The Holy Quran 3:143 — Surah Ali 'Imran

Arabic text

وَلَقَدْ كُنتُمْ تَمَنَّوْنَ ٱلْمَوْتَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَلْقَوْهُ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ

Translation

(The Muslims who did not participate in the Battle of Badr were eagerly awaiting another battle so that they may have the opportunity to become martyrs. With reference to this, Allaah says,) Indeed you used to wish for death (martyrdom) before meeting with it. Now you have seen it (death) before your own eyes (during the Battle of Uhud). (Rasulullaah ﷺ said that one should not pray to meet the enemy in battle, but should remain steadfast when the occasion of battle arises.)

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

those Companions who had missed taking part in Badr, hearing again and again of the merits of the martyrs of Badr, used to wish that Allah would bring about another occasion when they too would be killed in the path of Allah and attain the ranks of martyrdom. It was these very people who at Uhud had advised going out of Madinah to fight.

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.