So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure [their] bonds,1 and either [confer] favor2 afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens.3 That [is the command]. And if Allāh 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 Allāh - never will He waste their deeds.
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 i.e., take those remaining as captives.
2 i.e., release them without ransom.
3 i.e., its armor, machinery, etc., meaning "until the war is over."
أَثۡخَنتُمُوهُمۡyou have subdued themathkhantumūhum
فَشُدُّواْthen bind firmlyfashuddū
ٱلۡوَثَاقَthe bondl-wathāqa
فَإِمَّاthen eitherfa-immā
مَنَّۢاa favormannan
بَعۡدُafterwardsbaʿdu
وَإِمَّاorwa-immā
فِدَآءًransomfidāan
حَتَّىٰuntilḥattā
تَضَعَlays downtaḍaʿa
ٱلۡحَرۡبُthe warl-ḥarbu
أَوۡزَارَهَاۚits burdensawzārahā
ذَٰلِكَۖThatdhālika
وَلَوۡAnd ifwalaw
يَشَآءُAllah had willedyashāu
ٱللَّهُAllah had willedl-lahu
لَٱنتَصَرَsurely, He could have taken retributionla-intaṣara
مِنۡهُمۡfrom themmin'hum
وَلَٰكِنbutwalākin
لِّيَبۡلُوَاْto testliyabluwā
بَعۡضَكُمsome of youbaʿḍakum
بِبَعۡضٖۗwith othersbibaʿḍin
وَٱلَّذِينَAnd those whowa-alladhīna
قُتِلُواْare killedqutilū
فِيinfī
سَبِيلِ(the) way of Allahsabīli
ٱللَّهِ(the) way of Allahl-lahi
فَلَنthen neverfalan
يُضِلَّHe will cause to be lostyuḍilla
أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡtheir deedsaʿmālahum
Tafsir
When you, O believers, face those disbelievers who wage war against you then strike their necks with your swords, and persist in fighting them until you subdue them and eradicate their power. Once you have subdue them, tie the chains of the captives. When you capture them you have the option, as per the demand of interests, of being graceful to them by releasing them for no ransom, ransoming them for wealth or something else, killing them, or enslaving them. Continue fighting and capturing them until the war ends by the disbelievers’ accepting Islam or by your entering into a treaty with them. The mentioned trial of the believers with the disbelievers, the alternation of fortunes and the victory of one over the other, is Allah’s decision. If Allah willed to defeat the disbelievers without a fight, He would have done so, but He ordained striving in His path to test some of you with others. He tests who of the believers fights and who doesn’t. He tests the disbeliever with the believer: If the believer is killed he enters Paradise and if the believer kills him he enters the fire. Those who are killed in Allah’s path, Allah will never nullify their deeds.