Surah Al Ahzab Tafseer

أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ

they come not to the battle except a little, being miserly towards you.

i.e., `they are mean and have no love or mercy towards you.'

As-Suddi said:

(Being miserly towards you). means, with the booty.

فَإِذَا جَاء الْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدُورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِي يُغْشَى عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ

Then when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes revolving like one over whom hovers death;

means, because of the intensity of their fear and terror; this is how afraid these cowards are of fighting.

فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الْخَوْفُ سَلَقُوكُم بِأَلْسِنَةٍ حِدَادٍ

but when the fear departs, they will smite you with sharp tongues,

means, when security is restored, they will speak eloquently and nicely, claiming that they were the bravest and most chivalrous of men, but they are lying.

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

سَلَقُوكُم

(they will smite you) means,

"they will start to talk about you."

Qatadah said:

"But when it comes to the booty, the most miserly of people and the worst to have to share the booty with are those who say, `Give us, give us, we were there with you,' but during battle they were the most cowardly and the most likely to fail to support the truth."

أَشِحَّةً عَلَى الْخَيْرِ

are miserly towards good,

meaning that there is no goodness in them, for they have combined cowardice with lies and little good.

Allah says:

أُوْلَيِكَ لَمْ يُوْمِنُوا فَأَحْبَطَ اللَّهُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرًا

Such have not believed. Therefore Allah makes their deeds fruitless and that is ever easy for Allah