Quran 9:42

Surah At-Tawba, Verse 42

Juz 10 · Page 194 · Ruku 161 · Medinan

لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ

Word by word

لَوْ law If كَانَ kāna it had been عَرَضًۭا ʿaraḍan a gain قَرِيبًۭا qarīban near وَسَفَرًۭا wasafaran and a journey قَاصِدًۭا qāṣidan easy لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ la-ittabaʿūka surely they (would) have followed you وَلَـٰكِنۢ walākin but بَعُدَتْ baʿudat was long عَلَيْهِمُ ʿalayhimu for them ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ l-shuqatu the distance وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ wasayaḥlifūna And they will swear بِٱللَّهِ bil-lahi by Allah لَوِ lawi If ٱسْتَطَعْنَا is'taṭaʿnā we were able لَخَرَجْنَا lakharajnā certainly we (would) have come forth مَعَكُمْ maʿakum with you يُهْلِكُونَ yuh'likūna They destroy أَنفُسَهُمْ anfusahum their own selves وَٱللَّهُ wal-lahu and Allah يَعْلَمُ yaʿlamu knows إِنَّهُمْ innahum (that) indeed, they لَكَـٰذِبُونَ lakādhibūna (are) surely liars

Transliteration

Law kana AAaradan qareebanwasafaran qasidan lattabaAAooka walakinbaAAudat AAalayhimu ashshuqqatu wasayahlifoona billahilawi istataAAna lakharajna maAAakumyuhlikoona anfusahum wallahu yaAAlamu innahum lakathiboon

Translations

Pickthall — Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee, but the distance seemed too far for them. Yet will they swear by Allah (saying): If we had been able we would surely have set out with you. They destroy their souls, and Allah knoweth that they verily are liars.

Yusuf Ali — Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them. They would indeed swear by Allah, "If we only could, we should certainly have come out with you": They would destroy their own souls; for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.

تفسير ابن كثير — Ismail ibn Kathir

يقول تعالى موبخا للذين تخلفوا عن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - في غزوة تبوك ، وقعدوا عن النبي - صلى الله عليه وسلم - بعد ما استأذنوه في ذلك ، مظهرين أنهم ذوو أعذار ، ولم يكونوا كذلك ، فقال : ( لو كان عرضا قريبا ) قال ابن عباس : غنيمة قريبة ، ( وسفرا قاصدا ) أي : قريبا أيضا ، ( لاتبعوك ) أي : لكانوا جاءوا معك لذلك ، ( ولكن بعدت عليهم الشقة ) أي : المسافة إلى الشام ، ( وسيحلفون بالله ) أي : لكم إذا رجعتم إليهم ( لو استطعنا لخرجنا معكم ) أي : لو لم تكن لنا أعذار لخرجنا معكم ، قال الله تعالى : ( يهلكون أنفسهم والله يعلم إنهم لكاذبون )