Verse. 1277

٩ - ٱلتَّوْبَة

9 - At-Tawba

لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيْبًا وَّسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّاتَّبَعُوْكَ وَلٰكِنْۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْہِمُ الشُّقَّۃُ۝۰ۭ وَسَيَحْلِفُوْنَ بِاللہِ لَوِ اسْـتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ۝۰ۚ يُہْلِكُوْنَ اَنْفُسَہُمْ۝۰ۚ وَاللہُ يَعْلَمُ اِنَّہُمْ لَكٰذِبُوْنَ۝۴۲ۧ
Law kana AAaradan qareeban wasafaran qasidan laittabaAAooka walakin baAAudat AAalayhimu alshshuqqatu wasayahlifoona biAllahi lawi istataAAna lakharajna maAAakum yuhlikoona anfusahum waAllahu yaAAlamu innahum lakathiboona

English

Ahmed Ali

(O Prophet), had the gain been close at hand, and easy the journey, they would surely have followed you; but hard was the journey and long the going. Even then they swear by God (and say): "If we had the strength we would surely have gone out with you." They are only ruining themselves, for God is aware they lie.

42

Tafseer

'Abdullāh Ibn 'Abbās / Muḥammad al-Fīrūzabādī

تفسير : (had it been a near adventure) a near spoil of war (and an easy journey they had followed thee) to the battle of tabuk with a good disposition of the soul, (but the distance seemed too far for them) historic syria seemed too far for them. (yet will they swear by allah) to you when you come back from the battle of tabuk, i.e. 'abdullah ibn abi wajd ibn qays, mu'attib ibn qushayr and their companions who did not take part in the battle of tabuk ((saying): if we had been able) to acquire provision and mount (we would surely have set out with you) to the battle of tabuk. (they destroy their souls) by lying in their oaths, (and allah knoweth that they verily are liars) because they were able to set out with the prophet (pbuh).

Jalāl al-Dīn al-Maḥallī

تفسير : the following was revealed regarding the hypocrites who stayed behind [away from the campaign]: had it — that to which you summon them — been a near, easily acquired, gain, a transient pleasure of this world, and an easy journey, of moderate [length], they would have followed you, seeking spoils; but the distance, the hardship, was too great for them, and so they stayed behind. still they will swear by god, when you return to them: [saying]: ‘had we been able, to go forth, we would have gone forth with you,’ destroying their souls, by swearing false oaths, and god knows that they truly are liars, in this saying of theirs.

Ali ibn Ahmad al-Wahidi

تفسير : (had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee…) [9:42-47]. allah then revealed about those hypocrites who stayed behind and did not take part in the battle of tabuk (had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee…). he also revealed (had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble…). this is because when the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, set forth, he camped his troops at al-wada‘ ’s mountain trail while ‘abd allah ibn ubayy camped his troops at a clear trodden path below the mountain trail of al-wada‘. his troops were no less than the troops which were with the prophet. when the messenger of allah, allah bless him and give him peace, marched again, ‘abd allah ibn ubayy, the hypocrites and the doubters stayed behind. to consol his prophet, allah bless him and give him peace, allah, exalted is he, revealed (had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble…).