سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 42
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ ﴿42﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Had it been a near gain (booty in front of them) and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance (Tabuk expedition) was long for them; and they would swear by Allâh, "If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you." They destroy their ownselves, and Allâh knows that they are liars.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَوْ
law
If
كَانَ
kāna
it had been
عَرَضًۭا
ʿaraḍan
a gain
قَرِيبًۭا
qarīban
near
وَسَفَرًۭا
wasafaran
and a journey
قَاصِدًۭا
qāṣidan
easy
لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ
la-ittabaʿūka
surely they (would) have followed you
وَلَـٰكِنۢ
walākin
but
بَعُدَتْ
baʿudat
was long
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
for them
ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ
l-shuqatu
the distance
وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ
wasayaḥlifūna
And they will swear
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
by Allah
لَوِ
lawi
If
ٱسْتَطَعْنَا
is'taṭaʿnā
we were able
لَخَرَجْنَا
lakharajnā
certainly we (would) have come forth
مَعَكُمْ
maʿakum
with you
يُهْلِكُونَ
yuh'likūna
They destroy
أَنفُسَهُمْ
anfusahum
their own selves
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
knows
إِنَّهُمْ
innahum
(that) indeed, they
لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
lakādhibūna
(are) surely liars
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.
42. 1 From here begins the mention of those people who, by making excuses and apologies, took permission from the Prophet ﷺ even though in reality they had no excuse. By "عرض" is meant the worldly benefits that appeared before them, meaning the spoils of war.
42. 2 That is, they would have participated in jihad with you ﷺ. But the distance of the journey compelled them to invent excuses.
42. 3 That is, by swearing false oaths. Because swearing a false oath is a sin.
42. 2 That is, they would have participated in jihad with you ﷺ. But the distance of the journey compelled them to invent excuses.
42. 3 That is, by swearing false oaths. Because swearing a false oath is a sin.
