ٱنفِرُوا۟خِفَافًۭاوَثِقَالًۭاوَجَـٰهِدُوا۟بِأَمْوَٰلِكُمْوَأَنفُسِكُمْفِىسَبِيلِٱللَّهِ ۚذَٰلِكُمْخَيْرٌۭلَّكُمْإِنكُنتُمْتَعْلَمُونَ٤١

Go forth, whether light or heavy,¹ and strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allāh. That is better for you, if you only knew.

Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh,¹ "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.

Allāh has pardoned you, [O Muḥammad, but] why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars.

Those who believe in Allāh and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving [i.e., fighting] with their wealth and their lives. And Allāh is Knowing of those who fear Him.

Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allāh and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.

And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it [some] preparation. But Allāh disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and they were told, "Remain [behind] with those who remain."¹

Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [i.e., chaos and dissension]. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.