Skip to content
MyDeenTools

An-Nisa (The Women)

Verse 66of 176

وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ ٱخْرُجُوا۟ مِن دِيَٰرِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا۟ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ لَكَانَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًۭا﴿٦٦

Translation (Sahih International)

And if We had decreed upon them, "Kill yourselves" or "Leave your homes," they would not have done it, except for a few of them. But if they had done what they were instructed, it would have been better for them and a firmer position [for them in faith].

Word-by-word meaning

وَلَوْwalawAnd if
أَنَّاannā[that] We
كَتَبْنَاkatabnā(had) decreed
عَلَيْهِمْʿalayhimon them
أَنِanithat
ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟uq'tulūKill
أَنفُسَكُمْanfusakumyourselves
أَوِawior
ٱخْرُجُوا۟ukh'rujūGo forth
مِنminfrom
دِيَـٰرِكُمdiyārikumyour homes
مَّاnot
فَعَلُوهُfaʿalūhuthey would have done it
إِلَّاillāexcept
قَلِيلٌۭqalīluna few
مِّنْهُمْ ۖmin'humof them
وَلَوْwalawBut if
أَنَّهُمْannahum[that] they
فَعَلُوا۟faʿalūhad done
مَاwhat
يُوعَظُونَyūʿaẓūnathey were advised
بِهِۦbihiwith [it]
لَكَانَlakānasurely (it) would have been
خَيْرًۭاkhayranbetter
لَّهُمْlahumfor them
وَأَشَدَّwa-ashaddaand stronger
تَثْبِيتًۭاtathbītanstrengthen(ing)

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Most People Disobey What They Are OrderedAllah states that even if the people were commanded to commit what they were prohibited from doing, most of them would not submit to this command, for their wicked nature is such that they dispute orders. Allah has complete knowledge of what has not occured, and how it would be if and when it did occur. This is why Allah said,وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُواْ أَنفُسَكُمْ(And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (i.e.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

Share this verse with others

WhatsAppX

These tools are free because of generous Muslims.

$10/month keeps this platform free for 50,000 people. Every visit earns you reward — Sadaqah Jariyah.

Support this project