Tafsir of Surah At-Taubah - Verse 42

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 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.

A hypocrite is one who remains to the fore in the profitable and undemanding aspects of Islam, but who recoils when he feels that his interests are being affected. On such occasions, what such weaklings rely on is excuses. They try to hide their inaction by attractive explanations. In view of collective considerations, if the chief of believers accepts their excuses, they are very happy, thinking that they have successfully hidden their reluctance behind a veil of words. But they forget that their real dealings are not with a human being but with God, and He very well knows the truth about every man. God sometimes reveals the hidden aspects of such persons in this world, but in the Hereafter the truth about everyone is going to be laid bare.