Surah At-Tawbah — Verse 65
The Repentance · 9:65 · 65/129
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ ۚ قُلْ أَبِٱللَّهِ وَءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَرَسُولِهِۦ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِءُونَ
Wala-in saaltahum layaqoolunna innamakunna nakhoodu wanalAAabu qul abillahiwaayatihi warasoolihi kuntum tastahzi-oon
Translations of this verse 11
Saheeh International
And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allāh and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?"
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
yet if you were to question them, they would be sure to say, ‘We were just chatting, just amusing ourselves.’ Say, ‘Were you making jokes about God, His Revelations, and His Mes-senger?
Marmaduke Pickthall
And if thou ask them (O Muhammad) they will say: We did but talk and jest. Say: Was it at Allah and His revelations and His messenger that ye did scoff?
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
If thou dost question them, they declare (with emphasis): "We were only talking idly and in play." Say: "Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that ye were mocking?"
Mufti Taqi Usmani
And if you ask them, they will say, “We were just chatting and having fun.” Say, “Is it of Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were making fun?”
Al-Hilali & Khan
If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allâh (عز وجل), and His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations) and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that you were mocking?"
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
[9:65] Should you question them what they were talking about, they would certainly say: "We were merely jesting and being playful." Tell them: "Was it Allah and His revelation and His Messenger that you were mocking?"
Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an
Yet, indeed, if thou wert to question them. they would surely answer, "We were only indulging in idle talk, and were playing [with words]. Say: "Were you, then. mocking at God and His messages and His Apostle?
Rowwad · source edition
If you question them, they will surely say, “We were only indulging in idle talk and playing.” Say, “Was it Allah, His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking[58]?”
Notes
[58] ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (رضي الله عنهما) reported: “During the Tabuk Expedition a man said in a gathering: “I have not seen anyone who is more gluttonous, lying and cowardly than these reciters of ours!” A man in the same gathering replied to him: “Liar! You are indeed a hypocrite! I shall tell the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)!” When the news reached the Messenger (ﷺ), verses from the Qur’an came down regarding the incident.” The narrator continues: “I saw him clinging to the belly strap of the Messenger’s (ﷺ) she-camel, saying: “Messenger of Allah! We were only chit-chatting and passing time!” While the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was reciting: “Were you mocking of Allah, His Signs, and His Messenger”. [cf. Ibn Abī Hātim, al-Tabarī, al-Shinqītī]
Noor International · source edition
(65) And if you ask them, they will surely say, "We were only conversing and playing." Say, "Is it Allāh and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?"
Hilali and Khan · source edition
65. If you ask them (about this), they declare: "We were only talking idly and joking." Say: "Was it at Allâh (عز وجل), and His Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations) and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that you were mocking?"
Reason for Revelation Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Arabic source: al-Wāḥidī / al-Suyūṭī, via Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies (CC BY 4.0)
قال تعالى: {وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (65) لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ إِنْ نَعْفُ عَنْ طَائِفَةٍ مِنْكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَائِفَةً بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ (66)} [التوبة: 65، 66].
202 - عن عبد الله بن عمر -رضي الله عنهما- قال: قال رجل في غزوة تبوك في مجلس: ما رأيت مثل قرائنا هؤلاء أرغب بطونا، ولا أكذب ألسنا، ولا أجبن عند اللقاء. فقال رجل في المجلس: كذبت، ولكنك منافق، لأخبرن رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم -. فبلغ ذلك رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ونزل القرآن.
فقال عبد الله بن عمرو: أنا رأيته متعلقاً بحقب ناقة رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - تنكبه الحجارة، وهو يقول: يا رسول الله إنما كنا نخوض ونلعب، ورسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يقول: {أَبِاللَّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنْتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ} الآية ¬أخرجه الطبري في التفسير: 10/ 172 ورجاله رجال الصحيح، وزاد عزوه في الدر: 3/ 254 لابن أبي حاتم وأبي الشيخ وابن مردويه، وله شاهد من حديث كعب بن مالك، وسيأتي في الآية التالية.¥.
203 - وهناك سبب آخر لنزول هذه الآية: فقد جاء عن كعب بن مالك - رضي الله عنه - قال: "كان جماعة من المنافقين، ورجل من أشجع حليف لبني سلمة يقال له: مخشي بن حمير، يسيرون مع رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وهو منطلق إلى تبوك فقال بعضهم لبعض: أتحسبون جلاد بني الأصفر كقتال العرب بعضهم بعضاً، والله لكأنا بكم غداً مقرنين في الحبال إرجافاً وترهيباً للمؤمنين، وقال مخشي بن حمير: والله لوددت أن أقاضي على أن يضرب كل رجل منكم مائة على أن ينجو من أن ينزل فينا قرآن، فقال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - لعمار بن ياسر: "أدرك القوم فإنهم قد احترقوا، فسلهم عما قالوا، فإن هم أنكروا، فقل: بلى، قلتم كذا وكذا"، فأدركهم فقال لهم: فجاءوا يعتذرون إليه، فأنزل الله: {لَا تَعْتَذِرُوا قَدْ كَفَرْتُمْ بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ إِنْ نَعْفُ عَنْ طَائِفَةٍ}، فكان الذي عفى الله عنه مخشي بن حمير، فتسمى عبد الرحمن، وسأل الله أن يقتل شهيداً، وألا يعلم بمقتله، فقتل باليمامة لا يعلم مقتله، ولا من قتله ولا يرى له أثر ولا عين ¬أخرجه ابن أبي حاتم وسنده حسن، وعزاه في الدر: 3/ 254 لابن إسحاق وابن المنذر، ويشهد له الحديث السابق.¥.