Surah Al Fath Tafseer

The Fabricated Excuse offered by Those Who lagged behind and did not participate in Al-Hلudaybiyyah; Allah's Warning for Them

Allah informs to His Messenger,

سَيَقُولُ لَكَ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ مِنَ الاَْعْرَابِ شَغَلَتْنَا أَمْوَالُنَا وَأَهْلُونَا فَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا

Those of the Bedouins who lagged behind will say to you:

"Our possessions and our families occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us."

Allah informs His Messenger of the excuses that the Bedouins who lagged behind would offer him, those Bedouins who preferred to remain in their homes and possessions and did not join the Messenger of Allah.

They offered an excuse for lagging behind, as that of being busy -- in their homes and with their wealth! They asked the Messenger of Allah to invoke Allah to forgive them, not because they had faith in the Prophet and his invocation, but to show off and pretend.

This is why Allah the Exalted said about them,

يَقُولُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ

قُلْ فَمَن يَمْلِكُ لَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ شَيْيًا إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ ضَرًّا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ نَفْعًا

They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts.

Say:"Who then has any power at all (to intervene) on your behalf with Allah, if He intends you hurt or intends you benefit?"

Allah says, none can resist what Allah has decided in your case, all praise and honor belong to Him. Allah is the Knower of your secrets and what your hearts conceal, even if you pretend and choose to be hypocritical with us.

This is why Allah the Exalted said,

بَلْ كَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا

Nay, but Allah is Ever All-Aware of what you do.

then He said