Surah Ali 'Imran 3:167 — translation and meaning
آل عمران · Verse 167 / 200 · Page 72
ۗ ۗ ۚ ۚ ۖ وَلِيَعْلَمَ الَّذِينَ نَافَقُوا وَقِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا قَاتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَوِ ادْفَعُوا قَالُوا لَوْ نَعْلَمُ قِتَالًا لَّاتَّبَعْنَاكُمْ هُمْ لِلْكُفْرِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ يَقُولُونَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِم مَّا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَكْتُمُونَ
Word by Word
Transliteration
Wa liya'lamal lazeena naafaqoo; wa qeela lahum ta'aalaw qaatiloo fee sabeelil laahi awid fa'oo qaaloo law na'lamu qitaalallat taba'naakum; hum lilkufri yawma'izin aqrabu minhum lil eemaan; yaqooloona bi afwaahihim maa laisa fee quloobihim; wallaahu a'lamu bimaa yaktumoon
Translation
And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites. For it was said to them, "Come, fight in the way of Allah or [at least] defend." They said, "If we had known [there would be] fighting, we would have followed you." They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah is most Knowing of what they conceal -
Verse interpretation (Tafsir)
And He did this in order to demonstrate who the hypocrites were! When they were told to fight in Allah’s path, or to defend their womenfolk and their people, they said, ‘Had we known that you were going to fight properly, then we would have followed you; but you actually throw yourselves to death!’ At that moment, they were closer to showing their disbelief than their faith, saying with their tongues what was not in their hearts. Allah knows best what they hide in their breasts, and will repay them accordingly.
Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.
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