لَوۡ
كَانَ
عَرَضٗا
قَرِيبٗا
وَسَفَرٗا
قَاصِدٗا
لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ
وَلَٰكِنۢ
بَعُدَتۡ
عَلَيۡهِمُ
ٱلشُّقَّةُۚ
وَسَيَحۡلِفُونَ
بِٱللَّهِ
لَوِ
ٱسۡتَطَعۡنَا
لَخَرَجۡنَا
مَعَكُمۡ
يُهۡلِكُونَ
أَنفُسَهُمۡ
وَٱللَّهُ
يَعۡلَمُ
إِنَّهُمۡ
لَكَٰذِبُونَ
٤٢
Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh,1 "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.
— Saheeh International
Had the gain been within reach and the journey shorter, they would have followed you, but the distance seemed too long for them. And they will swear by Allah, “Had we been able, we would have certainly joined you.” They are ruining themselves. And Allah knows that they are surely lying.
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
Read Tafsir
Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad
Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so,
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا
(Had it been a near gai
…Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad
Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked t
…