Surah 33. Al-Ahzab

Then and there the believers were put to the test, and were violently shaken.

  - Mustafa Khattab

In that situation were the Believers tried: they were shaken as by a tremendous shaking.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And 'remember' when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said, 'Allah and His Messenger have promised us nothing but delusion!'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And behold! the Hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (even) say: "Allah and His Apostle promised us nothing but delusion!" ³⁶⁸³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Before this year's mass attack on Madinah the Muslims had successfully reached the Syrian border on the north, and there were hopes of reaching Yemen in the south. The holy Prophet had seen signs of expansion and victory for the Muslims. Now that they were shut in within the Trench on the defensive, the Hypocrites taunted them with having indulged in delusive hopes. But the event showed that the hopes were not delusive. They were realised beyond expectations in a few years.

And 'remember' when a group of them said, 'O people of Yathrib!¹ There is no point in you staying 'here', so retreat!' Another group of them asked the Prophet's permission 'to leave', saying, 'Our homes are vulnerable,' while 'in fact' they were not vulnerable. They only wished to flee.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Yathrib was the name of Medina before the arrival of the Prophet (ﷺ) and Muslim emigrants.

Behold! a party among them said: "Ye men of Yathrib! Ye cannot stand (the attack)! Therefore go back!" and a band of them ask for leave of the Prophet saying "Truly our houses are bare and exposed" though they were not exposed: they intended nothing but to run away. ³⁶⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All the fighting men of Madinah had come out of the city and camped in the open space between the City and the Trench that had been dug all round. The disaffected Hypocrites sowed defeatist rumours and pretended to withdraw for the defence of their homes, though their homes were not exposed, and were fully covered by the vigilant defensive force inside the Trench.

Had their city been sacked from all sides and they had been asked to abandon faith, they would have done so with little hesitation.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (City) and they had been incited to sedition they would certainly have brought it to pass with none but a brief delay! ³⁶⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The brunt of the fighting was on the north side, but the whole Trench was guarded. At one or two points enemy warriors did break in within the circuit of the Trench, but they were soon disposed off. Hadhrat 'Ali particularly distinguished himself in many fights, wearing the Prophet's own sword and armour. If any of the enemy had been able to penetrate into the City, the disaffected element, which was only sitting on the fence, would have risen against the Muslims at once-with no delay except what might have been necessary to put on their armour and arms.

They had already pledged to Allah earlier never to turn their backs 'in retreat'. And a pledge to Allah must be answered for.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for. ³⁶⁸⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Apparently, after the battle of Uhud, certain men who had then shown cowardice were forgiven on undertaking that they would behave better next time. A solemn promise made to the Messenger of Allah is a promise to Allah, and it cannot be broken with impunity.

Say, 'O Prophet,' 'Fleeing will not benefit you if you 'try to' escape a natural or violent death. 'If it is not your time,' you will only be allowed enjoyment for a little while.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Until the end of your short life on earth.

Say: "Running away will not profit you if ye are running away from death or slaughter; and even if (ye do escape) no more than a brief (respite) will ye be allowed to enjoy!" ³⁶⁸⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The coward in a fight does not usually save himself from death. He is subject, after desertion, to the fury both of the enemy and of his own side for cowardice and desertion. Assuming that he did escape with his life, where could he go to? The brand of cowardice will be on him, and he will be Subject to the vegeance of his own people. In any case, his life would be in ignominy and would be brief, and he would have lost irretrievably the meed of valour.

Ask 'them, O Prophet', 'Who can put you out of Allah's reach if He intends to harm you or show you mercy?' They can never find any protector or helper besides Allah.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Say: "Who is it that can screen you from Allah if it be His wish to give you Punishment or to give you Mercy?" Nor will they find for themselves besides Allah any protector or helper. ³⁶⁸⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It is still worse if the cowardice or desertion is shown in a Cause, which, because of the high issues of truth and justice, may be called the Cause of Allah. How can any one escape Allah's Punishment? And in the same way, how can any one prevent another from obtaining Allah's Mercy by repentance and amendment? The better path, therefore, is to stand firm in Allah's Way, and if you fail through human weakness, to repent and seek Allah's Mercy. Cf. xxxiii. 24, and n. 3698 below.

Allah knows well those among you who discourage 'others from fighting', saying 'secretly' to their brothers, 'Stay with us,' and who themselves hardly take part in fighting.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Verily Allah knows those among you who keep back (men) and those who say to their brethren "Come along to us" but come not to the fight except for just a little while.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'They are' totally unwilling to assist you. When danger comes, you see them staring at you with their eyes rolling like someone in the throes of death. But once the danger is over, they slash you with razor-sharp tongues, ravenous for 'worldly' gains. Such people have not 'truly' believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds void. And that is easy for Allah.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Covetous over you. Then when fear comes thou wilt see them looking to thee their eyes revolving like (those of) one over whom hovers death: but when the fear is past they will smite you with sharp tongues covetous of goods. Such men have no faith and so Allah has made their deeds of none effect: and that is easy for Allah. ^{3689 3690 3691 3692}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Ashihhatan: covetous, grasping, niggardly. Here the meaning is twofold: (1) they spare themselves in the fight as compared with you; they are niggardly with themselves as against you: they contribute little either in personal effort or with their money and resources; and (2) they covet any gains made or booty won, on the part of the real fighters.

In times of danger, they would look to the holy Prophet for protection, and keep themselves snugly from the fight. When the danger is past, they will come and brag and wrangle and show their covetousness or greed for gain though they gave of themselves but sparingly.

Even any good they may have done becomes vain because of their motives of envy, greed, and covetousness, and their cowardice.

It is not surprising that men's deeds fall as it were dead because there is no pure motive behind them. For men it may be difficult to probe motives, but it is easy for Allah, Whom hypocrisy or false show can never deceive.

They 'still' think that the enemy alliance has not 'yet' withdrawn. And if the allies were to come 'again', the hypocrites would wish to be away in the desert among nomadic Arabs, 'only' asking for news about you 'believers'. And if the hypocrites were in your midst, they would hardly take part in the fight.

  - Mustafa Khattab

They think that the Confederates have not withdrawn; and if the Confederates should come (again) they would wish they were in the deserts (wandering) among the Bedouins and seeking news about you (from a safe distance); and if they were in your midst they would fight but little. ³⁶⁹³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This completes the picture of the psychology of the Hypocrites, begun at verse 12. Let us analyse it. (1) When they first saw the enemy they were already in a defeatist mood, and thought all was over (verse 12). (2) Not content with disloyalty themselves, they tried to infect others, who made paltry excuses to withdraw from the fight (verse 13). (3) They were ready to betray the City to the enemy if once the enemy had gained entrance (verse 14). (4) They forgot all the promises of fidelity which they had previously sworn (verse 15). (5) In their paltry calculations they forgot that cowardice in war does not pay (verses 16-17). (6) Without taking much part in the actual defence, they were ready to talk glibly and claim a lion's share in the fruits of the victory (verses 18-19). (7) Even when the enemy had withdrawn, their cowardly minds were still afraid that the enemy would return, and were already meditating what they would do in that case: perhaps they would dwell in the deserts and spy on Madinah from a safe distance; and if caught in Madinah they would fight little and intrigue much. It was a miracle that with such men in their midst, the holy Prophet and his band won through.

Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Ye have indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of (conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day and who engages much in the praise of Allah. ^{3694 3695}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We now have the psychology of the Believers,-God-fearing men, led by that pattern of men and of leaders, Muhammad Al-Mustafa.

Cf. xxvi. 227: see especially the last clause of that verse in a Makkan Sura, which was amply fulfilled in Madinah.

When the believers saw the enemy alliance, they said, 'This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us. The promise of Allah and His Messenger has come true.' And this only increased them in faith and submission.

  - Mustafa Khattab

When the Believers saw the Confederate forces they said: "This is what Allah and His Apostle had promised us and Allah and his Apostle told us what was true." And it only added to their faith and their zeal in obedience. ³⁶⁹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is in contrast to what the Hypocrites said in verse 12 above. The divine promise of help and success is contigent upon our striving and faith. Nothing comes to the poltroon and the sceptical idler. Dangers and difficulties, and conflict with Evil, are foretold us, and we must meet them with fortitude and courage.

Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to Allah.¹ Some of them have fulfilled their pledge 'with their lives', others are waiting 'their turn'. They have never changed 'their commitment' in the least.

  - Mustafa Khattab

  See footnote for 7:46.

Among the Believers are men who have been true to their Covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow to (the extreme) and some (still) wait: but they have never changed (their determination) in the least: ³⁶⁹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the fight for truth were (and are) many who sacrificed their all-resources, knowledge, influence, life itself-in the Cause, and never wavered. If they won the crown of martyrdom, they were blessed. Such a one was Sad ibn Mu'az, the chief of the Aus tribe, the intrepid standard-bearer of Islam, who died of a wound he had received in the Battle of the Trench. Other heroes fought valiantly and lived, always ready to lay down their lives. Both classes were staunch: they never changed or wavered.

'It all happened' so Allah may reward the faithful for their faithfulness, and punish the hypocrites if He wills or turn to them 'in mercy'. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

That Allah may reward the men of Truth for their Truth and punish the Hypocrites if that be His Will or turn to them in Mercy: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. ³⁶⁹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Before Allah's Mercy there is always room for repentance and forgiveness, even after treason and crime; but the forgiveness will be according to Allah's Will and Plan, which will judge the penitent's sincerity and capacity for good to the nicest degree in his favour. Cf. also xxxiii. 17 above.

And Allah drove back the disbelievers in their rage, totally empty-handed. And Allah spared the believers from fighting. For Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And Allah turned back the Unbelievers for (all) their fury: no advantage did they gain and enough is Allah for the Believers in their fight. And Allah is full of Strength Able to enforce His Will. ^{3699 3700}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In spite of the mighty preparations and the great forces which the Makkans in concert with the Central Arabian Bedouins, the discontented Jews, and the treacherous Hypocrites, brought to the siege of Madinah, all their plans were frustrated. Their fury availed them nothing. They departed in hot haste. This was their last and dying effort. The initiative thereafter lay with the forces of Islam.

For the meaning of Aziz, see n. 2818 to xxii. 40