Surah 9

Surah 9:38

"You who believe! What is (the matter) with you? When it is said to you, ‘Go forth in the way of God,’ you slump to the earth. Are you pleased with this present life, rather than the Hereafter? Yet what enjoyment (there is) of this present life is only a little (thing) in (comparison to) the Hereafter."
Admonishing clinging to Life rather than rushing to perform Jihad Verses 9:38-39
Show Full Scripture Context (9:38-39) — 2 Verses
Verse 38

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَا لَكُمۡ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ ٱنفِرُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱثَّاقَلۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ أَرَضِيتُم بِٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا مِنَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِۚ فَمَا مَتَٰعُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ

You who believe! What is (the matter) with you? When it is said to you, ‘Go forth in the way of God,’ you slump to the earth. Are you pleased with this present life, rather than the Hereafter? Yet what enjoyment (there is) of this present life is only a little (thing) in (comparison to) the Hereafter.

Verse 39

إِلَّا تَنفِرُواْ يُعَذِّبۡكُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا وَيَسۡتَبۡدِلۡ قَوۡمًا غَيۡرَكُمۡ وَلَا تَضُرُّوهُ شَيۡـٔٗاۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٌ

If you do not go forth, He will punish you (with) a painful punishment, and exchange a people other than you. You will not harm Him at all, (for) God is powerful over everything.

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,
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,
iyou cling heavily to the earth?}, reclining to remain in peace, shade and ripe fruits.
iAre 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,
<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,
11 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,
}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,
ilf 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,
iand will replace you by another people}, who will give aid to His Prophet, and establish his religion. Allah said in another Ayah,
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.} [ 47 : 38 ]
iand you cannot harm Him at all}, you can never harm Allah when you lag behind and stay away from joining Jihad,
iand Allah is able to do all things.} He is able to destroy the enemies without your help.

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 4, Page 427-429)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.