Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 120

Mufti Taqi Usmani

It was not (permissible) for the people of Madīnah and for those around them of the Bedouins to stay behind abandoning the Messenger of Allah, nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because whatever thirst or fatigue or hunger strikes them in the way of Allah, and whenever they step into a place which infuriates the infidels, and whenever they make a gain from an enemy, a virtuous deed is credited to their account. Surely, Allah does not nullify the reward of the virtuous.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

It was not ˹proper˺ for the people of Medina and the nomadic Arabs around them to avoid marching with the Messenger of Allah or to prefer their own lives above his. That is because whenever they suffer from thirst, fatigue, or hunger in the cause of Allah; or tread on a territory, unnerving the disbelievers; or inflict any loss on an enemy—it is written to their credit as a good deed. Surely Allah never discounts the reward of the good-doers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

It was not for the people of Madinah and the Bedouins around them to stay behind the Messenger of Allah or to prefer their own lives to his. That is because whenever they suffer any thirst, weariness or hunger in the cause of Allah, or tread a place which enrages the disbelievers, or inflict any loss upon an enemy, a righteous deed is recorded for them. Allah does not allow the reward of those who do good to go to waste.

A. J. Arberry

It is not for the people of the City and for the Bedouins who dwell around them to stay behind God's Messenger, and to prefer their lives to his; that is because they are smitten neither by thirst, nor fatigue, nor emptiness in the way of God, neither tread they any tread enraging the unbelievers, nor gain any gain from any enemy, but a righteous deed is thereby written to their account; God leaves not to waste the wage of the good-doers.

Abdul Haleem

The people of Medina and their neighbouring desert Arabs should not have held back from following God’s Messenger, nor should they have cared about themselves more than him: if ever they suffer any thirst, weariness, or hunger in God’s cause, take any step that angers the disbelievers, or cause any harm to an enemy, a good deed is recorded in their favour on account of it- God never wastes the reward of those who do good-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

It was not for the people of Madina and those around them of the desert dwellers that they should lay behind the apostle of Allah, nor that they should prefer themselves before him. That is because there afflicteth them not thirst or fatigue or hunger in the way of Allah or they tread a place trodden on enraging the infidels, nor they attain an attainment from the enemy, but a good deed is thereby written down unto them. Verily Allah wasteth not the hire of the well-doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

It was not fitting for the people of Medina and the Bedouin Arabs of the neighbourhood, to refuse to follow Allah's Messenger, nor to prefer their own lives to his; because nothing could they suffer or do, but was reckoned to their credit as a deed of righteousness,- whether they suffered thirst, or fatigue, or hunger, in the cause of Allah, or trod paths to raise the ire of the Unbelievers, or received any injury whatever from an enemy; for Allah suffereth not the reward to be lost of those who do good;-

Abul Ala Maududi

It did not behove the people of Madinah and the bedouin Arabs around them that they should refrain from accompanying the Messenger of Allah and stay behind and prefer their own security to his. For whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger in the Way of Allah, and whenever they tread a place which enrages the unbelievers (whenever anything of this comes to pass), a good deed is recorded in their favour. Allah does not cause the work of the doers of good to go to waste.

Ahmed Ali

It was not worthy of the people of Madina, and the Arabs of the desert around them, to abandon the Prophet of God, and to care more for themselves than for him; for there is no hardship or thirst or hunger that they know in the service of God, and no place they walk on where walking provokes the unbelievers, and no harm they receive from the enemy, but is put down as a good deed in their favour. Surely God does not let the recompense of those who do good to go waste.

Ahmed Raza Khan

It did not befit the people of Medinah and the people of the villages around them, to stay behind the Noble Messenger of Allah, nor to consider their own lives dearer than his life; that is because the thirst or the pain or the hunger that afflicts them in Allah's cause, and the step they tread on a place that angers the disbelievers, and whatever harm they cause the enemy – a good deed is recorded for them in lieu of all of these; indeed Allah does not waste the wages of the virtuous.

Ali Quli Qarai

It is not fitting for the people of Madinah and the Bedouins around them to hang back behind the Apostle of Allah and prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they neither experience any thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger, in the way of Allah, nor do they tread any ground enraging the faithless, nor do they gain any ground against an enemy but a righteous deed is written for them on its account. Indeed Allah does not waste the reward of the virtuous.

Ali Ünal

It does not behove the people of Madinah and the Bedouin Arabs around them to fail to follow God’s Messenger and to care for their own selves more than for him. That is because they suffer neither from thirst, nor weariness, nor hunger in God’s cause, nor take a step which enrages the unbelievers, nor win some gain from the enemy, but a righteous deed is thereby recorded for them (to their account). Indeed, God does not leave to waste the reward of those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them.

Amatul Rahman Omar

It was not proper for the people of Madînah and (for) the Arabs of the desert (who live) around them to have stayed behind the Messenger of Allâh (at the time of expedition to Tabûk) nor (was it proper for them) to have preferred their own lives to his. That is because they suffer no thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger in Allâh´s way nor do they make a journey which enrages the disbelievers, nor do they gain an advantage over an enemy, but a righteous deed is credited to their account (in the record of their deeds) because of it. Verily, Allâh suffers not the reward of the doers of good to be lost.

English Literal

(It) was not to the city`s/town`s family/relation/people and who (is) around/surrounding them from the Arabs , that they delay (remain behind) from God`s messenger, and nor they wish/desire with themselves from his self/himself, that (is) because they (E) (experience) no thirst, and nor hardship/fatigue , and nor hunger strikes them in God`s sake , and they do not step on/set foot on a foothold (that) angers/enrages the131disbelievers, and they do not take/obtain (win) from an enemy receiving/obtaining (winning) except (that) it was written/decreed for them with it, correct/righteous deeds , that God does not loose/waste/destroy the good doer`s reward/wage .

Faridul Haque

It did not befit the people of Medinah and the people of the villages around them, to stay behind the Noble Messenger of Allah, nor to consider their own lives dearer than his life; that is because the thirst or the pain or the hunger that afflicts them in Allah´s cause, and the step they tread on a place that angers the disbelievers, and whatever harm they cause the enemy - a good deed is recorded for them in lieu of all of these; indeed Allah does not waste the wages of the virtuous.

Hamid S. Aziz

It was not fitting for the people of Medina and for those around them of the wandering Arabs of the desert, to stay behind the Messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his. That is because neither thirst, nor toil, nor heat, nor hunger befell them on Allah´s way, nor do their acts anger the disbelievers, or they receive injury from the enemy, but a good deed is recorded for them. Verily, Allah wastes not the wages of those who do good.

Hilali & Khan

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

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O you who believe, keep your duty to Allah and be with the truthful.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

It did not beseem the people of Medina and those round about them of the dwellers of the desert to remain behind the Apostle of Allah, nor should they desire (anything) for themselves in preference to him; this is because there afflicts them not thirst or fatigue or hunger in Allah's way, nor do they tread a path which enrages the unbelievers, nor do they attain from the enemy what they attain, but a good work is written down to them on account of it; surely Allah does not waste the reward of the doers of good;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

It is not for the townsfolk of Al-Madinah and for those around them of the wandering Arabs so stay behind the messenger of Allah and prefer their lives to his life. That is because neither thirst nor toil nor hunger afflicteth them in the way of Allah, nor step they any step that angereth the disbelievers, nor gain they from the enemy a gain, but a good deed is recorded for them therefor. Lo! Allah loseth not the wages of the good.

Muhammad Sarwar

The inhabitants of the city of Medina and the desert Arabs dwelling around it were not supposed to disobey the Messenger of God or to give priority to their own lives above that of the Prophet. For if they had given priority to the life of the Messenger of God, they would not have experienced the hardships of thirst, fatigue, or hunger in their struggle for the cause of God, nor would their travelling have enraged the disbelievers and they would not have received any injury from enemies that God would not record for them as a virtuous deed. God does not ignore the reward of those who do good.

Qaribullah & Darwish

The people of Madinah and the Arabs who dwell around them have no cause to stay behind the Messenger of Allah, or to prefer their lives to his. They are neither stricken by thirst, nor by tiredness, nor yet by hunger in the Way of Allah, nor do they take steps that anger the unbelievers, nor gain any gain from an enemy, but that it is counted as a righteous deed. Allah does not waste the wage of the gooddoers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

It was neither befitting for the people of Al-Madinah and the bedouins of the neighborhood to remain behind Allah's Messenger nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither Zama' nor Nasab, nor Makhmasah in the cause of Allah, nor did 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 doers of good.

Wahiduddin Khan

It was not proper for the people of Madinah and those desert Arabs around them to hold back from following God's Messenger, and to prefer their own lives to his life. This is because whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger for God's cause, and whenever they take any step which provokes those who deny the truth, or inflicts any loss upon the enemy, it shall be counted as a good deed in the sight of God, God will not deny the righteous their reward,

Talal Itani

It is not for the inhabitants of Medina and the Desert-Arabs around them to stay behind the Messenger of God, nor to prefer themselves to him. That is because they never suffer any thirst, nor fatigue, nor hunger in the cause of God, nor do they take one step that enrages the disbelievers, nor do they gain anything from an enemy, but it is recorded to their credit as a righteous deed. God does not waste the reward of the righteous.

Tafsir jalalayn

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.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Rewards of Jihad

Allah says;

مَا كَانَ لاِاَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ الَاعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُواْ عَن رَّسُولِ اللّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُواْ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَلَا نَصَبٌ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ

It was neither befitting for the people of Al-Madinah and the Bedouins of the neighborhood to remain behind Allah's Messenger nor to prefer their own lives to his life. That is because they suffer neither Zama nor Nasab, nor Makhmasah in the cause of Allah,

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,

لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ

they suffer neither Zama, (thirst),

وَلَا نَصَبٌ

nor Nasab, (fatigue),

وَلَا مَخْمَصَةٌ

nor Makhmasah, (hunger),

فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ

in the cause of Allah,

وَلَا يَطَوُونَ مَوْطِيًا يَغِيظُ الْكُفَّارَ

nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers,

by strategies of war that would terrify their enemy,

وَلَا يَنَالُونَ

مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَّيْلً

nor inflict any injury upon an enemy,

a defeat on the enemy,
.
إِلاَّ كُتِبَ لَهُم

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,

بِهِ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ
as a deed of righteousness.

إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ



Surely, Allah wastes not the reward of the doers of good.

Allah said in a similar Ayah,

إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلً

Certainly We shall not make the reward of anyone who does his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner to be lost. (18;30)