Surah Al Imran Tafseer

وَلْيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ نَافَقُواْ وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْاْ قَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ أَوِ ادْفَعُواْ قَالُواْ لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالاً لاَّتَّبَعْنَاكُمْ

And that He might test the hypocrites, it was said to them:"Come, fight in the way of Allah or defend yourselves." They said:"Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you."

Ibn Abbas, Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi stated,

This refers to the Companions of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul who went back (to Al-Madinah) with him before the battle. Some believers followed them and encouraged them to come back and fight, saying,

أَوِ ادْفَعُواْ

(or defend), so that the number of Muslims increases.

Al-Hasan bin Salih said that this part of the Ayah means,

help by supplicating for us,

while others said it means,

man the posts.

However, they refused, saying,

("Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you."),

According to Mujahid meaning,

if we knew that you would fight today, we would join you, but we think you will not fight.

Allah said,

هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَيِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلِيمَانِ

They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to faith,

This Ayah indicates that a person passes through various stages, sometimes being closer to Kufr and sometimes closer to faith, as evident by,

هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَيِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلِيمَانِ

(They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to faith).

Allah then said,

يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ

saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts.

for they utter what they do not truly believe in, such as,

"(Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you)."

They knew that there was an army of idolators that came from a far land raging against the Muslims, to avenge their noble men whom the Muslims killed in Badr. These idolators came in larger numbers than the Muslims, so it was clear that a battle will certainly occur.

Allah said;

وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَكْتُمُونَ

And Allah has full knowledge of what they conceal