﴿قَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنْكُمْ والقائلين لإخوانهم هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا﴾ [Allah already knows the hinderers among you and those who say to their brothers, "Come to us"], meaning they command one another to flee, and this is the hindering (al-ta'wiq). ﴿وَلَا يأْتونَ الْبَأْس﴾ [and they do not come to battle], meaning: fighting, ﴿إِلَّا قَلِيلا﴾ [except for a few], meaning: without seeking reward (hisbah), and it is considered few because it was not for the sake of Allah.
Muhammad said: The meaning is: except for a little bit of coming [to battle]; and this is what Yahya intended.
﴿قَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ الْمُعَوِّقِينَ مِنْكُمْ والقائلين لإخوانهم هَلُمَّ إِلَيْنَا﴾ يَأْمُرُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا بِالْفِرَارِ، وَهُوَ التعويق ﴿وَلَا يأْتونَ الْبَأْس﴾ يَعْنِي: الْقِتَال ﴿إِلَّا قَلِيلا﴾ أَيْ: بِغَيْرِ حِسْبَةٍ، وَإِنَّمَا قَلَّ؛ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: الْمَعْنَى: إِلَّا إِتْيَانًا قَلِيلًا؛ وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرَادَ يحيى.
