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fariḥa l-mukhallafūna bi-maqʿadihim khilāfa rasūli llāhi wa-karihū ʾan yujāhidū bi-ʾamwālihim wa-ʾanfusihim fī sabīli llāhi wa-qālū lā tanfirū fī l-ḥarri qul nāru jahannama ʾashaddu ḥarran law kānū yafqahūna
Those who were left behind boasted for sitting back against [the command of] the Apostle of Allah, and were reluctant to wage jihad with their possessions and persons in the way of Allah, and they said, ‘Do not go forth in this heat.’ Say, The fire of hell is severer in heat, should they understand.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah At-Tawbah – Verse 81
81 . “Those who were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind against (the command of) the Messenger of Allah, and were averse from striving with their possessions and their selves in the way of Allah, and said: ‘Do not go forth in the heat’. Say: ‘The Fire of Hell is much severe in heat, if only they could understand’.”
The hypocrites were happy that they had not participated in the Holy Struggle, because they did not like to strive in the way of Allah by their properties and their lives. They not only did not participate themselves in the Holy Struggle but also prevented some others to take part in it. The verse in this regard says:
The Battle of Tabūk happened in a season when the weather was very hot and blazing then the hypocrites prohibited people not to go forth in that hot weather. Therefore, Allah answers them that the Fire of Hell is more blazing if they understand. The verse continues saying:
That is, they were afraid of the heat of the weather while the blazing Fire of Hell is waiting for them.