Transliteration:( Laqat taabal laahu 'alan nabiyyi wal Muhaajireena wal Ansaaril lazeenat taba'oohu fee saa'atil 'usrati min ba'di maa kaada yazeeghu quloobu fariqin minhum thumma taaba 'alaihim; innahoo bihim Ra'oofur Raheem )
"No doubt, blessings of Allah are conferred on the Prophet and those emigrants and helpers who sided with him in the hour of hardship, after it was that the hearts of some of them nearly swerved aside. Then He turned towards them with blessings. Indeed, to them He is Most Kind, Most Merciful."
By “difficult moment” is meant the Battle of Tabuk, also known as the Battle of Difficulty and Hardship. During this campaign, poverty and scarcity were at such a peak that ten companions shared one camel by riding in turns, and some survived an entire day on just one date. Despite such conditions, the soldiers remained loyal and firm with the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) requested the Prophet ﷺ to pray for rain. Allah Almighty accepted the prayer, sending rainfall which provided ample water.
This verse affirms that all who participated in the Battle of Tabuk are undoubtedly people of Paradise. To question this is to reject a clear divine affirmation.
Some hearts nearly turned away out of fear, not due to hypocrisy or weakness in faith. This hesitation was natural human instinct, not an act of rebellion or impatience. Their loyalty remained intact, though briefly shaken.
Allah Almighty turned towards them by strengthening their sincerity and safeguarding their steadfastness. This divine mercy preserved their unity with the Prophet ﷺ and confirmed their position among the righteous.
This verse conveys an important principle: the mere intention of a sin—without full determination or execution—is not recorded as a sin. The Divine Mercy of Allah covers sincere believers even in moments of inner struggle.
117. Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the right path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of kindness, Most Merciful.
Mujahid and several others said, “This Ayah was revealed concerning the battle of Tabuk. They left for that battle during a period of distress. It was a year with little rain, intense heat and scarcity of supplies and water.” Qatadah said, “They went to Ash-Sham during the year of the battle of Tabuk at a time when the heat was intense. Allah knew how hard things were, and they suffered great hardship. We were told that two men used to divide a date between themselves. Some of them would take turns in sucking on a date and drinking water, then give it to another man to suck on. Allah forgave them and allowed them to come back from that battle.” Ibn Jarir reported that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said that `Umar bin Al-Khattab was reminded of the battle of distress (Tabuk) and `Umar said, “We went with the Messenger of Allah in the intense heat for Tabuk. We camped at a place in which we were stricken so hard by thirst that we thought that our necks would be severed. One of us used to go out in search of water and did not return until he feared that his neck would be severed. One would slaughter his camel, squeeze its intestines and drink its content, placing whatever was left on his kidney. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said, `O Allah’s Messenger! Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, has always accepted your invocation, so invoke Allah for us.’ The Prophet said,
(Would you like me to do that) Abu Bakr said, `Yes.’ The Prophet raised his hands and did not put them down until rain fell from the sky in abundance. It rained and then stopped raining for a while, then rained again, so they filled their containers. We went out to see where the rain reached and found that it did not rain beyond our camp.”’ Ibn Jarir said about Allah’s statement,
(Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the time of distress,) meaning “With regards to expenditures, transportation, supplies and water,
(after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated,) away from the truth, thus falling prey to doubting the Messenger’s religion because of the distress and hardships they suffered during their travel and battle,
(but He accepted their repentance.) He directed them to repent to their Lord and renew their firmness on His religion,
(Certainly, He is unto them full of kindness, Most Merciful.)”
(9:117) Surely Allah has relented towards the Prophet, and towards the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and the Ansar (Helpers) who stood by him in the hour of hardship,[115] although the hearts of a party of them had well-nigh swerved.[116] (But when they gave up swerving from the Right Course and followed the Prophet), Allah relented towards them.[117] Surely to them He is the Most Tender, the Most Merciful.
115. Allah forgave the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions for those inadvertent lapses that had been made in connection with the Tabuk expedition, in view of their excellent services. The inadvertent lapse made by the Prophet (peace be upon him) was that he had given leave to stay behind to those people who were able to take part in the Jihad. (Ayat 43).
116. This refers to those sincere companions who were at first somewhat unwilling to go to war on that critical occasion, but at last overcame their weakness, for they had true faith in their hearts and loved the right way.
117. That is, Allah will not take them to account for their wrong inclinations for He does not punish a man for that weakness which he himself has overcome and corrected.
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