Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 43

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(O Prophet,) Allah has forgiven you; why did you permit them (to stay in Madīnah) before the truthful ones could become distinct to you, and you could be sure of the liars.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

May Allah pardon you ˹O Prophet˺! Why did you give them permission ˹to stay behind˺ before those who told the truth were distinguished from those who were lying?

Ruwwad Translation Center

May Allah pardon you [O Prophet], why did you give them permission [to stay behind] before it became clear to you as to who were telling the truth, and who were liars?

A. J. Arberry

God pardon thee! Why gavest thou them leave, till it was clear to thee which of them spoke the truth, and thou knewest the liars?

Abdul Haleem

God forgive you [Prophet]! Why did you give them permission to stay at home before it had become clear to you which of them spoke the truth and which were liars?

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah pardon thee! why didst thou give them leave before it was manifest unto thee as to whosoever told the truth and thou hadst known the liars.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah give thee grace! why didst thou grant them until those who told the truth were seen by thee in a clear light, and thou hadst proved the liars?

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Prophet), may Allah forgive you! Why did you give them leave to stay behind before it became clear to you as to who were truthful and who were liars?

Ahmed Ali

May God forgive you. Why did you allow them (to stay behind) without ascertaining who spoke the truth and who were liars?

Ahmed Raza Khan

May Allah forgive you*; why did you permit them** until the truthful ones had been manifested to you and the liars been exposed? (* This is an expression of love for the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him. ** The hypocrites had been permitted to stay back from the holy war.)

Ali Quli Qarai

May Allah excuse you! Why did you grant them leave [to stay behind] before those who told the truth were evident to you and you had ascertained the liars?

Ali Ünal

May God give you grace! Why did you give them leave to stay behind until it became clear to you who was speaking the truth and you came to know the liars.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Allâh set your affairs aright (and brought honour and glory to you since you pardoned the hypocrites). Why did you give them leave (to stay behind)? (You should not have given them leave) until you had clearly known those who spoke the truth (and offered genuine excuses) and you had come to know the liars.

English Literal

God forgave/pardoned from you/for what you permitted/allowed for them, until those who were truthful become clear/shown to you, and you know the liars/deniers .

Faridul Haque

May Allah forgive you *; why did you permit them ** until the truthful ones had been manifested to you and the liars been exposed? (* This is an expression of love for the Holy Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him. ** The hypocrites had been permitted to stay back from the holy war.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah forgives you (O Muhammad); why did you give them leave (to stay) until it was made manifest to you who spoke the truth, and you did know the liars?

Hilali & Khan

May Allah forgive you (O Muhammad SAW). Why did you grant them leave (for remaining behind, you should have persisted as regards your order to them to proceed on Jihad), until those who told the truth were seen by you in a clear light, and you had known the liars?

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Had it been a near gain and a short journey, they would certainly have followed thee, but the hard journey was too long for them. And they will swear by Allah: If we had been able, we would have gone forth with you. They cause their own souls to perish; and Allah knows that they are liars.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Allah pardon you! Why did you give them leave until those who spoke the truth had become manifest to you and you had known the liars?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah forgive thee (O Muhammad)! Wherefor didst thou grant them leave ere those who told the truth were manifest to thee and thou didst know the liars?

Muhammad Sarwar

May God forgive you! (Muhammad), why did you not let them join the army so that you could discern the liars from the truthful ones?

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah has forgiven you! Why did you give them leave (to stay behind) until it was clear to you which of them was truthful and knew those who lied?

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

May Allah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave, until those who told the truth were manifest to you, and you had known the liars

Wahiduddin Khan

May God pardon you! Why did you permit them to do so before it had become clear to you which ones were truthful, so that you might recognize the liars?

Talal Itani

May God pardon you! Why did you give them permission before it became clear to you who are the truthful ones, and who are the liars?

Tafsir jalalayn

The Prophet (s), exercising his personal judgement, had given leave to a group to stay behind, and so the following was revealed as a reprimand for him, but with the pardon first, in order to reassure his heart; May God pardon you! Why do you give them leave, to stay behind; why did you not leave them, until it was clear to you which of them spoke the truth, in their excuse, and you knew those who were lying, in it?

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Moderately criticizing the Prophet for allowing the Hypocrites to stay behind

Allah says;

عَفَا اللّهُ عَنكَ لِمَ أَذِنتَ لَهُمْ

May Allah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave,

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Awn said,

"Have you heard criticism softer than this, starting with forgiveness before criticism,"

Muwarriq Al-Ijli and others said similarly.

Qatadah said,

"Allah criticized him as you read here, then later revealed to him the permission to allow them to lag behind if he wants, in Surah An-Nur,

فَإِذَا اسْتَـْذَنُوكَ لِبَعْضِ شَأْنِهِمْ فَأْذَن لِّمَن شِيْتَ مِنْهُمْ

So if they ask your permission for some affairs of theirs, give permission to whom you will of them." (24;62)

Ata' Al-Khurasani said similarly.

Mujahid said,

"This Ayah was revealed about some people who said,

`Ask permission from the Messenger of Allah (to stay behind), and whether he agrees, or disagrees, remain behind!"'

Allah said,

حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُواْ
until those who told the truth were manifest to you,

in reference to valid excuses,

وَتَعْلَمَ الْكَاذِبِينَ



and you had known the liars.

Allah says, `Why did you not refuse to give them permission to remain behind when they asked you, so that you know those who truly obey you and the liars, who were intent on remaining behind even if you do not give them permission to do so.

Allah asserts that none who believe in Allah and His Messenger seek his permission to remain behind from fighting