Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah An-Nisa -> Refraining from Joining Jihad is a Sign of Hypocrites

Allah said,

﴿وَإِنَّ مِنْكُمْ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ﴾

(There is certainly among you he who would linger behind.) Mujahid and others said that this Ayah was revealed about the hypocrites. Muqatil bin Hayyan said that,

﴿لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ﴾

(linger behind) means, stays behind and does not join Jihad. It is also possible that this person himself lingers behind, while luring others away from joining Jihad. For instance, `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, may Allah curse him, used to linger behind and lure other people to do the same and refrain from joining Jihad, as Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Jarir stated. This is why Allah said about the hypocrite, that when he lingers behind from Jihad, then:

﴿فَإِنْ أَصَـبَتْكُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ﴾

(If a misfortune befalls you) death, martyrdom, or - by Allah's wisdom - being defeated by the enemy,

﴿قَالَ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِذْ لَمْ أَكُنْ مَّعَهُمْ شَهِيداً﴾

(he says, "Indeed Allah has favored me that I was not present among them.'') meaning, since I did not join them in battle. Because he considers this one of Allah's favors on him, unaware of the reward that he might have gained from enduring war or martyrdom, if he was killed.

﴿وَلَئِنْ أَصَـبَكُمْ فَضْلٌ مِنَ الله﴾

(But if a bounty comes to you from Allah) such as victory, triumph and booty,

﴿لَيَقُولَنَّ كَأَن لَّمْ تَكُنْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ مَوَدَّةٌ﴾

(he would surely say - as if there had never been ties of affection between you and him,) meaning, as if he was not a follower of your religion,

﴿يلَيتَنِى كُنتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَفُوزَ فَوْزاً عَظِيماً﴾

("Oh! I wish I had been with them; then I would have achieved a great success.'') by being assigned a share of the booty and taking possession of that share. This is his ultimate aim and objective.