The Holy Quran 33:20 — Surah Al-Ahzab

Arabic text

يَحْسَبُونَ ٱلْأَحْزَابَ لَمْ يَذْهَبُوا۟ ۖ وَإِن يَأْتِ ٱلْأَحْزَابُ يَوَدُّوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّهُم بَادُونَ فِى ٱلْأَعْرَابِ يَسْـَٔلُونَ عَنْ أَنۢبَآئِكُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كَانُوا۟ فِيكُم مَّا قَـٰتَلُوٓا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Translation

They (the Munaafiqeen are so cowardly that even when informed that the Mushrikeen armies had retreated and returned to Makkah, they) think that the armies have not retreated. If the armies were to arrive (to attack you Muslims), they (the Munaafiqeen) hope that (instead of fighting) they were rather to the outback (away from the scene of the battle only to do some) inquiring about your condition (rather than having to actively fight). (In fact) Even if they (the Munaafiqeen) were with you (the Mu'mineen in battle), they would fight only a little (without being of any help to you).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The cowardice of the hypocrites: that is, the armies of the disbelievers have already gone back defeated, but these cowardly hypocrites do not believe that they have left. And suppose the armies of the disbelievers returned and attacked again — then their wish would be not to stay even in the city, but to live in some village for as long as the fighting…

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