سورة التّوبَة
Surah Al-Taubah 9:118
The Repentance · Verse 118 of 129
وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Abdul Mannan Omar
And (He also turned with mercy) to the three (Companions of the Prophet, Ka`b son of Mâlik, Hilâl son of ´Umayyah and Murârah son of Rabî`ah);whose case was deferred (for decree of Allâh), until the earth, for (all) its spaciousness became narrow for them, and their lives (also) became unbearable for them, and they were convinced that there was no refuge (to escape the punishment) from Allâh save in Him. Then He turned to them with mercy that they might also turn (with repentance to Him). Surely, it is Allâh Who is the Oft-Returning with compassion, the Ever Merciful.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
(He turned in mercy also) to the three who were left behind; (they felt guilty) to such a degree that the earth seemed constrained to them, for all its spaciousness, and their (very) souls seemed straitened to them,- and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah (and no refuge) but to Himself. Then He turned to them, that they might repent: for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Ahmed Ali
He has relented towards the three also (who had refused to go to the battle of the Ditch) whose case was left undecided, and even the earth with all its expanse had become narrow for them, and their lives were confined, and they came to realise there was no refuge for them except in God. So He softened towards them that they may repent; for God surely accepts repentance and is merciful.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
And (He turned in mercy also) to the three left behind and whose cases had been deferred (because they had not taken part in the campaign of Tabuk): (they felt such remorse that) the earth was too narrow for them despite all its vastness, and their souls became utterly constricted for them, and they came to perceive fully that there is no refuge from God except in Him. Then He turned to them in mercy that they might repent and recover their former state (in Islam). Surely God is the One Who truly returns repentance with liberal forgiveness and additional reward, the All-Compassionate (especially towards His believing servants.)
Daryabadi
And also He relented toward the three who were left behind until when the earth, vast as it is, became straitened unto them and their own lives became straitened unto them and they imagined that there was no refuge from Allah except unto Him. Thereafter He relented toward them, so that they might repent. Verily Allah! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.
Faridul Haque
And also upon the three who were kept in waiting; when the earth, vast as it is, was restricted for them, and they became weary of their own lives and became certain that there is no refuge from Allah except with Him; He then accepted their repentance in order that they remain repentant; indeed Allah is the Most Acceptor of Repentance, the Most Merciful.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
And (He turned in mercy) to the three who were left behind; until the earth, vast as it is, became strait to them and their souls were also straitened to them; and they knew that there was no refuge from Allah but in Him. Then He turned to them in mercy that they might turn (to Him). Surely Allah -- He is the Oft-returning to mercy, the Merciful.
Maulvi Sher Ali
And HE has turned with mercy to the three who happened to be left behind until when the earth became too strait for them with all its vastness, and their souls were also straitened for them, and they became convinced that there was no refuge from ALLAH save unto Himself, then HE turned to them with mercy that they might turn to HIM. Surely it is ALLAH who is Oft-Returning with compassion and is Merciful.
Muhammad Asad
And [He turned in His mercy, too,] towards the three [groups of believers] who had fallen prey to corruption, until in the end-after the earth, despite all its vastness, had become [too] narrow for them and their souls had become [utterly] constricted - they came to know with certainty that there is no refuge from God other than [a return] unto Him; and thereupon He turned again unto them in His mercy, so that they might repent: for, verily, God alone is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.
Muhammad Musin Khan
And (He did forgive also) the three [who did not join the Tabuk expedition (whom the Prophet SAW)] left (i.e. he did not give his judgement in their case, and their case was suspended for Allah's Decision) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He accepted their repentance, that they might repent (unto Him). Verily, Allah is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.
Muhammad Pickthall
And to the three also (did He turn in mercy) who were left behind, when the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for them, and their own souls were straitened for them till they bethought them that there is no refuge from Allah save toward Him. Then turned He unto them in mercy that they (too) might turn (repentant unto Him). Lo! Allah! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.
Muhammad Sarwar
God also forgave the three people who lagged behind. Grief made them feel as though there was no place in the whole vast earth to hide them or in their souls to conceal their sorrow. They began to believe that no one could save them from (the wrath of God) except He Himself. God pardoned them so that they would also repent for their sins. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.
Muhammed ali Shakir
And to the three who were left behind, until the earth became strait to them notwithstanding its spaciousness and their souls were also straitened to them; and they knew it for certain that there was no refuge from Allah but in Him; then He turned to them (mercifully) that they might turn (to Him); surely Allah is the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
Rashad Khalifa
Also (redeemed were) the three who stayed behind. The spacious earth became so straitened for them, that they almost gave up all hope for themselves. Finally, they realized that there was no escape from GOD, except to Him. He then redeemed them that they may repent. GOD is the Redeemer, Most Merciful.
Shabbir Ahmed
And (God also turned in compassion) to the three men who had stayed behind. The earth, despite all its vastness, had become narrow for them, and they became extremely despondent. They realized with certainty that there is no refuge from God other than a return to Him. Then He turned to them in mercy so that they return to the right way. God is Acceptor of repentance, Merciful.
Commentary 9:118 The three men referred to here were Ka‘b bin Mâlik, Hilâl bin Umayyah and Murârah bin Rabî. They were sincere Muslims who failed in their duty not from…
وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا
9:118 The three men referred to here were Ka‘b bin Mâlik, Hilâl bin Umayyah and Murârah bin Rabî. They were sincere Muslims who failed in their duty not from ill will, but from thoughtlessness, slackness, and human weakness. Having failed to obey the Holy Prophets (pbuh) summons, they were called on to explain their behaviour. Consequently, they were excluded from the life of the community for fifty days. Their mental state is depicted here. “Whose case was deferred” means that they were left behind with respect to the commandment of Allâh concerning them (see also 9:106 and Bukhârî). After fifty days Allâh turned to them with Mercy and they were forgiven. Though the illustration is taken from the Tabûk expedition, the lesson is generally applicable and is valid for any era.