سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 49
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ ٱئْذَن لِّى وَلَا تَفْتِنِّىٓ ۚ أَلَا فِى ٱلْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا۟ ۗ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌۢ بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿49﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And among them is he who says: "Grant me leave (to be exempted from Jihâd) and put me not into trial." Surely, they have fallen into trial. And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِنْهُم
wamin'hum
And among them
مَّن
man
(is he) who
يَقُولُ
yaqūlu
says
ٱئْذَن
i'dhan
Grant me leave
لِّى
lī
Grant me leave
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَفْتِنِّىٓ ۚ
taftinnī
put me to trial
أَلَا
alā
Surely
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْفِتْنَةِ
l-fit'nati
the trial
سَقَطُوا۟ ۗ
saqaṭū
they have fallen
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
جَهَنَّمَ
jahannama
Hell
لَمُحِيطَةٌۢ
lamuḥīṭatun
(will) surely surround
بِٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
bil-kāfirīna
the disbelievers
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.
(Ayah49) ➊ {وَ مِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّقُوْلُ ائْذَنْ لِّيْ وَ لَا تَفْتِنِّيْ:} The meaning of "fitnah" here has been taken as falling into sin, and also as destruction. Two explanations have been given for this: one is that some of them say, "Do not put me into sin by commanding me to undertake such a long and arduous journey and battle in this intense heat, because if I do not go after your command, I will be sinful, and if I go, there is a danger of destruction; meanwhile, my family will be left alone at home and may perish. So, by allowing me to stay in Madinah, you will save me from this fitnah." This explanation is closer to the words; among the excuses of the hypocrites in the Battle of the Trench was also the excuse of their homes being unprotected. See Surah Al-Ahzab (13). The second explanation is that a hypocrite, Jud ibn Qais, made this excuse: "O Messenger of Allah! Roman women are very beautiful; if I go there, I will not be able to control myself, so please consider me excused and allow me to stay here. (However, I will help by spending wealth.)" [ المعجم الکبیر : 275/2، ح : ۲۱۵۴۔ أبونعیم فی المعرفۃ ] {’’هداية المستنير‘‘} has graded this as weak, and {’’ الاستيعاب في بيان الأسباب‘‘} has graded it as Hasan. (And Allah knows best)
➋ {اَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوْا:} That is, they make these excuses so that they do not fall into fitnah, but in reality, they are already in fitnah by avoiding going out for jihad. {’’ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ ‘‘} By bringing this first, the meaning of exclusivity is achieved. After all, is there any fitnah in the world greater than disbelief in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him)? And then, not participating in jihad itself is a fitnah. Now, by making excuses, they may escape for now, but how will they escape the encirclement of Hell?
➋ {اَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوْا:} That is, they make these excuses so that they do not fall into fitnah, but in reality, they are already in fitnah by avoiding going out for jihad. {’’ فِي الْفِتْنَةِ ‘‘} By bringing this first, the meaning of exclusivity is achieved. After all, is there any fitnah in the world greater than disbelief in Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him)? And then, not participating in jihad itself is a fitnah. Now, by making excuses, they may escape for now, but how will they escape the encirclement of Hell?
