قُلْ لِلْمُخَلَّفِينَ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ سَتُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ تُقَاتِلُونَهُمْ أَوْ يُسْلِمُونَ فَإِنْ تُطِيعُوا يُؤْتِكُمُ اللَّهُ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا وَإِنْ تَتَوَلَّوْا كَمَا تَوَلَّيْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ﴿۱۶﴾ لَيْسَ عَلَى الْأَعْمَى حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْأَعْرَجِ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّ يُعَذِّبْهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ﴿۱۷﴾ لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا ﴿۱۸﴾

﴾16﴿ Qul lilmukhallafeena minal A'raabi satud'awna ilaa qawmin ulee baasin shadeedin tuqaati loonahum aw yuslimoona fa in tutee'oo yu'tikumul laahu ajran hasananw wa in tatawallaw kamaa tawallaitum min qablu yu'azzibkum 'azaaban aleemaa
﴾17﴿ Laisa 'alal a'maa harajunw wa laa 'alal a'raji harajunw wa laa 'alal mareedi haraj' wa many yutil'il laaha wa Rasoolahoo yudkhilhu jannaatin tajree min tahtihal anhaaru wa many yatawalla yu'azzibhu 'azaaban aleemaa
﴾18﴿ Laqad radiyal laahu 'anil mu'mineena iz yubaayi 'oonaka tahtash shajarati fa'alima maa fee quloobihim fa anzalas sakeenata 'alaihim wa asaa bahum fat han qareebaa

﴾16﴿ Say to the laggards among the desert dwellers: 'Soon you will be called to fight against a people of great might in battle. You will fight them until they submit to Islam. If you obey, Allah will grant you a good reward, but if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment
﴾17﴿ There is no blame on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick. But whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow. And whoever turns away, He will punish him with a painful punishment
﴾18﴿ Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with a near victory

[16] This verse alludes to the exposure of their hypocrisy:
(سَتُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى قَوْمٍ أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ) — "You will be called to [fight] a people of great strength." This refers to the battle against Banū Ḥanīfah in Yamamah, to which Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) summoned the people, and to the Persians and Romans, whom ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) called people to fight.

According to this interpretation, it also serves as an indirect indication that after the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace), the rightful Caliphate belonged to Abu Bakr and ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) — because participating in their battles was a means of reward, while turning away from participation was considered a cause of punishment.

However, based on the context of Surah At-Tawbah (verse 29), this ruling does not apply to the People of the Book, as taking jizyah (tribute) from them is also permitted.
[17] This verse states the ruling regarding those who are excused — they are exempt from the obligation of fighting.
(مَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ) — this indicates that besides fighting, other forms of obedience according to their ability are still obligatory upon them — such as calling to Islam, conveying the message, and other acts of worship.
[18] From this verse until the end of the surah, it is considered a second section. In it, eight states of the noble Companions who were present at Hudaybiyyah are mentioned, along with worldly and heavenly glad tidings for them. In contrast, warnings are directed at the hypocrites and polytheists. Later, a response to a doubt raised by the hypocrites is presented, and in the end, the greatness of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) is highlighted, and ten general qualities of the Companions are mentioned.

In verse 18, two states of the Companions and three glad tidings are described: (لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ) — this is the first glad tiding, stated with strong emphasis. Due to this expression, the Pledge of Hudaybiyyah is called "Bay‘at al-Riḍwān" (the Pledge of Allah’s Pleasure).

(إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ) — this refers to the background of the pledge: The Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) reached Hudaybiyyah with about 1,500 Companions intending to perform ʿUmrah. First, he sent Khiraash ibn Umayyah al-Khuzāʿī (رضي الله عنه) to the Quraysh, but he was blocked by many polytheists and was not allowed to proceed. Then, ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (رضي الله عنه) was sent. The Quraysh gave him permission to perform ʿUmrah alone, but not the Prophet or other Companions. ʿUthmān (رضي الله عنه) replied, “I will not perform ṭawāf until the Prophet does so.” He remained delayed in Makkah, and a rumor spread that he had been killed.

Upon hearing this, the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) called the Companions to pledge their allegiance to fight and not flee. He was sitting under the shade of an acacia tree, and all the Companions pledged. The Prophet placed his right hand over his left, saying this is the pledge on behalf of ʿUthmān (رضي الله عنه). This is a great sign of honor for ʿUthmān (رضي الله عنه).
Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib narrates from his father: “I was also among those who pledged.”
The following year, when they returned by the same route, they had completely forgotten the location of that tree.
It is recorded in general Islamic history that during the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (رضي الله عنه), some people began to pray under a tree, believing it was blessed. ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) ordered that the tree be cut down and blocked off the path, to prevent any form of innovation or superstition.
(وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا) — the second glad tiding: this refers to the conquest of Khaybar, which occurred shortly after Hudaybiyyah. Allah rewarded them with this victory as a reward for their sincerity in that pledge.