9:42 At-Tawba (The Repentance)

لو كان خروجهم لطلب العرض القريب، أي‏:‏ منفعة دنيوية سهلة التناول ‏{‏و‏}‏ كان السفر ‏{‏سَفَرًا قَاصِدًا‏}‏ أي‏:‏ قريبا سهلا‏.‏ ‏{‏لَاتَّبَعُوكَ‏}‏ لعدم المشقة الكثيرة، ‏{‏وَلَكِنْ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ‏}‏ أي‏:‏ طالت عليهم المسافة، وصعب عليهم السفر، فلذلك تثاقلوا عنك، وليس هذا من أمارات العبودية، بل العبد حقيقة هو المتعبد لربه في كل حال، القائم بالعبادة السهلة والشاقة، فهذا العبد للّه على كل حال‏.‏ ‏{‏وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ‏}‏ أي‏:‏ سيحلفون أن تخلفهم عن الخروج أن لهم أعذرا وأنهم لا يستطيعون ذلك‏.‏ ‏{‏يُهْلِكُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ‏}‏ بالقعود والكذب والإخبار بغير الواقع، ‏{‏وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ‏}‏‏.‏ وهذا العتاب إنما هو للمنافقين، الذين تخلفوا عن النبي ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ في ‏{‏غزوة تبوك‏}‏ وأبدوا من الأعذار الكاذبة ما أبدوا، فعفا النبي ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ عنهم بمجرد اعتذارهم، من غير أن يمتحنهم، فيتبين له الصادق من الكاذب، ولهذا عاتبه اللّه على هذه المسارعة إلى عذرهم

يقول تعالى موبخا للذين تخلفوا عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في غزوة تبوك وقعدوا 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 يكن لنا أعذار لخرجنا معكم قال الله تعالى يهلكون أنفسهم والله يعلم إنهم لكاذبون.

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.)

The following was revealed regarding the hypocrites who stayed behind away from the campaign Had it — that to which you summon them — been a near easily acquired gain a transient pleasure of this world and an easy journey of moderate length they would have followed you seeking spoils; but the distance the hardship was too great for them and so they stayed behind. Still they will swear by God when you return to them saying ‘Had we been able to go forth we would have gone forth with you’ destroying their souls by swearing false oaths and God knows that they truly are liars in this saying of theirs.

The fifth verse (42) mentions an excuse offered by those who did not participate in the Jihad because of negligence and lethargy. It was rejected as unacceptable because they did not use the ability given by Allah to pick and choose the right thing to do in His way. Therefore, the excuse of not having that ability is not valid.

(Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee�) [9:42-47]. Allah then revealed about those hypocrites who stayed behind and did not take part in the Battle of Tabuk (Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee�). He also revealed (Had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble�). This is because when the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, set forth, he camped his troops at al-Wada� �s mountain trail while �Abd Allah ibn Ubayy camped his troops at a clear trodden path below the mountain trail of al-Wada�. His troops were no less than the troops which were with the Prophet. When the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, marched again, �Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, the hypocrites and the doubters stayed behind. To consol His Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble�).