وَإِنَّ مِنكُمْ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ فَإِنْ أَصَـٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالَ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِذْ لَمْ أَكُن مَّعَهُمْ شَهِيدًا 72
Translations
And indeed, there is among you he who lingers behind; and if disaster strikes you, he says, "Allāh has favored me in that I was not present with them."
Transliteration
Wa-inna minkum laman layubaṭṭi'anna fa-in aṣābatkum muṣībatun qāla qad an'ama -llāhu 'alayya idh lam akun ma'ahum shahīdan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes those among the believers who lag behind in jihad and military expeditions, and when misfortune befalls the fighting Muslims, such people express gratitude that they were not present to witness or participate in the calamity. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir interpret this as a reproach against those who make excuses to avoid participating in defensive warfare, revealing their hypocrisy by their relief at others' suffering. The ayah emphasizes that such behavior demonstrates a lack of genuine concern for the Muslim community and a selfish attitude toward collective struggle.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during the time of military expeditions and battles when the Muslim community faced threats. It is part of a broader discussion in Surah An-Nisa (ayahs 66-72) about the obligations of believers regarding jihad and collective defense, addressing the tension between those fully committed to the faith's defense and those who seek exemptions.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever dies without having fought or having resolved in his heart to fight, he dies on one of the branches of hypocrisy' (Muslim 1910). Additionally, the Quranic context relates to the hadith about the importance of unity: 'The example of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for one another is that of a body' (Sahih Bukhari 5665).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that indifference to the struggles and hardships of the Muslim community, driven by self-interest and cowardice, is a form of hypocrisy and spiritual illness. It calls Muslims to cultivate genuine concern for collective welfare and to recognize that true faith involves active participation in the defense and wellbeing of the ummah (community).