Say to those who remained behind of the bedouins, "You will be called to [face] a people of great military might; you may fight them, or they will submit. So if you obey, Allah will give you a good reward; but if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment."
Tafseer
{ قل للمخلفين من الأعراب } المذكورين اختبارا { ستدعوْن إلى قوم أولي } أصحاب { بأس شديد } قيل هم بنو حنيفة أصحاب اليمامة، وقيل فارس والروم { تقاتلونهم } حال مقدرة هي المدعو إليها في المعنى { أو } هم { يسلمون } فلا تقاتلون { فإن تطيعوا } إلى قتالهم { يؤتكم الله أجرا حسنا وإن تتولوا كما توليتم من قبل يعذّبكم عذابا أليما } مؤلما .
{Say to those of the bedouins who stayed behind} mentioned as a test {You will be called to a people of} people of {great prowess} It was said that they are the Banu Hanifa, the people of Yamamah, and it was said that they are the Persians and the Romans {fight them} is an implied state, which is what is called to in meaning {or} they {submit} so do not fight {then if you obey} to fight them {Allah will give you a good reward. But if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment} painful.
