Verily there are some of you who tarry who indeed hesitate to join the fighting such as ‘Abd Allāh b. Ubayy the hypocrite and his companions — counting him the one who tarries as one of them the Muslims is from the perspective of outward appearances — the lām in the verb la-yubatti’anna ‘verily … who tarry’ is for oaths; then if an affliction befalls you such as slaughter or defeat he says ‘God has been gracious to me for I was not a witness with them’ present at the fighting lest I should be hurt.
