Surah Tawbah ayat 120 Tafsir Quran 9:120

﴿مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ الْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا عَن رَّسُولِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَئُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
[ التوبة: 120]

9:120 It was not [proper] for the people of Madinah and those surrounding them of the bedouins that they remain behind after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allah or that they prefer themselves over his self. That is because they are not afflicted by thirst or fatigue or hunger in the cause of Allah, nor do they tread on any ground that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they inflict upon an enemy any infliction but that is registered for them as a righteous deed. Indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

It is not for the people of Medina and for the Bedouins who dwell around them to stay behind God’s Messenger when he sets out on a campaign and to prefer their lives to his life by guarding them against hardships which he the Prophet is content to suffer himself this statement is a prohibition expressed as a predicate; that prohibition against staying behind is because neither thirst nor toil nor hunger afflicts them in the way of God nor tread they any tread mawti’an is a verbal noun meaning wat’an that enrages the disbelievers nor gain any gain from the enemy of God be it through slaughter capture or plunder but a righteous deed is therefore recorded for them that they may be rewarded for it. Truly God does not leave the wage of the virtuous to go to waste that is the wage of those mentioned rather He rewards them.

It was not right nor was it excusable that the Muslim residents of Madina and those of the desert Arabs round about them desert the Messenger in his expedition and remain behind, nor was there any cause inducing them to prefer their own lives to his. The conclusion of all this is that no thirst, hardship or hunger they suffer in Allahs cause or a scheme they design to outwit and anger the infidels and obtain an advantage over them or whether they gain victory or suffer loss but it is credited to them as a righteous deed; Allah does not annul, withhold or withdraw the fruit which people are entitled to reap from deeds of wisdom and piety

Rewards of Jihad Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, criticizes the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins around it, who did not participate in the battle of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
They sought to preserve themselves rather than comfort the Messenger ﷺ during the hardship that he suffered in that battle.
They incurred a loss in their share of the reward, since, لاَ يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ ( they suffer neither Zama' ), thirst, وَلاَ نَصَبٌ ( nor Nasab ), fatigue, وَلاَ مَخْمَصَةٌ ( nor Makhmasah ), hunger, وَلاَ يَطَأُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ ( nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers ), by strategies of war that would terrify their enemy, وَلاَ يَنَالُونَ ( nor inflict ), a defeat on the enemy, إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُمْ ( but is written to their credit ) as compensation for these steps that are not under their control, but a consequence of performing good deeds that earn them tremendous rewards, إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ( Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good. ) Allah said in a similar Ayah, إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلاً ( Certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous ) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost)

Rewards of Jihad Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, criticizes the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins around it, who did not participate in the battle of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
They sought to preserve themselves rather than comfort the Messenger ﷺ during the hardship that he suffered in that battle.
They incurred a loss in their share of the reward, since, لاَ يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ ( they suffer neither Zama' ), thirst, وَلاَ نَصَبٌ ( nor Nasab ), fatigue, وَلاَ مَخْمَصَةٌ ( nor Makhmasah ), hunger, وَلاَ يَطَأُونَ مَوْطِئًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ ( nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers ), by strategies of war that would terrify their enemy, وَلاَ يَنَالُونَ ( nor inflict ), a defeat on the enemy, إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُمْ ( but is written to their credit ) as compensation for these steps that are not under their control, but a consequence of performing good deeds that earn them tremendous rewards, إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ( Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good. ) Allah said in a similar Ayah, إِنَّا لاَ نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلاً ( Certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous ) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost)

( It is not for the townsfolk of al-Medina ) it is not permissible for the folk of Medina ( and for those around them of the wandering Arabs ) from Muzaynah, Juhaynah and Aslam ( to stay behind the Messenger of Allah ) when there is a military expedition ( and prefer their lives to his life ) and it is not permissible that they should feel more compassionate towards themselves than they are towards the Prophet; it is also said that this means: they should not refrain from accompanying the Prophet ( pbuh ) in jihad. ( That ) accompaniment ( is because neither thirst ) when going or returning ( nor toil nor hunger afflicteth them in the way of Allah ) in jihad, ( nor step they any step ) nor do they go past any territory they conquer ( that angereth the disbelievers, nor gain they from the enemy a gain ) by killing or defeating them, ( but a good deed is recorded for them therefore ) the reward of a good deed is recorded for them in jihad. ( Allah loseth not ) thwarts not ( the wages of the good ) the reward of the believers in jihad.

It was not becoming of the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins of the neighbourhood to remain behind Allah's Messenger (Muhammad SAW when fighting in Allah's Cause) and (it was not becoming of them) to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither thirst nor fatigue, nor hunger in the Cause of Allah, nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness. Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the Muhsinun

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