لَوْ خَرَجُوا۟ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلَّا خَبَالًا وَلَأَوْضَعُوا۟ خِلَـٰلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ ٱلْفِتْنَةَ وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّـٰعُونَ لَهُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 47
Translations
Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension]. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Transliteration
Law kharajoo feekum maa zaaduokum illa khbaalan wa la-awda'oo khilaalakum yabghoonakumu al-fitnata wa feekum sammaa'oon lahum wa-Allahu 'alimun bi-al-zalimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses hypocrites (munafiqun) who did not participate in the Tabuk expedition, stating that had they marched with the believers, they would have only increased discord and confusion among the ranks, hastening to cause division and sedition. Ibn Kathir explains that Allah warned the believers about these hypocrites who had spies and sympathizers within the community, emphasizing that Allah's knowledge encompasses all wrongdoers and their hidden intentions.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the context of Surah At-Tawbah (The Repentance), which deals extensively with hypocrites and their characteristics. It specifically relates to the Tabuk expedition in the 9th year of Hijrah, when certain munafiqun refused to join the military campaign against the Byzantine Christians, and Allah protected the believers by preventing their participation, which would have sown discord within the Muslim ranks.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim contain various hadiths about the Tabuk expedition and the hypocrites' excuses. Additionally, hadiths about identifying hypocrites (such as the signs mentioned in Sahih Bukhari 33) relate thematically to understanding those who create fitnah (discord) within the community.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to be vigilant about those who sow discord from within the community and to trust in Allah's comprehensive knowledge of hidden intentions, while recognizing that excluding destructive elements can strengthen rather than weaken the faith community.