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 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.
(Ayah42) {لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيْبًا … :} This verse was revealed about those who stayed behind from the Battle of Tabuk. {’’ عَرَضًا ‘‘} The worldly provisions that are sought after due to human desires. {’’ قَرِيْبًا ‘‘} That which can be obtained very easily. {’’ قَاصِدًا ‘‘} Moderate, meaning in which there is no severe hardship involved. {’’ الشُّقَّةُ ‘‘} The distance that is covered with great difficulty and exhaustion. This is derived from hardship. Abu Ubaidah said the meaning of {’’ الشُّقَّةُ ‘‘} is the journey of a distant land, meaning if there was hope of easily obtaining spoils of war and the journey was not very long, whose path whose path was also extremely difficult, then these people would certainly have gone with you. But pure striving in the way of Allah, in which instead of easily obtaining spoils, there is sacrifice of wealth and life, a distant journey, and a clear possibility of martyrdom, is extremely difficult for a hypocrite.
