Overall meaning : Allah, Exalted be He, states that the hypocrites had even before this time endeavoured to sow discord among Muslims and sought to do harm to Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. With this end in view, they left no stone unturned and continued devising all manner of evil scheme until Allah granted Muslims victory and made His religion prevail, much to their dislike.
He states that some among the hypocrites said to Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he gave them orders to prepare to raid the Romans, ‘Allow me to stay behind and do not tempt me, for I am strongly addicted to women, and I am afraid that if I see the Roman women I will not be able to control myself.’
The Almighty indicates that they had, as a result of this, fallen into the greater temptation by persisting in clinging to unbelief, committing the sin of lagging behind and disobeying Allah’s Messenger, stating that Hell will surely encompass the unbelievers.
Allah Almighty further states that if He grants the believers victory over their enemies and they take booty and achieve prosperity, this causes the hypocrites severe distress; but if a calamity befalls them, be it defeat, injuries or fatalities, they say, ‘We have already taken our precautions and have been on our guard; we have not come to any harm as a result of not going forth with you,’ and they turn their away well-pleased. Allah instructs His Prophet, Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to say to them, ‘Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us. He is our Master and Protector, and in Allah alone should the believers put all their trust and to Him should they commend themselves.’
He also instructs him to say to them, ‘Do you expect something other than one of the two best things—victory or martyrdom—to happen to us? On our part, we expect Allah to send His punishment to you either directly from Himself, or by our hands. So wait; we, too, are waiting.’