Quran 47:4 — Muhammad, verse 4
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
When you meet the disbelievers in battle, strike them in the neck, and once they are defeated, bind any captives firmly––later you can release them by grace or by ransom––until the toils of war have ended. That [is the way]. God could have defeated them Himself if He had willed, but His purpose is to test some of you by means of others. He will not let the deeds of those who are killed for His cause come to nothing;
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَضَرْبَ الرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَثْخَنْتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَاءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ الْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ لَانْتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَـٰكِنْ لِيَبْلُوَ بَعْضَكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَلَنْ يُضِلَّ أَعْمَالَهُمْ
fa-idhā laqītumu alladhīna kafarū faḍarba l-riqābi ḥattā idhā athkhantumūhum fashuddū l-wathāqa fa-immā mannan baʿdu wa-immā fidāan ḥattā taḍaʿa l-ḥarbu awzārahā dhālika walaw yashāu l-lahu la-intaṣara min'hum walākin liyabluwā baʿḍakum bibaʿḍin wa-alladhīna qutilū fī sabīli l-lahi falan yuḍilla aʿmālahum
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- When you meet the unbelievers, smite their necks, then, when you have made wide slaughter among them, tie fast the bonds; then set them free, either by grace or ransom, till the war lays down its loads. So it shall be; and if God had willed, He would have avenged Himself upon them; but that He may try some of you by means of others. And those who are slain in the way of God, He will not send their works astray.
- Muhammad Asad
- NOW WHEN you meet [in war] those who are bent on denying the truth, smite their necks until you overcome them fully, and then tighten their bonds; but thereafter [set them free,] either by an act of grace or against ransom, so that the burden of war may be lifted: thus [shall it be]. And [know that] had God so willed, He could indeed punish them [Himself]; but [He wills you to struggle] so as to test you [all] by means of one another. And as for those who are slain in God’s cause, never will He let their deeds go to waste:
- 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 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.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | فَإِذَاfa-idhā | So when | — |
| 2 | لَقِيتُمُlaqītumu | you meet | لقي |
| 3 | ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna | those who | — |
| 4 | كَفَرُوا۟kafarū | disbelieve | كفر |
| 5 | فَضَرْبَfaḍarba | then strike | ضرب |
| 6 | ٱلرِّقَابِl-riqābi | the necks | رقب |
| 7 | حَتَّىٰٓḥattā | until | — |
| 8 | إِذَآidhā | when | — |
| 9 | أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْathkhantumūhum | you have subdued them | ثخن |
| 10 | فَشُدُّوا۟fashuddū | then bind firmly | شدد |
| 11 | ٱلْوَثَاقَl-wathāqa | the bond | وثق |
| 12 | فَإِمَّاfa-immā | then either | — |
| 13 | مَنًّۢاmannan | a favor | منن |
| 14 | بَعْدُbaʿdu | afterwards | بعد |
| 15 | وَإِمَّاwa-immā | or | — |
| 16 | فِدَآءًfidāan | ransom | فدي |
| 17 | حَتَّىٰḥattā | until | — |
| 18 | تَضَعَtaḍaʿa | lays down | وضع |
| 19 | ٱلْحَرْبُl-ḥarbu | the war | حرب |
| 20 | أَوْزَارَهَا ۚawzārahā | its burdens | وزر |
| 21 | ذَٰلِكَdhālika | That | — |
| 22 | وَلَوْwalaw | And if | — |
| 23 | يَشَآءُyashāu | Allah had willed | شيأ |
| 24 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | Allah had willed | أله |
| 25 | لَٱنتَصَرَla-intaṣara | surely, He could have taken retribution | نصر |
| 26 | مِنْهُمْmin'hum | from them | — |
| 27 | وَلَـٰكِنwalākin | but | — |
| 28 | لِّيَبْلُوَا۟liyabluwā | to test | بلو |
| 29 | بَعْضَكُمbaʿḍakum | some of you | بعض |
| 30 | بِبَعْضٍۢ ۗbibaʿḍin | with others | بعض |
| 31 | وَٱلَّذِينَwa-alladhīna | And those who | — |
| 32 | قُتِلُوا۟qutilū | are killed | قتل |
| 33 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 34 | سَبِيلِsabīli | (the) way of Allah | سبل |
| 35 | ٱللَّهِl-lahi | (the) way of Allah | أله |
| 36 | فَلَنfalan | then never | — |
| 37 | يُضِلَّyuḍilla | He will cause to be lost | ضلل |
| 38 | أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْaʿmālahum | their deeds | عمل |