إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِيلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَـْٔذِنُونَكَ وَهُمْ أَغْنِيَآءُ ۚ رَضُوا۟ بِأَن يَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلْخَوَالِفِ وَطَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ Qur’an Al-Tawba (9:93)Innam a a l ssabeelu AAal a alla th eena yasta th inoonaka wahum aghniy a o ra d oo bian yakoonoo maAAa alkhaw a lifi wa t abaAAa All a hu AAal a quloobihim fahum l a yaAAlamoon a
Lit., "who ask thee for exemption while they are rich". The term ghani denotes "one who is rich" or "free from want" or "self-sufficient"; in this context it obviously refers to physical competence in addition to financial means: that is, to people who were able-bodied as well as financially in a position to equip themselves (cf. verses {86-87} above).
Cf. ix. 87, where similar phrases are used for a similar shirking of duty by towns-folk, while here we are considering the desert folk. It is not only a duty, but a precious privilege, to serve a great Cause by personal self-sacrifice. Those who shirk such an opportunity know not what they miss.