Back to full surahمَا 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 ١٢٠
Ma kana liahli almadeenati waman hawlahum mina alaAArabi an yatakhallafoo AAan rasooli Allahi wala yarghaboo bianfusihim AAan nafsihi thalika biannahum la yuseebuhum thamaon wala nasabun wala makhmasatun fee sabeeli Allahi wala yataoona mawtian yagheethu alkuffara wala yanaloona min AAaduwwin naylan illa kutiba lahum bihi AAamalun salihun inna Allaha la yudeeAAu ajra almuhsineena
It was unbecoming the people of Medina and the villagers (inhabitants) of the suburbs to lag behind (stepping aside from) Allah’s Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him), nor to feel for their own souls greater concern than his (blessed and sacred) soul. This (command) is because in the cause of Allah (whatever) thirst they suffer, (whatever) turmoil they undergo, (whatever) hunger they endure, and stepping on a track where treading rouses violent reaction amongst the disbelievers, and whatever they receive from the enemy (killing and injury or spoils of war): in recompense of everything is recorded a good deed to their credit. Surely, Allah does not waste the reward of the righteous. (9:120)
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 . They sought to preserve themselves rather than comfort the Messenger 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)
