And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites. For it was said to them, "Come, fight in the way of Allāh or [at least] defend." They said, "If we had known [there would be] battle, we would have followed you." They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allāh is most knowing of what they conceal -
وَلِيَعۡلَمَAnd that He (might) make evidentwaliyaʿlama
ٱلَّذِينَthose whoalladhīna
نَافَقُواْۚ(are) hypocritesnāfaqū
وَقِيلَAnd it was saidwaqīla
لَهُمۡto themlahum
تَعَالَوۡاْCometaʿālaw
قَٰتِلُواْfightqātilū
فِيinfī
سَبِيلِ(the) waysabīli
ٱللَّهِ(of) Allahl-lahi
أَوِorawi
ٱدۡفَعُواْۖdefendid'faʿū
قَالُواْThey saidqālū
لَوۡIflaw
نَعۡلَمُwe knewnaʿlamu
قِتَالٗاfightingqitālan
لَّٱتَّبَعۡنَٰكُمۡۗcertainly we (would have) followed youla-ittabaʿnākum
هُمۡThey hum
لِلۡكُفۡرِto disbelieflil'kuf'ri
يَوۡمَئِذٍthat dayyawma-idhin
أَقۡرَبُ(were) neareraqrabu
مِنۡهُمۡthan [them]min'hum
لِلۡإِيمَٰنِۚto the faithlil'īmāni
يَقُولُونَsayingyaqūlūna
بِأَفۡوَٰهِهِمwith their mouthsbi-afwāhihim
مَّاwhatmā
لَيۡسَwas notlaysa
فِيinfī
قُلُوبِهِمۡۚtheir heartsqulūbihim
وَٱللَّهُAnd Allahwal-lahu
أَعۡلَمُ(is) Most Knowingaʿlamu
بِمَاof whatbimā
يَكۡتُمُونَthey concealyaktumūna
Tafsir
And He did this in order to demonstrate who the hypocrites were! When they were told to fight in Allah’s path, or to defend their womenfolk and their people, they said, ‘Had we known that you were going to fight properly, then we would have followed you; but you actually throw yourselves to death!’ At that moment, they were closer to showing their disbelief than their faith, saying with their tongues what was not in their hearts. Allah knows best what they hide in their breasts, and will repay them accordingly.