At-Tawbah 9:47
The Repentance · Juz 10 · Page 194
لَوۡ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمۡ إِلَّا خَبَالٗا وَلَأَوۡضَعُواْ خِلَٰلَكُمۡ يَبۡغُونَكُمُ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةَ وَفِيكُمۡ سَمَّٰعُونَ لَهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤٧
Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension]. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
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Commentary on 9:46–47
Exposing Hypocrites
Allah said,
وَلَوْ أَرَادُواْ الْخُرُوجَ
(And if they had intended to march out,), with you to participate in Jihad
لأَعَدُّواْ لَهُ عُدَّةً
(certainly, they would have made some preparation for it) they would have prepared for such task,
وَلَكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ
(but Allah was averse to their being sent forth) Allah hated that they should go with you,
فَثَبَّطَهُمْ
(so He made them lag behind, and stay away from Jihad,
وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُواْ مَعَ الْقَعِدِينَ
(and it was said (to them): "Sit you among those who sit (at home)") as a part of what was decreed for them not that He legislated that they stay behind. Allah then explained why He disliked that they march with the believers, saying,
لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً
(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder), because they are cowards and failures,
ولاّوْضَعُواْ خِلَلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ
(and they would have hurried about in your midst sowing sedition among you) They would have rushed to spread false stories, hatred and discord among you,
وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّعُونَ لَهُمْ
(and there are some among you who would have listened to them.) who would have obeyed them, given preference to their speech and words and asked them for advice, unaware of the true reality of these hypocrites. This might have caused corruption and great evil between the believers. Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Those who sought permission (from the Messenger to lag behind) included some of the chiefs, such as `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and Al-Jadd bin Qays, who were masters of their people. Allah also made them lag behind because He knew that if they went along with the Messenger ﷺ they would sow sedition in his army." There were some in the Prophet's army who liked these chiefs and were ready to obey them, because they considered them honorable,
وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّعُونَ لَهُمْ
(and there are some among you who would have listened to them) 9:47. Allah next reminds of His perfect knowledge, saying,
وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّلِمينَ
(And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.) Allah says that He knows what occurred, what will occur and if anything would have occurred, how it would occur, such as,
لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً
(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder,) indicating what they would have done had they marched, even though they did not. Allah said in similar Ayat,
وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَذِبُونَ
(But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) 6:28,
وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
(Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth)) 8:23, and,
وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَرِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتاً - وَإِذاً لاّتَيْنَهُمْ مِّن لَّدُنَّآ أَجْراً عَظِيماً - وَلَهَدَيْنَهُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً
(And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their conviction. And indeed We would then have bestowed upon them a great reward from Ourselves. And indeed We would have guided them to the straight way) 4:66-68.
Page 194
9:41
ٱنفِرُواْ خِفَافٗا وَثِقَالٗا وَجَٰهِدُواْ بِأَمۡوَٰلِكُمۡ وَأَنفُسِكُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۚ ذَٰلِكُمۡ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ ٤١
Go forth, whether light or heavy,1 and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allāh. That is better for you, if you only knew.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., young or old, riding or walking, in ease or in hardship - in all circumstances and conditions. ↩
9:42
لَوۡ كَانَ عَرَضٗا قَرِيبٗا وَسَفَرٗا قَاصِدٗا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُۚ وَسَيَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡنَا لَخَرَجۡنَا مَعَكُمۡ يُهۡلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ ٤٢
Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh,1 "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.
1 translator’s note
- When you return from the Tabūk expedition. ↩
9:43
عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمۡ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ وَتَعۡلَمَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ ٤٣
Allāh has pardoned you, [O Muḥammad, but] why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.
9:44
لَا يَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ أَن يُجَٰهِدُواْ بِأَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ وَأَنفُسِهِمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ ٤٤
Those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving [i.e., fighting] with their wealth and their lives. And Allāh is Knowing of those who fear Him.
9:45
إِنَّمَا يَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأٓخِرِ وَٱرۡتَابَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ فَهُمۡ فِي رَيۡبِهِمۡ يَتَرَدَّدُونَ ٤٥
Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allāh and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.
9:46
۞ وَلَوۡ أَرَادُواْ ٱلۡخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّواْ لَهُۥ عُدَّةٗ وَلَٰكِن كَرِهَ ٱللَّهُ ٱنۢبِعَاثَهُمۡ فَثَبَّطَهُمۡ وَقِيلَ ٱقۡعُدُواْ مَعَ ٱلۡقَٰعِدِينَ ٤٦
And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it [some] preparation. But Allāh disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and they were told, "Remain [behind] with those who remain."1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the women and children. ↩
9:47
لَوۡ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمۡ إِلَّا خَبَالٗا وَلَأَوۡضَعُواْ خِلَٰلَكُمۡ يَبۡغُونَكُمُ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةَ وَفِيكُمۡ سَمَّٰعُونَ لَهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمُۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ٤٧
Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension]. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy