Those who remained behind495 rejoiced in their staying [at home] after [the departure of] the Messenger of Allāh and disliked to strive with their wealth and their lives in the cause of Allāh and said, "Do not go forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is more intense in heat" - if they would but understand.
Notes
[495] Literally, "were left behind [as Allāh willed]" due to their false excuses having been accepted by the Prophet (ﷺ). While pleased with their assumed deception, in reality, Allāh had prevented their participation knowing of their hypocrisy and evil intent.
Verse 81 of Surah At-Tawbah (9:81), a Medinan surah, is in juz 10, on page 200 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 81 of Surah At-Tawbah
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Tafsir of verse 81
Al-Mukhtasar
Those hypocrites who failed to join the battle of Tabūk were happy not to strive in Allah’s path, in opposition to the Messenger of Allah. They were reluctant to strive with their wealth and live in Allah’s path as the believers did. They said to their fellow hypocrites, in order to keep them behind, ‘Do not march in the heat!’ The battle of Tabūk was during the hot season. Say to them, O Messenger: The fire of Hell that awaits the hypocrites is much hotter than this heat that they are running away from, if they only knew.
Those who remained behind rejoiced for doing so in defiance of the Messenger of Allah, and disliked to strive in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives66, and said, “Do not march forth in this heat67.” Say, “The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat.” – If only they could understand!
Notes
[66] While in reality, Allah had prevented their participation knowing of their hypocrisy and evil intent.
[67] In the Tabuk Expedition.
Those who stayed away (from Tabuk expedition) rejoiced in their staying behind the Messenger of Allâh; they hated to strive and fight with their properties and their lives in the Cause of Allâh, and they said: "March not forth in the heat." Say: "The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat"; if only they could understand!
Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way. And they said: Go not forth in the heat! Say: The fire of hell is more intense of heat, if they but understood.
Those who were left behind (in the Tabuk expedition) rejoiced in their inaction behind the back of the Messenger of Allah: they hated to strive and fight, with their goods and their persons, in the cause of Allah: they said, "Go not forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is fiercer in heat." If only they could understand!
Those who were left behind were glad on account of their sitting behind Allah's Messenger and they were averse from striving in Allah's way with their property and their persons, and said: Do not go forth in the heat. Say: The fire of hell is much severe in heat. Would that they understood (it).
The ones who were left behind exulted with their seat (s) behind the back of Messenger of Allah, (i.e., against the wishes of the Messenger) and hated to strive with their riches and their selves in the way of Allah, and said, "Do not march out in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is strictly hotter, " if they (really) comprehend..
O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allāh in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.
These are two adversaries who have disputed over their Lord. But those who disbelieved will have cut out for them garments of fire. Poured upon their heads will be scalding water …
Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses - We will drive them into a fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allāh is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allāh and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allāh. It is those who are the truthful.
Those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving [i.e., fighting] with their wealth and their lives. And Allāh is Knowing of those who fear Him.
Indeed, those who have believed and emigrated and fought with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allāh and those who gave shelter and aided - they are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no support of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help of you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allāh is Seeing of what you do.
