The Holy Quran 9:42 — Surah At-Tawbah

Arabic text

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

Translation

Had the gains been near at hand (easy to get) and (had) the journey (been) an easy one, they (the Munaafiqeen) would have definitely followed you (in battle, O Muhammad ﷺ). However, the journey appeared too long for them (as a result, they stayed behind in Madinah and did not join the expedition). They will soon swear by Allaah (when you return to Madinah), "If we were able to, we would have left with you." They destroy themselves (by swearing false oaths). Allaah knows that they really are liars (and will therefore punish them).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The excuses of the hypocrites: this is said of the hypocrites: had the journey been light and had there been hope of laying hands on spoils of war without effort, they would have joined quickly. But how could they possibly manage such arduous stages?

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