لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا
قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا
لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـٰكِنۢ
بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ
ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ
بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسْتَطَعْنَا
لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ
يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ
وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
Had it been
a near gain and
an easy journey,
they would have
followed you, but
the distance was
long for them;
and they would
swear by Allah:
“If we only could,
we would certainly
have come forth
with you.” They
destroy themselves,
and Allah knows
that they are liars.
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 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
But,
وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ
عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ
the distance was long for them
to Ash-Sham,
وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ
and they would swear by Allah
when you return to them,
لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا
لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ
If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you
had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you,
يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ
وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ
إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.