Surah At-Taubah, Verse 49/50

*Surah At-Taubah, Verse 49:*

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ ائْذَن لِّي وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ

And among them is he who says:"Grant me leave (to be exempted from Jihad) and put me not into trial." Surely, they have fallen into trial. And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.

#COMMENTARY

Fitnat, as explained in the commentary of chapter viii, verse 25, may mean either trial or temptation, or else tumult, turmoil, or sedition. The Commentators here take the former meaning, and explain that some Hypocrites claimed exemption from service in the Tabūk expedition in the direction of Syria on the plea that they could not withstand the charms of Syrian women and ought best to stay at home. The answer is: "But you have already fallen into temptation here by refusing service and disobeying the call. But perhaps the other meaning of "turmoil" may also be permissible as a secondary echo; in that case they objet to be drawn into the turmoil of war, but they are told that they are already in a moral turmoil in advancing a disingenuous plea. In using the English word "trial" in the translation, I have also had in my mind the two shades of meaning associated with that word in English.

*Surah At-Taubah, Verse 50:*

إِن تُصِبْكَ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكَ مُصِيبَةٌ يَقُولُوا قَدْ أَخَذْنَا أَمْرَنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَيَتَوَلَّوا وَّهُمْ فَرِحُونَ

If good befalls you (O Muhammad [Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him]), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: "We took our precaution beforehand," and they turn away rejoicing.