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Muhammad (Muhammad)

Verse 4of 38

فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَضَرْبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا۟ ٱلْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّۢا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَا۟ بَعْضَكُم بِبَعْضٍۢ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ﴿٤

Translation (Sahih International)

So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds.

Word-by-word meaning

فَإِذَاfa-idhāSo when
لَقِيتُمُlaqītumuyou meet
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnathose who
كَفَرُوا۟kafarūdisbelieve
فَضَرْبَfaḍarbathen strike
ٱلرِّقَابِl-riqābithe necks
حَتَّىٰٓḥattāuntil
إِذَآidhāwhen
أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْathkhantumūhumyou have subdued them
فَشُدُّوا۟fashuddūthen bind firmly
ٱلْوَثَاقَl-wathāqathe bond
فَإِمَّاfa-immāthen either
مَنًّۢاmannana favor
بَعْدُbaʿduafterwards
وَإِمَّاwa-immāor
فِدَآءًfidāanransom
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
تَضَعَtaḍaʿalays down
ٱلْحَرْبُl-ḥarbuthe war
أَوْزَارَهَا ۚawzārahāits burdens
ذَٰلِكَdhālikaThat
وَلَوْwalawAnd if
يَشَآءُyashāuAllah had willed
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAllah had willed
لَٱنتَصَرَla-intaṣarasurely, He could have taken retribution
مِنْهُمْmin'humfrom them
وَلَـٰكِنwalākinbut
لِّيَبْلُوَا۟liyabluwāto test
بَعْضَكُمbaʿḍakumsome of you
بِبَعْضٍۢ ۗbibaʿḍinwith others
وَٱلَّذِينَwa-alladhīnaAnd those who
قُتِلُوا۟qutilūare killed
فِىin
سَبِيلِsabīli(the) way of Allah
ٱللَّهِl-lahi(the) way of Allah
فَلَنfalanthen never
يُضِلَّyuḍillaHe will cause to be lost
أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْaʿmālahumtheir deeds

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Command to strike the Enemies' Necks, tighten Their Bonds, and then free Them either by an Act of Grace or for a RansomGuiding the believers to what they should employ in their fights against the idolators, Allah says,فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَضَرْبَ الرِّقَابِ(So, when you meet those who disbelieve (in battle), smite their necks) which means, `when you fight against them, cut them down totally with your swords.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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