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An-Nisa 94

Ayah 94 of 176 · Medinan

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا ضَرَبۡتُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُواْ وَلَا تَقُولُواْ لِمَنۡ أَلۡقَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكُمُ ٱلسَّلَٰمَ لَسۡتَ مُؤۡمِنٗا تَبۡتَغُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا فَعِندَ ٱللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٞۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كُنتُم مِّن قَبۡلُ فَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٗا ٩٤

O you who have believed, when you go forth [to fight] in the cause of Allāh, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace, "You are not a believer,"1 aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allāh are many acquisitions. You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allāh conferred His favor [i.e., guidance] upon you, so investigate. Indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.

Translation: Saheeh International (English)

1 Do not assume that he pretends Islām merely in order to save himself, for he may be sincere in faith.

Word by word

Each word's meaning and sound

  1. يَٰٓأَيُّهَاO youyāayyuhā
  2. ٱلَّذِينَthose who(believe)alladhīna
  3. ءَامَنُوٓاْbelieveāmanū
  4. إِذَاWhenidhā
  5. ضَرَبۡتُمۡyou go forthḍarabtum
  6. فِيinfī
  7. سَبِيلِ(the) waysabīli
  8. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allahl-lahi
  9. فَتَبَيَّنُواْthen investigatefatabayyanū
  10. وَلَاand (do) notwalā
  11. تَقُولُواْsaytaqūlū
  12. لِمَنۡto (the one) wholiman
  13. أَلۡقَىٰٓoffersalqā
  14. إِلَيۡكُمُto youilaykumu
  15. ٱلسَّلَٰمَ(a greeting of) peacel-salāma
  16. لَسۡتَYou are notlasta
  17. مُؤۡمِنٗاa believermu'minan
  18. تَبۡتَغُونَseekingtabtaghūna
  19. عَرَضَtransitory gainsʿaraḍa
  20. ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ(of) the lifel-ḥayati
  21. ٱلدُّنۡيَا(of) the worldl-dun'yā
  22. فَعِندَfor withfaʿinda
  23. ٱللَّهِAllahl-lahi
  24. مَغَانِمُ(are) bootiesmaghānimu
  25. كَثِيرَةٞۚabundantkathīratun
  26. كَذَٰلِكَLike thatkadhālika
  27. كُنتُمyou werekuntum
  28. مِّنfrommin
  29. قَبۡلُbeforeqablu
  30. فَمَنَّthen conferred favorfamanna
  31. ٱللَّهُAllahl-lahu
  32. عَلَيۡكُمۡupon youʿalaykum
  33. فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْۚso investigatefatabayyanū
  34. إِنَّIndeedinna
  35. ٱللَّهَAllahl-laha
  36. كَانَiskāna
  37. بِمَاof whatbimā
  38. تَعۡمَلُونَyou dotaʿmalūna
  39. خَبِيرٗاAll-Awarekhabīran

Tafsir

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, when you go out to fight in Allah’s path, be sure about the case of those you are fighting. Do not say to the person who displays something indicating that he is a believer, ‘You are not a believer! You only displayed Islam out of fear for your life and wealth’; so that you then kill him in order to get the trivial goods of the world, such as the booty you acquire from this person after killing him. Yet Allah has much provision that is better and greater than this. In the past you were also like this person: hiding your faith from the people. Then Allah favoured you with Islam and protected your lives. So be careful, as Allah knows well what you do. Nothing is hidden from Him and He will reward you for your actions.

Al-Mukhtasar in interpreting the Noble Quran