At-Tawbah (The Repentance)
Verse 42of 129
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًۭا قَرِيبًۭا وَسَفَرًۭا قَاصِدًۭا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ﴿٤٢﴾
Translation (Sahih International)
Had it been an easy gain and a moderate trip, the hypocrites would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allah, "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allah knows that indeed they are liars.
Word-by-word meaning
Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
Why Hypocrites would not join in JihadAllah 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 gain), booty right in front of them, according to Ibn `Abbas, وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا(and an easy journey), travel for only a short distance, لاَّتَّبَعُوكَ(they would have followed you.
Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt
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