Surah Taubah >> Currently viewing Surah Taubah Ayat 42 (9:42)

Surah Taubah Ayat 42 in Arabic Text

لَوۡ كَانَ عَرَضٗا قَرِيبٗا وَسَفَرٗا قَاصِدٗا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُۚ وَسَيَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡنَا لَخَرَجۡنَا مَعَكُمۡ يُهۡلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ,
Law kaana ‘aradan qareebanw wa safaran qaasidal lattaba’ooka wa laakim ba’udat ‘alaihimush shuqqah; wa sayahlifoona billaahi lawis tata’naa lakharajnaa ma’akum; yuhlikoona anfusahum wal laahu ya’lamu innahum lakaa ziboon (section 6)

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 42

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.

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.

Abul Ala Maududi
Were it a gain at hand or a short journey, they would have surely followed you, but the distance seemed too far to them. Still they will swear by Allah: “If only we could, we would surely have gone forth with you.” They merely bring ruin upon themselves. Allah knows well that they are liars.

Muhsin Khan
Had it been a near gain (booty in front of them) and an easy journey, they would have followed you, but the distance (Tabuk expedition) was long for them, and they would swear by Allah, “If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you.” They destroy their ownselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.

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.

Dr. Ghali
If it had been (some) advantage near at hand, and a moderately (smooth) journey, they would indeed have closely followed you; but the distance was too far for them, and they will soon swear by Allah, “If we had been able, indeed we would have gone out with you; They bring perdition (i.e., permission to be excused form fighting) upon their selves; and Allah knows that surely they are liars indeed.

Abdel Haleem
They would certainly have followed you [Prophet] if the benefit was within sight and the journey short, but the distance seemed too great for them. They will swear by God, ‘If we could, we certainly would go out [to battle] with you,’ but they ruin themselves, for God knows that they are lying.

Muhammad Junagarhi
اگر جلد وصول ہونے واﻻ مال واسباب ہوتا اور ہلکا سفر ہوتا تو یہ ضرور آپ کے پیچھے ہو لیتے لیکن ان پر تو دوری اور دراز کی مشکل پڑ گئی۔ اب تو یہ اللہ کی قسمیں کھائیں گے کہ اگر ہم میں قوت وطاقت ہوتی تو ہم یقیناً آپ کے ساتھ نکلتے، یہ اپنی جانوں کو خود ہی ہلاکت میں ڈال رہے ہیں ان کے جھوٹا ہونے کا سچا علم اللہ کو ہے

Quran 9 Verse 42 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Taubah ayat 42, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(9:42) Were it a gain at hand or a short journey, they would have surely followed you, but the distance seemed too far to them.[44] Still they will swear by Allah: “If only we could, we would surely have gone forth with you.” They merely bring ruin upon themselves. Allah knows well that they are liars.


44. They felt the journey to Tabuk to be hard because they had to fight with the army of the great and powerful Roman Empire: because they had to journey in the scorching heat of the summer season of the desert: because there was a famine in the country and the new harvest on which they had pinned their hopes was ready for reaping.

Ibn-Kathir

42. 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.)

Quick navigation links

Surah Taubah
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 . 21 . 22 . 23 . 24 . 25 . 26 . 27 . 28 . 29 . 30 . 31 . 32 . 33 . 34 . 35 . 36 . 37 . 38 . 39 . 40 . 41 . 42 . 43 . 44 . 45 . 46 . 47 . 48 . 49 . 50 . 51 . 52 . 53 . 54 . 55 . 56 . 57 . 58 . 59 . 60 . 61 . 62 . 63 . 64 . 65 . 66 . 67 . 68 . 69 . 70 . 71 . 72 . 73 . 74 . 75 . 76 . 77 . 78 . 79 . 80 . 81 . 82 . 83 . 84 . 85 . 86 . 87 . 88 . 89 . 90 . 91 . 92 . 93 . 94 . 95 . 96 . 97 . 98 . 99 . 100 . 101 . 102 . 103 . 104 . 105 . 106 . 107 . 108 . 109 . 110 . 111 . 112 . 113 . 114 . 115 . 116 . 117 . 118 . 119 . 120 . 121 . 122 . 123 . 124 . 125 . 126 . 127 . 128. 129

surah taubah ayat 42
surah taubah ayat 43
surah taubah ayat 44
surah taubah ayat 45
surah taubah ayat 46

skip_previous play_arrow skip_next
0:00/0:00
volume_up