Surah At-Tawba 9:38 — translation and meaning

التوبة · Verse 38 / 129 · Page 193

ۚ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمُ انفِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ اثَّاقَلْتُمْ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۚ
يَا أَيُّهَا
yaayyuha
O you who believe
الَّذِينَ
alladhina
O you who believe
آمَنُوا
amanu
O you who believe
مَا
ma
What
لَكُمْ
lakum
(is the matter) with you
إِذَا
idha
when
قِيلَ
qila
it is said
لَكُمُ
lakumu
to you
انفِرُوا
infiru
go forth
فِي
fi
in
سَبِيلِ
sabili
(the) way
اللَّهِ
al-lahi
(of) Allah
اثَّاقَلْتُمْ
ithaqaltum
you cling heavily
إِلَى
ila
to
الْأَرْضِ
al-ardi
the earth
أَرَضِيتُم
araditum
Are you pleased
بِالْحَيَاةِ
bil-hayati
with the life
الدُّنْيَا
al-dun'ya
(of) the world
مِنَ
mina
(rather) than
الْآخِرَةِ
al-akhirati
the Hereafter
فَمَا
fama
But what
مَتَاعُ
mata'u
(is the) enjoyment
الْحَيَاةِ
al-hayati
(of) the life
الدُّنْيَا
al-dun'ya
(of) the world
فِي
fi
in (comparison to)
الْآخِرَةِ
al-akhirati
the hereafter
إِلَّا
illa
except
قَلِيلٌ
qalilun
a little

Transliteration

Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo maa lakum izaa qeela lakumun firoo fee sabeelil laahis saaqaltum ilal ard; aradeetum bilhayaatid dunyaa minal Aakhirah; famaa ma taaul hayaatiddunyaa fil Aakhirati illaa qaleel

Translation

O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

O you who have faith in Allah and His Messenger, and follow His sacred law, what is wrong with you that when you are called to strive for Allah’s sake, fighting against your enemy, tyou become reluctant, desiring to remain in your houses. Do you prefer the passing life of this world and its pleasures, which are short-lived, to the eternal bliss of the Afterlife, which Allah has prepared for those who strive for His sake? The enjoyment of the life of this world is insignificant in comparison to that of the Afterlife. How can anyone with sense choose something passing over something eternal, or something miserable over something amazing?

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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