Quran Quote  : 

Quran-9:38 Surah At-tawbah English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

Transliteration:( Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo maa lakum izaa qeela lakumun firoo fee sabeelil laahis saaqaltum ilal ard; aradeetum bilhayaatid dunyaa minal Aakhirah; famaamataa'ul hayaatiddunyaa fil Aakhirati illaa qaleel )

38. O believers! What has happened to you that when it is said to you (103): "Go forth in the way of Allah"; you sit down (104), on the earth heavily? Have you chosen the life of this world in preference to the Hereafter? And the goods of the living world in comparison with that of the Hereafter is nothing but little (105).

Related Ayat(Verses)/Topics

Surah At-Tawbah Ayat 38 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi

103. From this we learn that a Muslim does not become an infidel on sinning because Allah Almighty called those who were lazy in Jihad as believers, although negligence in Jihad is a sin. 

104. Reason for its Revelation:

This verse was revealed on the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk to instil in the Muslims the desire for Jihad - Holy War. This battle was fought in Rajab 9th Hijri after the Battle of Taif. Tabuk is situtated several kilometres out of Madina Muanawwarah in the direction of Syria. The Holy Prophet saw put great effort on this battle. At that piont in time there was a severe drought which was placing much strain on the Muslims Severe heat too was adding to this problems of the Muslims. 

For this battle Hazrat Uthman Ghani (May Allah be pleased with him) generously donated military equipment for ten thousand soldiers, ten thousand gold coins, nine hundred camels and hundred fully saddled horses. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (May Allah be pleased with him) gave everything he had at home and Hazrat Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) donated half his possessions. 

Leaving behind Hazrat Alli Murtaza (May Allah be pleased with him) as his deputy in Madina, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم Marched to Tabuk  at the head of a thirty thousand army. Abdullah ibn Ubayy and the rest of the hypocrites turn back from this army at Thaniyatul Wuda. On the occasion of this battle the well of Tabuk which had very little water became full with the blessed gargle water of the Holy Prophet which sufficed the needs of  all the soldiers and animals. No actual fighting took place in this battle because Herculis, Emperor of Rome became overawed by the Muslims The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم after imposing poll tax on the governors of Doomatul Jandal and Eila, returned to Madina. After this battle Hazrat Ka'ab bin Malik, Hilal ibn Umayyah and Murarah ibn Rabee had been boycotted, details of which are to follow. 

105. This means all these would perish while the is eternal, the goods of the living world are but little. while the Hereafter is abundant

 

Ibn-Kathir

38. O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah, you cling heavily to the earth Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter. 39. If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment and will replace you by another people; and you cannot harm Him at all, and Allah is able to do all things.

Admonishing clinging to Life rather than rushing to perform Jihad

Allah admonishes those who lagged behind the Messenger of Allah in the battle of Tabuk, at a time when fruits were ripe and shades tempting in the intense and terrible heat,

﴿يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ﴾

(O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the cause of Allah), if you are called to perform Jihad in the cause of Allah,

﴿اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الاٌّرْضِ﴾

(you cling heavily to the earth), reclining to remain in peace, shade and ripe fruits.

﴿أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الاٌّخِرَةِ﴾

(Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter), why do you do this, is it because you prefer this life instead of the Hereafter Allah next diminishes the eagerness for this worldly life and increases it for the Hereafter,

﴿فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ﴾

(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Mustawrid, a member of Bani Fihr, said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«مَا الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا كَمَا يَجْعَلُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِصْبَعَهُ هَذِهِ فِي الْيَمِّ،فَلْيَنْظُرْ بِمَ تَرْجِعُ؟»

(The life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is just like when one of you dips his finger in the sea, let him contemplate how much of it his finger would carry.) The Prophet pointed with his index finger. Muslim collected this Hadith. Ath-Thawri narrated that Al-A`mash said about the Ayah,

﴿فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ﴾

(But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world compared to the Hereafter.) “What compares to the provision a traveler takes.” `Abdul-`Aziz bin Abi Hazim narrated that his father said, “When `Abdul-`Aziz bin Marwan was dying he said, `Bring the shroud I will be covered with so that I inspect it.’ When it was placed before him, he looked at it and said, `Is this what I will end up with from this life’ He then turned his back and cried, while saying, `Woe to you, O life! Your abundance is truly little, your little is short lived, we were deceived by you.”’ Allah warns those who do not join Jihad,

﴿إِلاَّ تَنفِرُواْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا﴾

(If you march not forth, He will punish you with a painful torment) Ibn `Abbas said, “Allah’s Messenger called some Arabs to mobilize, but they lagged behind and Allah witheld rain from coming down on them, and this was their torment.” Allah said,

﴿وَيَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ﴾

(and will replace you by another people), who will give aid to His Prophet and establish his religion. Allah said in another Ayah,

﴿الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ﴾

(And if you turn away (from the obedience to Allah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) ï´¿47:38ï´¾

﴿وَلاَ تَضُرُّوهُ شَيْئًا﴾

(and you cannot harm Him at all), you can never harm Allah when you lag behind and stay away from joining Jihad,

﴿وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾

(and Allah is able to do all things.) He is able to destroy the enemies without your help.

(9:38) Believers![38] What is amiss with you that when it is said to you: “March forth in the cause of Allah,” you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the worldly life to the Hereafter? Know well that all the enjoyment of this world, in comparison with the Hereafter, is trivial.[39]

38. From here begins the discourse (Ayats 38-72) which was sent down at the time when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was engaged in making preparations for the campaign to Tabuk.

39. “The enjoyment of the life of this world” may imply two meanings. First: “When you will find that the life in the Hereafter is eternal and see that the good things and the provisions of enjoyment are countless, you will realize that the potential and the actual enjoyments of the temporary life of this world were nothing as compared with the blessings of that great kingdom. At that time you will regret why you deprived yourselves of this everlasting happiness and bliss for the sake of a very little and short lived enjoyments of the mortal life of this world.” Second: “The goods of this worldly life are of no value in the Hereafter, howsoever abundant they might be. You shall have to give up each and everything as soon as you breathe your last. For nothing of this world can go with you to the next world. Of course, you will get credit for what you sacrificed for the pleasure and love of Allah, and love of Islam.”

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