Those who believe say, "Why has a sūrah1502 not been sent down?" But when a precise sūrah is revealed and battle is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] looking at you with a look of one overcome by death. And more appropriate for them1503 [would have been]
Notes
[1502] i.e., one in which permission is given the believers to fight their enemies.
[1503] The words "awlā lahum" can also be interpreted as "woe to them!" In that case, the following verse would begin, "[Better for them would have been] obedience and good words."
Verse 20 of Surah Muhammad (47:20), a Medinan surah, is in juz 26, on page 509 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
Listen to verse 20 of Surah Muhammad
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Tafsir of verse 20
Al-Mukhtasar
Those who have faith in Allah say, longing for Allah to reveal to His Messenger a sūrah containing the instruction for fighting: ‘Why does not Allah reveal a sūrah in which fighting is mentioned.’ When Allah reveals a decisive unabrogated sūrah containing the mention of fighting, you, O Messenger, will see those hypocrites in whose hearts there is doubt looking at you like one who is unconscious on account of extreme fear and terror. So woe to them for withdrawing from fighting and being afraid of it.
Those who believe say, “If only a Chapter were sent down [about fighting]? But when a precise Chapter is sent down and fighting15 is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is sickness looking at you like someone who is about to die. It would have been better for them16
Notes
[15] The believers longed for a Qur’anic revelation that would give them permission to fight their enemies.
[16] It could also mean “Woe to them!” if disconnected from the next verse.
Those who believe say: "Why is not a Sûrah (chapter of the Qur’ân) sent down (for us)? But when a decisive Sûrah (explaining and ordering things) is sent down, and fighting (Jihâd - holy fighting in Allâh’s cause) is mentioned (i.e. ordained) therein, you will see those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you with a look of one fainting to death. But it was better for them (hypocrites, to listen to Allâh and to obey Him).
And those who believe say: If only a surah were revealed! But when a decisive surah is revealed and war is mentioned therein, thou seest those in whose hearts is a disease looking at thee with the look of men fainting unto death. Therefor woe unto them!
Those who believe say, "Why is not a sura sent down (for us)?" But when a sura of basic or categorical meaning is revealed, and fighting is mentioned therein, thou wilt see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at thee with a look of one in swoon at the approach of death. But more fitting for them-
And those who believe say: Why has not a chapter been revealed? But when a decisive chapter is revealed, and fighting is mentioned therein you see those in whose hearts is a disease look to you with the look of one fainting because of death. Woe to them then!
And the ones who have believed say, "Had a sûrah been successively sent down!" Then, when a clear sûrah is sent down, and therein fighting is mentioned, you see the ones in whose hearts is sickness looking at you with the look of one enveloped by the swooning of death; yet worthier of them would be.
Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakāh"? But then when battle was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allāh or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, "The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allāh. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]."
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it has [only] increased them in evil [in addition] to their evil. And they will have died while they are disbelievers.
So you see those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] hastening into [association with] them, saying, "We are afraid a misfortune may strike us." But perhaps Allāh will bring conquest or a decision from Him, and they will become, over what they have been concealing within themselves, regretful.
And We have not made the keepers of the Fire except angels. And We have not made their number except as a trial for those who disbelieve - that those who were given the Scripture will be convinced and those who have believed will increase in faith and those who were given the Scripture and the believers will not doubt and that those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] and the disbelievers will say, "What does Allāh intend by this as an example?" Thus does Allāh send astray whom He wills and guide whom He wills. And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him. And it [i.e., mention of the Fire] is not but a reminder to humanity.
