سُوْرَةُ التَّوْبَةِ
Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 81
فَرِحَ ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ خِلَـٰفَ رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَرِهُوٓا۟ أَن يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَالُوا۟ لَا تَنفِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْحَرِّ ۗ قُلْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ أَشَدُّ حَرًّا ۚ لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿81﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those who stayed away (from Tabuk expedition) rejoiced in their staying behind the Messenger of Allâh; they hated to strive and fight with their properties and their lives in the Cause of Allâh, and they said: "March not forth in the heat." Say: "The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat"; if only they could understand!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَرِحَ
fariḥa
Rejoice
ٱلْمُخَلَّفُونَ
l-mukhalafūna
those who remained behind
بِمَقْعَدِهِمْ
bimaqʿadihim
in their staying
خِلَـٰفَ
khilāfa
behind
رَسُولِ
rasūli
(the) Messenger
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَكَرِهُوٓا۟
wakarihū
and they disliked
أَن
an
to
يُجَـٰهِدُوا۟
yujāhidū
strive
بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ
bi-amwālihim
with their wealth
وَأَنفُسِهِمْ
wa-anfusihim
and their lives
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَقَالُوا۟
waqālū
and they said
لَا
lā
(Do) not
تَنفِرُوا۟
tanfirū
go forth
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْحَرِّ ۗ
l-ḥari
the heat
قُلْ
qul
Say
نَارُ
nāru
(The) Fire
جَهَنَّمَ
jahannama
(of) Hell
أَشَدُّ
ashaddu
(is) more intense
حَرًّۭا ۚ
ḥarran
(in) heat
لَّوْ
law
If (only)
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they could
يَفْقَهُونَ
yafqahūna
understand
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.
(Ayah81) ➊ {فَرِحَ الْمُخَلَّفُوْنَ … :} After the lengthy mention of the various states of the hypocrites and their conspiracies and schemes, now specifically begins the mention of those hypocrites who did not go with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Battle of Tabuk, but instead presented false excuses and took permission to stay behind and remained in Madinah Munawwarah. For them, Allah Almighty has used the word { ’’ الْمُخَلَّفُوْنَ‘‘} "those who were left behind," meaning they should not be pleased, thinking it is their achievement that they did not go with you (peace be upon him) and stayed comfortably in their homes in Madinah. Rather, the reality is that they were not granted the success (tawfiq) by Allah to go, and they were pushed away and left behind by Him. Their status is like that of worthless goods which are not taken along, but rather thrown away or left behind.
➋ { وَ كَرِهُوْۤا اَنْ يُّجَاهِدُوْا بِاَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ اَنْفُسِهِمْ …:} Because sacrificing wealth and life willingly for the sake of Allah cannot be done without faith, which they are deprived of. In this, the heartfelt state of the believers who set out and their praise is also evident, that with what happiness they set out.
➌ {وَ قَالُوْا لَا تَنْفِرُوْا فِي الْحَرِّ … :} Meaning, not only did they themselves stay behind, but they also tried to keep others back by frightening them with the severity of the heat and the hardships of the long journey, because this journey occurred in the intense heat of the season. Zamakhshari (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Allah Almighty has declared this to be the result of their ignorance, that they do not even know that if a person, by bearing a little hardship, can save himself from an everlasting unbearable hardship, then only an ignorant or the most ignorant person would refuse to bear that little hardship and instead prefer to endure the most severe everlasting hardship. Similarly, they do not even know what real heat is; otherwise, if they were aware of the heat of Hell and had faith in it, they would not care about even the most intense heat of this world. This is the meaning of {’’لَوْ كَانُوْا يَفْقَهُوْنَ ‘‘}, because a single dip in Hell will make one forget all the pleasures of the world. [ مسلم : ۲۸۰۷ ] And it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Your fire is one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell." It was said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! Surely that alone would have been sufficient." He said: "It has been increased by sixty-nine parts more than it, all of them as hot as it." [ بخاری، بدء الخلق، باب صفۃ النار و أنہا مخلوقۃ : ۳۲۶۵۔ مسلم : ۲۸۴۳ ]
➋ { وَ كَرِهُوْۤا اَنْ يُّجَاهِدُوْا بِاَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ اَنْفُسِهِمْ …:} Because sacrificing wealth and life willingly for the sake of Allah cannot be done without faith, which they are deprived of. In this, the heartfelt state of the believers who set out and their praise is also evident, that with what happiness they set out.
➌ {وَ قَالُوْا لَا تَنْفِرُوْا فِي الْحَرِّ … :} Meaning, not only did they themselves stay behind, but they also tried to keep others back by frightening them with the severity of the heat and the hardships of the long journey, because this journey occurred in the intense heat of the season. Zamakhshari (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Allah Almighty has declared this to be the result of their ignorance, that they do not even know that if a person, by bearing a little hardship, can save himself from an everlasting unbearable hardship, then only an ignorant or the most ignorant person would refuse to bear that little hardship and instead prefer to endure the most severe everlasting hardship. Similarly, they do not even know what real heat is; otherwise, if they were aware of the heat of Hell and had faith in it, they would not care about even the most intense heat of this world. This is the meaning of {’’لَوْ كَانُوْا يَفْقَهُوْنَ ‘‘}, because a single dip in Hell will make one forget all the pleasures of the world. [ مسلم : ۲۸۰۷ ] And it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Your fire is one part out of seventy parts of the fire of Hell." It was said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! Surely that alone would have been sufficient." He said: "It has been increased by sixty-nine parts more than it, all of them as hot as it." [ بخاری، بدء الخلق، باب صفۃ النار و أنہا مخلوقۃ : ۳۲۶۵۔ مسلم : ۲۸۴۳ ]
