It is perhaps most likely that the present passage was revealed after the order was given for general mobilization for the Tabūk Expedition. The Prophet received intelligence that the Byzantines were deploying large forces in southern Syria near the borders with Arabia. He was also informed that the Byzantine Emperor had ordered that all soldiers taking part should be given their salaries a year in advance.

A number of Arab tribes in the area, such as Lukham, Judām, `Amilah and Ghassān had also joined the Byzantine forces, and advance units had already been deployed in al-Balqā’ in Palestine. Therefore, the Prophet issued an order to prepare for war against the Byzantines.

It was the Prophet’s standard strategy when he set out of Madinah to confront an enemy that he kept his destination unknown in order to maintain an element of surprise. This time, however, he made his objective very clear because of the long travelling expected and the difficult circumstances. The timing of this expedition coincided with the burning heat of summer, when people would seek the shade and be keen to enjoy the summer fruits. At such a time all physical activity, let alone military confrontation a long way from home, was to be avoided. Hence, the symptoms we mentioned in the Prologue started to appear among the Muslims. The hypocrites felt this to be their chance to dissuade the Muslims from joining the Prophet. They advised them not to march in the hot summer, and warned them against the might of the Byzantines and the long, weakening travel they would have to endure. Hence some people began to feel uneasy. This passage, then, deals with this type of reluctance.

The passage begins with a word of reproach and a warning against the reluctance to join the campaign of jihād, or struggle for God’s cause. The believers are reminded of the help God gave to His Messenger even before any one of them had joined him, and also of His ability to help him to victory without them. In such an eventuality they would have nothing except their disobedience of God and their failure to support His Messenger.

Believers, what is amiss with you that, when it is said to you: ‘Go forth to fight in God’s cause,’ you cling heavily to the earth? (Verse 38)

Such reluctance to march forth in support of God’s cause is only motivated by worldly considerations and ambitions. People may fear for their lives and their property. They are keen to protect their interests and preserve their pleasures, and would prefer a settled life of ease and comfort. They think primarily of their present life, immediate objectives, close relatives and physical needs. The words chosen here give a vivid impression of “clinging heavily to the earth”. It is as if we are looking at a heavy object that has been in its position for a long time. It is lifted up by a group of people, but it soon falls down with a strong gravitational pull.

Joining a jihād campaign for God’s cause represents freedom from the shackles of this earthly life and physical pleasures. It emphasizes the yearning for freedom after the shedding of narrow needs, and the expanse of eternity after getting rid of this limited worldly life: “Are you content with the comforts of this world in preference to the life to come? Paltry indeed are the enjoyments of life in this world when compared with those to come.” (Verse 38)

No one who believes in God would hesitate to set out to fight for God’s cause unless there is some weakness in his faith. The Prophet says: “A person who dies without having ever joined an expedition fighting for God’s cause or having thought about joining such an expedition must surely have a characteristic of hypocrisy.” Hypocrisy, which is essentially a weakness of faith, is the characteristic which holds a person who claims to believe in God from joining a fight for God’s cause, because he fears death or poverty when life and death are determined by God, and all provisions and wealth are granted by Him. Besides, all the comforts and pleasures of this life are petty and meaningless when compared with what is in store for the believers in the life to come.

A stern threat then follows:

If you do not go forth to fight [in God’s cause], He will punish you severely and replace you by other people. You will not harm Him in any way, for God has power over all things. (Verse 39)

The address here is made to certain people at a certain period of time, but its import applies to all those who believe in God. The punishment with which they are threatened is not limited to the life to come, but it also includes a punishment in this life. They will suffer the humiliation which afflicts all those who refrain from fighting for God’s cause when their enemies have power over them. They are also deprived of the enjoyments and comforts of this life which will be taken up by their enemies. In addition their loss of life and property is far greater than what they will lose when they fight in support of God’s cause. Whenever a community abandons jihād and refuses to fight for God’s cause, it is bound to suffer humiliation. Its eventual loss is much greater than it would need to sacrifice when it fights with the spirit of jihād.

God then gives them an example of the history which they themselves had witnessed, showing them how He supported His Messenger and gave him a great victory without need for their support. After all, victory is granted by God to whom He pleases:

If you do not help him [the Prophet]; God [will, as He] supported him at the time when the unbelievers drove him away. He was only one of two. When these two were alone in the cave, he said to his Companion: Do not grieve, for God is with us.’ Thereupon God bestowed on him the gift of inner peace, and sent to his aid forces which you did not see. He brought the word of the unbelievers utterly low, while the word of God remained supreme. God is Mighty, Wise. (Verse 40)

This is a reference to the time when the Quraysh had lost all patience with Muĥammad and his message. It is the same with every tyrannical authority when it loses patience with the message of the truth after it realizes that it cannot stifle or suppress it. They held their consultations and decided to assassinate Muĥammad.

God then informed the Prophet of what the Quraysh had plotted and instructed him to leave. He set out of Makkah alone except for his trusted Companion, Abū Bakr. He had neither troops nor weapons with which to confront his numerous enemies. The odds were heavily against him.

The sūrah describes vividly the situation of the Prophet and his friend: “When these two were alone in the cave,” (Verse 40) with several bands of the Quraysh chasing them in all directions. Abū Bakr had no fear for his own life, but he feared for the Prophet.

The pursuers were so close to them at one point that he said to the Prophet: “Should any one of them look down where he is standing, he would surely see us.” But the Prophet had all the calmness of the inner peace bestowed on him by God. He reassured his Companion, saying to him: “Abū Bakr, what do you think of two men who have God on their side?” What was the result of this confrontation when all the material power was on one side while the Prophet and his Companion stood alone with no such power? A fantastic victory was granted, employing troops whom no human being could see. A humiliating defeat engulfed the unbelievers: “He brought the word of the unbelievers utterly low.” (Verse 40) God’s word remained mighty, victorious, supreme: “while the word of God remained supreme.” (Verse 40) God is certainly ‘Mighty” and those who advocate His cause will never be humiliated, and He is “Wise, “which means here that He determines when to grant victory to those who deserve it.

That confrontation was an example of God’s help to His Messenger and how His word remains supreme. God is certainly able to repeat such a victory at the hands of other people who do not cling heavily to the earth and who are not reluctant to fight for His cause. This is an example from the near history which the Muslims themselves had witnessed. Yet no evidence is needed when God has stated His word.

They are then called upon to mobilize their forces and not to allow any impediment to stand in their way. If they wish to attain what is best for them in this life as well as in the life to come, then they should not allow any factor to interfere with their response to such a call: