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At-Tawbah (The Repentance)

Verse 38of 129

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا مِنَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ﴿٣٨

Translation (Sahih International)

O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.

Word-by-word meaning

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhāO you who believe
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnaO you who believe
ءَامَنُوا۟āmanūO you who believe
مَاWhat
لَكُمْlakum(is the matter) with you
إِذَاidhāwhen
قِيلَqīlait is said
لَكُمُlakumuto you
ٱنفِرُوا۟infirūgo forth
فِىin
سَبِيلِsabīli(the) way
ٱللَّهِl-lahi(of) Allah
ٱثَّاقَلْتُمْithāqaltumyou cling heavily
إِلَىilāto
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚl-arḍithe earth
أَرَضِيتُمaraḍītumAre you pleased
بِٱلْحَيَوٰةِbil-ḥayatiwith the life
ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yā(of) the world
مِنَmina(rather) than
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚl-ākhiratithe Hereafter
فَمَاfamāBut what
مَتَـٰعُmatāʿu(is the) enjoyment
ٱلْحَيَوٰةِl-ḥayati(of) the life
ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yā(of) the world
فِىin (comparison to)
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِl-ākhiratithe hereafter
إِلَّاillāexcept
قَلِيلٌqalīluna little

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Admonishing clinging to Life rather than rushing to perform JihadAllah admonishes those who lagged behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the battle of Tabuk, at a time when fruits were ripe and shades tempting in the intense and terrible heat,يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ(O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah), if you are called to perform Jihad in the cause of Allah,...

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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