سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 39
إِلَّا تَنفِرُوا۟ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿39﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people; and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allâh is Able to do all things.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِلَّا
illā
If not
تَنفِرُوا۟
tanfirū
you go forth
يُعَذِّبْكُمْ
yuʿadhib'kum
He will punish you
عَذَابًا
ʿadhāban
(with) a painful punishment
أَلِيمًۭا
alīman
(with) a painful punishment
وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ
wayastabdil
and will replace you
قَوْمًا
qawman
(with) a people
غَيْرَكُمْ
ghayrakum
other than you
وَلَا
walā
and not
تَضُرُّوهُ
taḍurrūhu
you can harm Him
شَيْـًۭٔا ۗ
shayan
(in) anything
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
(is) on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
قَدِيرٌ
qadīrun
All-Powerful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah39) {اِلَّا تَنْفِرُوْا يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا اَلِيْمًا … :} “Painful punishment” means humiliation and disgrace in the world, subjugation and slavery, and in the Hereafter, the punishment of the Fire, which has no limit. «وَ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ» That is, do not think that if we do not go out for jihad, Allah’s work will remain incomplete—never! If you do not go out, He will bring other people in your place and grant them the honor of striving to make Islam prevail, and you will not be able to harm Him in the least, because He alone, without your or anyone else’s help, is fully capable of everything.
