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ
(nor 'Makhmaşah'), hunger,
وَلَا يَطَئُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ
(nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers), by strategies of war that would terrify their enemy,
وَلَا يَنَالُونَ
(nor inflict), a defeat on the enemy,
إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم
(but is written to their credit) as compensation for these steps that are not under their control, but a consequence of performing good deeds that earn them tremendous rewards,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
(Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good.)
Allah said in a similar Ayah,
إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا
(Certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost)