Verse Number 14-17
يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِىَ بِعَوْرَةٍ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلاَّ فِرَاراً
(“Truly, our homes lie open.” And they lay not open. They but wished to flee.) If the enemy had entered upon them from every side of Al-Madinah and from every direction, then demanded that they become disbelievers, they would have promptly done so. They would not have adhered to their faith or remained steadfast in it if they were faced with the slightest fear. This is how it was interpreted by Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and Ibn Jarir. This is a condemnation of them in the clearest terms. Then Allah reminds them of the promise they had made to Him before this fear struck them, that they would not turn their backs or flee from the battlefield.
وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولاً
(and a covenant with Allah must be answered for.) means, Allah will inevitably ask them about that covenant. Then Allah tells them that fleeing from battle will not delay their appointed demise or make their lives any longer; on the contrary, it may be the cause of their being taken sooner, and in a sudden manner. Allah says:
وَإِذاً لاَّ تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
(and then you will enjoy no more than a little while!) meaning, `after you run away and flee from battle.’
قُلْ مَتَـعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى
(Say: “Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is better for him who have Taqwa”) (4:77). Then Allah says:
قُلْ مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءاً أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَلاَ نَصِيراً
(Say: “Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you” And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper.) meaning, they have no one else except Allah to respond to their cries.
Verse Number 18-19
هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا
(Come here towards us,) meaning, come to where we are in the shade and enjoying fruits. But in spite of that,
وَلاَ يَأْتُونَ الْبَأْسَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
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:
أَشِحَّةً عَلَيْكُمْ
(Being miserly towards you.) means, with the booty.
فَإِذَا جَآءَ الْخَوْفُ رَأَيْتَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ تَدورُ أَعْيُنُهُمْ كَالَّذِى 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.\” They are miserly towards good, meaning that there is no goodness in them, for they have combined cowardice with lies and little good. Allah says:
أوْلَـئِكَ لَمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ فَأَحْبَطَ اللَّهُ أَعْمَـلَهُمْ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيراً
(Such have not believed. Therefore Allah makes their deeds fruitless and that is ever easy for Allah.)
Verse Number 20
يَحْسَبُونَ الاٌّحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُواْ
(They think that the Confederates have not yet withdrawn;) and that they are still close by and will return.
وَإِن يَأْتِ الاٌّحْزَابُ يَوَدُّواْ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ بَادُونَ فِى الاٌّعْرَابِ يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ أَنبَآئِكُمْ
(and if the Confederates should come, they would wish they were in the deserts among the bedouins, seeking news about you;) means, `if the Confederates should come back, they hope that they will not be present with you in Al-Madinah, but that they will be in the desert, asking about news of you and what happened to you with your enemy.’
وَلَوْ كَانُواْ فِيكُمْ مَّا قَاتَلُواْ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
(and if they were to be among you, they would not fight but little.) means, `if they are among you, they will not fight alongside you very much,’ because they are so cowardly and weak, and have so little faith, but Allah knows best about them.