Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Exposing Hypocrites Allah said, وَلَوْ أَرَادُواْ الْخُرُوجَ (And if they had intended to march out,), with you to participate in Jihad لأَعَدُّواْ لَهُ عُدَّةً (certainly, they would have made some preparation for it) they would have prepared for such task, وَلَـكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ (but Allah was averse to their being sent forth) Allah hated that they should go with you, فَثَبَّطَهُمْ (so He made them lag behind, and stay away from Jihad, وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُواْ مَعَ الْقَـعِدِينَ (and it was said (to them): "Sit you among those who sit (at home)") as a part of what was decreed for them not that He legislated that they stay behind. Allah then explained why He disliked that they march with the believers, saying, لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً (Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder), because they are cowards and failures, ولاّوْضَعُواْ خِلَـلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ (and they would have hurried about in your midst sowing sedition among you) They would have rushed to spread false stories, hatred and discord among you, وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ (and there are some among you who would have listened to them.) who would have obeyed them, given preference to their speech and words and asked them for advice, unaware of the true reality of these hypocrites. This might have caused corruption and great evil between the believers. Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Those who sought permission (from the Messenger to lag behind) included some of the chiefs, such as `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and Al-Jadd bin Qays, who were masters of their people. Allah also made them lag behind because He knew that if they went along with the Messenger ﷺ they would sow sedition in his army." There were some in the Prophet's army who liked these chiefs and were ready to obey them, because they considered them honorable, وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ (and there are some among you who would have listened to them) 9:47. Allah next reminds of His perfect knowledge, saying, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّـلِمينَ (And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.) Allah says that He knows what occurred, what will occur and if anything would have occurred, how it would occur, such as, لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً (Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder,) indicating what they would have done had they marched, even though they did not. Allah said in similar Ayat, وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ (But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) 6:28, وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ (Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth)) 8:23, and, وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتاً - وَإِذاً لاّتَيْنَـهُمْ مِّن لَّدُنَّـآ أَجْراً عَظِيماً - وَلَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً (And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their conviction. And indeed We would then have bestowed upon them a great reward from Ourselves. And indeed We would have guided them to the straight way) 4:66-68.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Exposing Hypocrites Allah said, وَلَوْ أَرَادُواْ الْخُرُوجَ (And if they had intended to march out,), with you to participate in Jihad لأَعَدُّواْ لَهُ عُدَّةً (certainly, they would have made some preparation for it) they would have prepared for such task, وَلَـكِن كَرِهَ اللَّهُ انبِعَاثَهُمْ (but Allah was averse to their being sent forth) Allah hated that they should go with you, فَثَبَّطَهُمْ (so He made them lag behind, and stay away from Jihad, وَقِيلَ اقْعُدُواْ مَعَ الْقَـعِدِينَ (and it was said (to them): "Sit you among those who sit (at home)") as a part of what was decreed for them not that He legislated that they stay behind. Allah then explained why He disliked that they march with the believers, saying, لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً (Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder), because they are cowards and failures, ولاّوْضَعُواْ خِلَـلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ (and they would have hurried about in your midst sowing sedition among you) They would have rushed to spread false stories, hatred and discord among you, وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ (and there are some among you who would have listened to them.) who would have obeyed them, given preference to their speech and words and asked them for advice, unaware of the true reality of these hypocrites. This might have caused corruption and great evil between the believers. Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Those who sought permission (from the Messenger to lag behind) included some of the chiefs, such as `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and Al-Jadd bin Qays, who were masters of their people. Allah also made them lag behind because He knew that if they went along with the Messenger ﷺ they would sow sedition in his army." There were some in the Prophet's army who liked these chiefs and were ready to obey them, because they considered them honorable, وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـعُونَ لَهُمْ (and there are some among you who would have listened to them) 9:47. Allah next reminds of His perfect knowledge, saying, وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّـلِمينَ (And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.) Allah says that He knows what occurred, what will occur and if anything would have occurred, how it would occur, such as, لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً (Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder,) indicating what they would have done had they marched, even though they did not. Allah said in similar Ayat, وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ (But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars.) 6:28, وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ (Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth)) 8:23, and, وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتاً - وَإِذاً لاّتَيْنَـهُمْ مِّن لَّدُنَّـآ أَجْراً عَظِيماً - وَلَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً (And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their conviction. And indeed We would then have bestowed upon them a great reward from Ourselves. And indeed We would have guided them to the straight way) 4:66-68.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah encourages His Prophet against hypocrites, لَقَدِ ابْتَغَوُاْ الْفِتْنَةَ مِن قَبْلُ وَقَلَّبُواْ لَكَ الأُمُورَ (Verily, they had plotted sedition before, and had upset matters for you,) `For a long time,' Allah says, hypocrites thought and plotted against you and your Companions, as well as, failing and attempting to extinguish your religion.' This occurred soon after the Prophet migrated to Al-Madinah, when pagan Arabs joined force and the Jews and hypocrites of Al-Madinah waged war against the Messenger ﷺ. When Allah gave victory to the Prophet in Badr and raised high his word, `Abdullah bin Ubayy and his fellows said, "This (Islam) is a matter that has prevailed." They embraced Islam outwardly, and whenever Allah elevated Islam and its people in might, hypocrites increased in rage and disappointment, حَتَّى جَآءَ الْحَقُّ وَظَهَرَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَهُمْ كَـرِهُونَ (until the truth (victory) came and the decree of Allah became manifest though they hated it.)

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

ائْذَن لِّي (Grant me leave), to stay behind, وَلاَ تَفْتِنِّى (and put me not into trial.), if I go with you and see the women of the Romans. Allah, the Exalted, replied, أَلا فِى الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُواْ (Surely, they have fallen into trial) because of the statement they uttered. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Az-Zuhri, Yazid bin Ruwman, `Abdullah bin Abi Bakr, `Asim bin Qatadah and several others that they said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Al-Jadd bin Qays from Bani Salimah, «هَلْ لَكَ يَا جَدُّ الْعَامَ فِي جَلَادِ بَنِي الْأَصْفَرِ؟» (`Would you like to fight the yellow ones (Romans) this year) He said, `O Allah's Messenger! Give me permission (to remain behind) and do not cause Fitnah for me. By Allah! My people know that there is not a man who is more fond of women than I. I fear that if I see the women of the yellow ones, I would not be patient.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned away from him and said, «قَدْ أَذِنْتُ لَك» (I give you permission.) In Al-Jadd's case, this Ayah was revealed, وَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَقُولُ ائْذَن لِّي وَلاَ تَفْتِنِّى (And among them is he who says: "Grant me leave and put me not into trial.") Therefore, Allah says that the Fitnah that he fell into because of not joining the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (in Jihad) and preferring his safety to the safety of the Messenger ﷺ is worse than the Fitnah that he falsely claimed to fear." It was reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and several others that this Ayah was revealed in the case of Al-Jadd bin Qays, who was among the chiefs of Bani Salimah. It is also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked, «مَنْ سَيِّدُكُمْ يَا بَنِي سَلَمَةَ؟» (Who is your chief, O Bani Salamah) They said, "Al-Jadd bin Qays, although we consider him a miser." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, «وَأَيُّ دَاءٍ أَدْوَأُ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ وَلَكِنْ سَيِّدُكُمْ الْفَتَى الْجَعْدُ الْأَبْيَضُ بِشْرُ بْنُ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ مَعْرُور» (There is not a disease worse than stinginess! Therefore, your chief is the white young man with curly hair, Bishr bin Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur.) Allah said next, وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَـفِرِينَ (And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.) and they will never be able to avoid, avert, or escape from it.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

Allah emphasizes the enmity that the hypocrites have for the Prophet If a blessing, such as victory and triumph over the enemies, is given to the Prophet , thus pleasing him and his Companions, it grieves the hypocrites, وَإِن تُصِبْكَ مُصِيبَةٌ يَقُولُواْ قَدْ أَخَذْنَا أَمْرَنَا مِن قَبْلُ (but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: "We took our precaution beforehand,"), they say, we took precautions when we did not join him, وَيَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُمْ فَرِحُونَ (and they turn away rejoicing.) Allah directed His Prophet to reply to the perfect enmity they have towards him, قُلْ (Say), to them, لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلاَّ مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا (Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.) for we are under His control and decree, هُوَ مَوْلَـنَا (He is our Mawla.), Master and protector, وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ (And in Allah let the believers put their trust) 9:51, and we trust in Him. Verily, He is sufficient for us and what an excellent guardian.