Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, "Allow us to follow you." They want to change Allah's Words. Say: "You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand." Then they will say: "Nay, you envy us." Nay, but they understand not except a little (15)
Allah characterizes the bedouins who lagged behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during the 'Umrah of Hudaybiyyah, saying that when the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions later went on to conquer Khaybar, the bedouins asked them to take them along. They were hoping to collect war booty, having been absent when it was time to fight the enemy and enduring with patience therein. Allah the Exalted ordered His Messenger ﷺ to refuse to give them permission to accompany him, being a punishment that is similar to their error. Allah has promised those who were present at Al-Hudaybiyyah to earn Khaybar's war spoils alone, not shared in that with the bedouins who lagged behind. Therefore, the legislation that Allah gave in this regard was joined to the destiny that He decided, occurring just as He decided. Allah's statement,
يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُبَدِّلُوا كَلَامَ اللَّهِ
(They want to change Allah's Words), which refers to the promise that Allah gave those who were present at Al-Hudaybiyyah, according to the explanation reported from Mujahid, Qatadah, Juwaybir and which Ibn Jarir preferred. Allah said,
قُلْ لَنْ تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَٰلِكُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ
(Say: "You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand.") 'when He promised the participants of Al-Hudaybiyyah before you asked to join them,'
فَسَيَقُولُونَ بَلْ تَحْسُدُونَنَا
(Then they will say: "Nay, you envy us.") 'you do not want us to share the war spoils with you,'
بَلْ كَانُوا لَا يَفْقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
(Nay, but they understand not except a little.) the truth is nothing close to what they claimed, but they understand not.
