When the Prophet s was about to dispatch a raiding party — after they certain Muslims had been reproached for staying behind — all of them went forth and so the following was revealed It is not for the believers to go forth on a raid altogether why should not a party a group of every section of every tribe of them go forth while the others remain behind so that they those who remain behind may become learned in religion and that they may warn their folk when they return to them from the raid by teaching them some of the rulings which they have come to learn so that they may beware? of God’s punishment by adhering to His commands and prohibitions. Ibn ‘Abbās said that this verse is specifically intended for raiding parties while the previous one is specifically to prohibit any individual staying behind when the Prophet s sets out on a campaign.
