Surah At Tawbah Tafseer

Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad

Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so,

لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا

Had it been a near gain,

According to Ibn Abbas, booty right in front of them,

وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا

and an easy journey,

travel for only a short distance,

لااَّتَّبَعُوكَ

they would have followed you.

وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ

but, the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham,

وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللّهِ

and they would swear by Allah,

when you return to them,

لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ

If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you,

had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you,

يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ

They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars