Surah An-Nisa 4:77 — translation and meaning
النساء · Verse 77 / 176 · Page 90
ۚ ۗ أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوا أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً وَقَالُوا رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتَالَ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا
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Transliteration
Alam tara ilal lazeena qeela lahum kuffooo aidiyakum wa aqeemus Salaata w aaatuz Zakaata falammaa kutiba 'alaihimul qitaalu izaa fareequm minhum yakhshawnnan naasa kakhashyatil laahi aw ashadda khashyah; wa qaaloo Rabbanaa lima katabta 'alainal qitaala law laaa akhkhartanaa ilaaa ajalin qareeb; qul mataa'ud dunyaa qaleelunw wal Aakhiratu khairul limanit taqaa wa laa tuzlamoona fateelaa
Translation
Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakah"? But then when fighting was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]."
Verse interpretation (Tafsir)
Have you, O Messenger, thought about the condition of some of your Companions who asked that striving in Allah’s path be ordained for them, but they were told, ‘Restrain your hands from fighting, establish the prayer and give charity ’. This was before striving in Allah’s path was ordained. When they migrated to Medina and Islam became strong, and fighting was ordained, they found it difficult, and some of them began fearing people as they should fear Allah or even more than that. They said, ‘Our Lord, why did You ordain fighting for us? Why did You not delay it for a while so we could enjoy the worldly life’. Say to them, O Messenger: The enjoyment of the world, no matter how much, is little and perishable. Yet the Hereafter is better for the one who is mindful of Allah because its delights are everlasting. Your good actions will not be reduced in the least, not even to the extent of the thread that is on the date stone.
Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.
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