Al-Qur'an Surah At-Tawbah Verse 47

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And had they set out with you, they would have added nothing for you but trouble, and would have run around in your midst seeking mischief against you. Still, among you there are those who spy for them. Allah is aware of the wrongdoers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Had they gone forth with you ˹believers˺, they would have been nothing but trouble for you, and would have scrambled around, seeking to spread discord in your midst. And some of you would have eagerly listened to them. And Allah has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of the wrongdoers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If they had gone forth with you, they would have only increased you in disorder, and would have scurried around, sowing discord among you, and some of you would have listened to them. And Allah is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.

A. J. Arberry

Had they gone forth among you, they would only have increased you in trouble, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and God knows the evildoers.

Abdul Haleem

They would only have given you trouble if they had gone out [to battle] with you: they would have scurried around, trying to sow discord among you, and some of you would willingly have listened to them- God knows exactly who does evil.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Had they gene forth with you, they would have added unto you naught save unsoundness, and they would surely have hurried about in Your midst seeking sedition unto you; and amongst you there are listeners to them; and Allah is Knower of the wrong-doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If they had come out with you, they would not have added to your (strength) but only (made for) disorder, hurrying to and fro in your midst and sowing sedition among you, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. But Allah knoweth well those who do wrong.

Abul Ala Maududi

Had they gone forth with you, they would have only added to your trouble, and would have run about in your midst seeking to stir up sedition among you, whereas there are among you some who are prone to lend ears to them. Allah knows well the wrong-doers.

Ahmed Ali

Had they gone out with you, they would only have been a hindrance and let loose confusion among you to create discord; for there are some in your midst who spy for them. But God knows who are the wicked.

Ahmed Raza Khan

If they had gone forth among you, you would then not gain any increase from them except trouble, and seeking to cause turmoil they would run rumours among you; and their spies are among you; and Allah well knows the unjust.

Ali Quli Qarai

Had they gone forth with you, they would have only added to your troubles, and they would have surely spread rumours in your midst, seeking to cause sedition among you. They have some spies among you, and Allah knows best the wrongdoers.

Ali Ünal

If they had gone forth among you, they would have brought no addition to you except trouble, and would have run about in your midst seeking to stir up sedition among you. Among you were some who were prone to heed them. God has full knowledge of the wrongdoers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Had they set forth with you (O believers!) they would have only added to your trouble, and they would have moved about hurriedly in your midst seeking to create disruption among you, and there are some spies in your midst who would have listened to them on their (- your enemies) behalf. And Allâh is Well-Aware of these wrong-doers.

English Literal

If they got out/emerged in between you, they did not increase you except degeneration/corruption and they would have put in between and around you, (and) they desired (for) you the treason/misguidance , and in you (there are those) hearing/listening to them, and God (is) knowledgeable with (of) the unjust/oppressive.

Faridul Haque

If they had gone forth among you, you would then not gain any increase from them except trouble, and seeking to cause turmoil they would run rumours among you; and their spies are among you; and Allah well knows the unjust.

Hamid S. Aziz

Had they gone forth with you they would have made you naught but more trouble, and they would have hurried about amongst you creating a sedition; and amongst you are some who would have listened to them; but Allah knows those who are evil-workers.

Hilali & Khan

Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if they had intended to go forth, they would certainly have provided equipment for it; but Allah did not like their going forth. So He withheld them, and it was said: Hold back with those who hold back.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble and had hurried to and fro among you, seeking to cause sedition among you; and among you there are some who would have listened to them. Allah is Aware of evil-doers.

Muhammad Sarwar

Had they joined you, they would have been of no help to you but would have just caused confusion and trouble among you by sneaking through the ranks where some of you would be ready to listen to them. God knows best the unjust.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Had they gone forth among you, they would only have increased your burden, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and Allah knows the harmdoers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you -- and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.

Wahiduddin Khan

Had they gone forth with you, they would only have proved a source of evil for you, and would have run back and forth among you, seeking to sow discord among you: and among you there were some who would have willingly listened to them. God knows the evil-doers.

Talal Itani

Had they mobilized with you, they would have added only to your difficulties, and they would have spread rumors in your midst, trying to sow discord among you. Some of you are avid listeners to them. God is Aware of the wrongdoers.

Tafsir jalalayn

Had they gone forth among you, they would only have caused you more trouble, [more] corruption, by abandoning the believers, and would have hurried to and fro among you, that is, they would have hastened to spread slander among you, seeking, desiring, to stir up sedition, by casting enmity, between you; and among you there are some who would listen to them, to what they say, listening in readiness to accept it; and God knows the evildoers.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً

Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder,

because they are cowards and failures,

ولَاوْضَعُواْ خِلَلَكُمْ يَبْغُونَكُمُ الْفِتْنَةَ

and they would have hurried about in your midst sowing sedition among you,

They would have rushed to spread false stories, hatred and discord among you,

وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ

and there are some among you who would have listened to them.

who would have obeyed them, given preference to their speech and words and asked them for advice, unaware of the true reality of these hypocrites. This might have caused corruption and great evil between the believers.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said,

"Those who sought permission (from the Messenger to lag behind) included some of the chiefs, such as Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul and Al-Jadd bin Qays, who were masters of their people. Allah also made them lag behind because He knew that if they went along with the Messenger they would sow sedition in his army."

There were some in the Prophet's army who liked these chiefs and were ready to obey them, because they considered them honorable,
وَفِيكُمْ سَمَّاعُونَ لَهُمْ
(and there are some among you who would have listened to them).

Allah next reminds of His perfect knowledge, saying,

وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ



And Allah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.

Allah says that He knows what occurred, what will occur and if anything would have occurred, how it would occur, such as,
لَوْ خَرَجُواْ فِيكُم مَّا زَادُوكُمْ إِلاَّ خَبَالاً
(Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder), indicating what they would have done had they marched, even though they did not.

Allah said in similar Ayat,

وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَـدُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ

But if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars. (6;28)

وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لَاسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ

Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion (to the truth). (8;23)

and,

وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلاَّ قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُواْ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْراً لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتاً

وَإِذاً لاّتَيْنَـهُمْ مِّن لَّدُنَّـا أَجْراً عَظِيماً

وَلَهَدَيْنَـهُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً

And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their conviction.

And indeed We would then have bestowed upon them a great reward from Ourselves.

And indeed We would have guided them to the straight way. (4;66-68