سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 122
۞ وَمَا كَانَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا۟ كَآفَّةً ۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ طَآئِفَةٌ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا۟ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا۟ قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ ﴿122﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And it is not (proper) for the believers to go out to fight (Jihâd ) all together. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may get instructions in (Islâmic) religion, and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware (of evil).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَمَا
wamā
And not
كَانَ
kāna
is
ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ
l-mu'minūna
(for) the believers
لِيَنفِرُوا۟
liyanfirū
that they go forth
كَآفَّةًۭ ۚ
kāffatan
all together
فَلَوْلَا
falawlā
So if not
نَفَرَ
nafara
go forth
مِن
min
from
كُلِّ
kulli
every
فِرْقَةٍۢ
fir'qatin
group
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
طَآئِفَةٌۭ
ṭāifatun
a party
لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا۟
liyatafaqqahū
that they may obtain understanding
فِى
fī
in
ٱلدِّينِ
l-dīni
the religion
وَلِيُنذِرُوا۟
waliyundhirū
and that they may warn
قَوْمَهُمْ
qawmahum
their people
إِذَا
idhā
when
رَجَعُوٓا۟
rajaʿū
they return
إِلَيْهِمْ
ilayhim
to them
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَحْذَرُونَ
yaḥdharūna
beware
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
122. 1. According to some commentators, this is also related to the command of jihad. The meaning is that in the previous verse, when a severe warning and condemnation was mentioned for those who stayed behind, the noble Companions became very cautious, and whenever the stage of jihad came, all of them tried to participate in it. In this verse, they were commanded that not every jihad is of such a nature that participation of every person is necessary (as it was necessary in Tabuk), rather, participation of a group is sufficient. That is, one group should go for jihad and one group should stay behind to acquire knowledge of the religion. And when the mujahideen return, they should also be informed of the commands of the religion and be warned. The second interpretation is that this verse is not related to jihad, but rather, it commands to leave one's home and belongings to acquire knowledge of the religion, to go to schools and centers of knowledge and acquire it, and then return and admonish and advise their people. To acquire understanding in religion means to gain knowledge of commands and prohibitions so that one can fulfill the commands of Allah and stay away from prohibitions, and also fulfill the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil within their own people.
