Parmi eux il en est qui dit: «Donne-moi la permission (de rester) et ne me mets pas en tentation.» Or, c'est bien dans la tentation qu'ils sont tombés; l'Enfer est tout autour des mécréants.
Muhammad Hamidullah · FR
And among them is he who says, "Permit me [to remain at home] and do not put me to trial." Unquestionably, into trial they have fallen. And indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers.
Sahih International · EN
Tafsir
Certains parmi les hypocrites avancent différents prétextes afin de ne pas combattre, comme ceux qui par exemple dirent: Ô Messager d’Allah, permets-moi de rester en retrait et ne me contrains pas à sortir avec toi afin que je ne commette aucun péché, comme d’être tenté par la beauté des femmes de nos ennemis grecs. Seulement, ils sont tombés dans une tentation plus grave encore que celles qu’ils prétendaient redouter. Cette tentation est celle de l’hypocrisie et du retrait. Le Jour de la Résurrection, l’Enfer cernera les mécréants. Aucun d’eux n’y échappera et ils n’y trouveront aucune issue.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Quran · Tafsir Center for Quranic StudiesLire Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abrégé, en anglais))
And among them is he who says: "Grant me leave and put me not into trial." Surely, they have fallen into trial. And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers (49)
Allah says, some hypocrites say to you, O Muhammad ﷺ,
ائْذَن لِّي
(Grant me leave), to stay behind,
وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي
(and put me not into trial.), if I go with you and see the women of the Romans. Allah, the Exalted, replied,
أَلَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ سَقَطُوا
(Surely, they have fallen into trial) because of the statement they uttered. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Az-Zuhri, Yazid bin Ruwman, 'Abdullah bin Abi Bakr, 'Asim bin Qatadah and several others that they said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Al-Jadd bin Qays from Bani Salimah,
هَلْ لَكَ يَا جَدُّ الْعَامَ فِي جَلَادِ بَنِي الْأَصْفَرِ؟
('Would you like to fight the yellow ones (Romans) this year?)
He said, 'O Allah's Messenger! Give me permission (to remain behind) and do not cause Fitnah for me. By Allah! My people know that there is not a man who is more fond of women than I. I fear that if I see the women of the yellow ones, I would not be patient.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned away from him and said,
قَدْ أَذِنْتُ لَكَ
(I give you permission.) In Al-Jadd's case, this Ayah was revealed,
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ ائْذَن لِّي وَلَا تَفْتِنِّي
(And among them is he who says: "Grant me leave and put me not into trial.")
Therefore, Allah says that the Fitnah that he fell into because of not joining the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (in Jihad) and preferring his safety to the safety of the Messenger ﷺ is worse than the Fitnah that he falsely claimed to fear." It was reported from Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid and several others that this Ayah was revealed in the case of Al-Jadd bin Qays, who was among the chiefs of Bani Salimah. It is also recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked,
مَنْ سَيِّدُكُمْ يَا بَنِي سَلَمَةَ؟
(Who is your chief, O Bani Salamah?)
They said, "Al-Jadd bin Qays, although we consider him a miser." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
وَأَيُّ دَاءٍ أَدْوَأُ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ! وَلَكِنْ سَيِّدُكُمْ الْفَتَى الْجَعْدُ الْأَبْيَضُ بِشْرُ بْنُ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ مَعْرُورٍ
(There is not a disease worse than stinginess! Therefore, your chief is the white young man with curly hair, Bishr bin Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur.) Allah said next,
وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمُحِيطَةٌ بِالْكَافِرِينَ
(And verily, Hell is surrounding the disbelievers.) and they will never be able to avoid, avert, or escape from it.
Texte arabe : Tanzil (uthmani). Traductions : Muhammad Hamidullah (fr), Sahih International (en). tanzil.net