Surah An-Nisaa: Verse 72 - وإن منكم لمن ليبطئن فإن... - English
Tafsir of Verse 72, Surah An-Nisaa
وَإِنَّ مِنكُمْ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ فَإِنْ أَصَٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالَ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِذْ لَمْ أَكُن مَّعَهُمْ شَهِيدًا
English Translation
And indeed, there is among you he who lingers behind; and if disaster strikes you, he says, "Allah has favored me in that I was not present with them."English Transliteration
Wainna minkum laman layubattianna fain asabatkum museebatun qala qad anAAama Allahu AAalayya ith lam akun maAAahum shaheedanTafsir of Verse 72
Some of you there are that are dilatory; then, if an affliction visits you, he says, 'God has blessed me, in that I was not a martyr with them.'
There are certainly among you men who would tarry behind: If a misfortune befalls you, they say: "Allah did favour us in that we were not present among them."
2. Seen outwardly, the words of the verse 72 (... وَإِنَّ مِنكُمْ ) seem to suggest that this too is addressed to the believers, although the characteristics described later on cannot be taken to be those of the believers. Therefore, al-Qurtubi says that they signify hypocrites. Since, they were the ones who used to claim being Muslims, at least outwardly. This is why they have been identified as a group from among the believers.
