The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ((They think that the confederates have not gone away, and if the confederates were to come, they would wish that they were far away among the Bedouins...))
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Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab: 20]. From this, it is derived the strength of the cowardice of these hypocrites, for they think that the enemy is still present, whereas it has already departed. O my son, if you were to ask, "Is there a proof for this?" I would say, yes. If a cowardly man saw a lion in a cave, and the lion left that cave and went out, and I said to this cowardly man, "Please, walk away from this cave," what would he say? He would say, "No, there is a lion," because he is a coward. The coward thinks that his enemy has not left its place, and he fears even his own shadow.
It is also derived from the noble verse that if the confederates were to return, these hypocrites would wish that they were among the Bedouins rather than in the cities, due to His saying:[Al-Ahzab 33:20] Which is better, the life of the desert or the life of the cities? The cities. But because of their cowardice, they wish to go to the desert and not be present with these confederates.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is that these hypocrites do not want to share in the battles of the believers, due to His saying: They love to be far away from the battles; they only feel the news.
Among the benefits of the noble verse is that if a hypocrite were to share in the fighting with the believers, he would not fight except a little.[Al-Ahzab 33:20] And here is a matter: Is it permissible for us to include the hypocrites in our fighting if we know that they are hypocrites, or do we not include them? We do not include them, because their harm to us is far greater than their benefit. As for those whose state we do not know, the original ruling is that a person is held accountable by the apparent state of his condition. Yes.
The student: He has fear... he fears a lot and does not fight with the believers. Do we say he is a hypocrite?
The Shaykh : Allah knows best what is in his heart. But in their estimation, no one fears to this extent, because of what is he afraid? Because the utmost he has is death, and if he is killed in the path of Allah, it is better for him than dying on his bed.
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : These people... if they move, they fear them. It is obligatory for a person to overcome these things.
They think the companies have not [yet] withdrawn
يَحْسَبُونَ الأَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا...It is also derived from the noble verse that if the confederates were to return, these hypocrites would wish that they were among the Bedouins rather than in the cities, due to His saying:
And if the companies should come [again], they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins
وَإِنْ يَأْتِ الأَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ بَادُونَ فِي الأَعْرَابِAmong the benefits of the noble verse is that these hypocrites do not want to share in the battles of the believers, due to His saying:
asking about your news
يَسْأَلُونَ عَنْ أَنْبَائِكُمْAmong the benefits of the noble verse is that if a hypocrite were to share in the fighting with the believers, he would not fight except a little.
And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.
وَلَوْ كَانُوا فِيكُمْ مَا قَاتَلُوا إِلَّا قَلِيلًاThe student: He has fear... he fears a lot and does not fight with the believers. Do we say he is a hypocrite?
The Shaykh : Allah knows best what is in his heart. But in their estimation, no one fears to this extent, because of what is he afraid? Because the utmost he has is death, and if he is killed in the path of Allah, it is better for him than dying on his bed.
The student: ...?
The Shaykh : These people... if they move, they fear them. It is obligatory for a person to overcome these things.