The Holy Quran 4:77 — Surah An-Nisa

Arabic text

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ ٱلنَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا ٱلْقِتَالَ لَوْلَآ أَخَّرْتَنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ ۗ قُلْ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

Translation

Have you not seen those (Muslims who were being oppressed in Makkah) who were told (after they had asked Rasulullaah ﷺ permission to retaliate), "Restrain your hands (from fighting), establish salaah and (continuously) give zakaah"? Then when they were given the command to fight, suddenly a party from them feared (the punishment of) the enemy as they should fear (the punishment of) Allaah or an even greater fear. They said, "Our Rabb! Why have You given us the command to fight? Why did You not grant us respite (relief) for a little while?" Tell them, "The comfort (enjoyment) of this world is short. The Aakhirah is best for those who have Taqwa. You shall not be oppressed (wronged) even to the extent of the string of a date seed." (You will not be punished even to the extent of the thread on a date seed for a sin you did not commit nor will you be deprived of any rewards for a good act that equals this small amount.)

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The prohibition of jihad in the Makkan period: in Makkah, before the hijrah (emigration), the disbelievers persecuted the Muslims greatly and oppressed them. The Muslims would come to the Prophet ﷺ, complain and ask permission to fight the disbelievers and take revenge on them for the oppression.

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