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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
81. Those who stayed behind among the hypocrites rejoiced in staying back and not accompanying the Messenger of Allah. They disliked striving with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah, and said to others, "Do not go forth in the heat." Say: "The fire of Hell is far hotter." If only they understood!
[96]
The Discouragement of the Hypocrites Towards Those Joining the Expedition of Tabuk:
The hypocrites outwardly claimed to believe in Allah and His Messenger, but the righteous deeds required to confirm this claim were absent in them. Therefore, Allah Almighty did not consider their claims credible, nor their oaths. For this reason, in several places, they have been called liars, and in other places, they have been declared disbelievers, and sometimes both attributes are mentioned together. Among the actions contrary to their claim was that some of them would not strive in jihad with their wealth and lives at all, and those who did go, went reluctantly, so that the Muslims would not begin to consider them hypocrites. And one common trait among them was that they would discourage those who were going for jihad. At the time of the announcement of jihad for the Expedition of Tabuk, the heat was intense and the journey was long and difficult. Therefore, they began to prevent their companions from participating in jihad for this very reason. In response, Allah Almighty said: You have thought of a remedy for this heat, but what remedy will you have for the fire of Hell, which is seventy times hotter than this heat?
[96]
The Discouragement of the Hypocrites Towards Those Joining the Expedition of Tabuk:
The hypocrites outwardly claimed to believe in Allah and His Messenger, but the righteous deeds required to confirm this claim were absent in them. Therefore, Allah Almighty did not consider their claims credible, nor their oaths. For this reason, in several places, they have been called liars, and in other places, they have been declared disbelievers, and sometimes both attributes are mentioned together. Among the actions contrary to their claim was that some of them would not strive in jihad with their wealth and lives at all, and those who did go, went reluctantly, so that the Muslims would not begin to consider them hypocrites. And one common trait among them was that they would discourage those who were going for jihad. At the time of the announcement of jihad for the Expedition of Tabuk, the heat was intense and the journey was long and difficult. Therefore, they began to prevent their companions from participating in jihad for this very reason. In response, Allah Almighty said: You have thought of a remedy for this heat, but what remedy will you have for the fire of Hell, which is seventy times hotter than this heat?
