4. Surah An-Nisa, Verse 77

Did you not see those who were told: "Restrain yourselves, and hold the contact-method, and contribute towards betterment. " But when fighting was decreed for them, a group of them feared the people as much as they feared God or even more so. And they said: "Our Lord, why did You decree fighting for us If only You would delay for us till another time." Say: "The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware; you will not be wronged in the least."

Have you seen those who have been told, "Curb your hands, and establish the Divine System and set up the just Economic Order?" But as soon as the Command came to fight, some of them feared men as they should have feared Allah, or even more. They say, "Our Lord! Why have You ordained fighting for us? If only You had granted us a little more delay!" Say, "Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for those who walk aright. None of you shall be wronged a hair's breadth."

Hast thou not considered those to whom it was said: “Restrain your hands; and uphold the duty, and render the purity,” but when fighting is prescribed for them, then a faction among them fears men like the fear of God, or a stronger fear? And they said: “Our Lord: why hast Thou prescribed fighting for us? Oh, that Thou wouldst but delay us a little while!” Say thou: “Little is the enjoyment of the World”; and the Hereafter is better for him who is in prudent fear; and you will not be wronged a hair upon a date-stone.

Did you not see those who were told: "Cease your aggression, and hold the contact prayer, and contribute towards purification." But when fighting was decreed for them, a group of them were concerned towards the people as they would have been concerned towards God or even more so. And they said: "Our Lord, why did You decree fighting for us? If only You would delay for us until another time." Say: "The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware; you will not be wronged in the least."

Did you not see those who were told, "Restrain yourselves, and observe the contact prayer, and contribute towards betterment." But when fighting was decreed for them, a group of them feared the people as much as they feared God or even more so. They said, "Our Lord, why did You decree fighting for us? If only You would delay for us till another time." Say, "The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware; you will not be wronged in the least."

Do you not see those who were told: ‘Hold back from fighting but establish salat and pay zakat’? Then when fighting is prescribed for them, a group of them fear people as Allah should be feared, or even more than that. They say, ‘Our Lord, why have you prescribed fighting for us? If only You would give us just a little more time!’ Say, ‘The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The Next World is better for those who have taqwa. You will not be wronged by so much as the smallest speck.’

Have you noted those who were told, "You do not have to fight; all you need to do is observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat)," then, when fighting was decreed for them, they feared the people as much as they feared GOD, or even more? They said, "Our Lord, why did You force this fighting on us? If only You respite us for awhile!" Say, "The materials of this world are nil, while the Hereafter is far better for the righteous, and you never suffer the slightest injustice."

Have you not seen the people who were told: "Hold back your hands (from attacking), observe your devotional obligations and pay the zakat?" But when they were commanded to fight, behold, a section among them were filled with fear of men as though it were the fear of God and even more, and said: "O Lord, why did you make war compulsory for us? Why did you not allow us to live a little more?" Say to them: "How short-lived is the commerce of this world; but that of the next is best for those who fear God; and you will not be wronged the breadth of a thread. "

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]."

ART THOU NOT aware of those who have been told, "Curb your hands, and be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues"? But as soon as fighting [in God's cause] is ordained for them, lo, some of them stand in awe of men as one should stand in awe of God - or in even greater awe - and say, "O our Sustainer! Why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? If only Thou hadst granted us a delay for a little while!" Say: "Brief is the enjoyment of this world, whereas the life to come is the best for all who are conscious of God - since none of you shall be wronged by as much as a hair's breadth.

Hast thou not seen those unto whom it was said: Withhold your hands, establish worship and pay the poordue, but when fighting was prescribed for them behold! a party of them fear mankind even as their fear of Allah or with greater fear, and say: Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? If only Thou wouldst give us respite yet a while! Say (unto them, O Muhammad): The comfort of this world is scant; the Hereafter will be better for him who wardeth off (evil); and ye will not be wronged the down upon a date-stone.

Have you not seen O Muhammad into the disposition of those who were told to put a restraint upon their desire for fighting and observe faithfully the act of worship and give Zakat (alms), for Zakat is but the vehicle of prayer, yet when time was ripe and fighting was enjoined, some of them came to be apprehensive about their involvement in battle for fear of their lives. They feared the enemy –to a degree comparable to the degree of fear due to Allah–Creator of all beings or even a degree higher, and they exclaimed against fighting; they said: "O Allah, our Creator, why enjoin us to fight and implant our Hereafter in the now; if only You would put fighting in respite and grant us a postponement of this obligation to a future date!" Say to them O Muhammad: "The enjoyment experienced here below, no matter how long it lasts, is fleeting and evanescent whereas the Hereafter abounds in the best enjoyments and everlasting bliss for those who entertain the profound reverence dutiful to Allah, and no one is ever wronged not even to the equivalent of a single hair of the dry integument of the smallest seed".

Remember how in the past you were not allowed to fight back and were ordered just to worship God and engage in charitable actions. As soon as you were permitted to defend yourselves, some feared mankind more than God and complained to their Lord saying: "Why have you put this burden of fighting [and being killed] upon us? Could you not give us a break?" Say: “This world is too short compared to Hereafter. Besides, God will never treat the righteous ones with the least injustice [and will reward you generously if you become a martyr in the battle field.]

Have you not seen those who were told to hold back their hands (from fighting) and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât but when the fighting was ordained for them, behold! a section of them fear men as they fear Allâh or even more. They say: "Our Lord! Why have you ordained for us fighting? Would that You had granted us respite for a short period?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is (far) better for him who fears Allâh, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly even equal to a scalish thread in the long slit of a date-stone.

Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared Allah: They said: "Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst Thou not Grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

Have you ˹O Prophet˺ not seen those who had been told, "Do not fight! Rather, establish prayer and pay alms-tax."? Then once the order came to fight, a group of them feared those ˹hostile˺ people as Allah should be feared—or even more. They said, “Our Lord! Why have You ordered us to fight? If only You had delayed ˹the order for˺ us for a little while!” Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “The enjoyment of this world is so little, whereas the Hereafter is far better for those mindful ˹of Allah˺. And none of you will be wronged ˹even by the width of˺ the thread of a date stone.

Have you not seen those to whom it was said, "Hold your hands (from fighting) and be steadfast in Salāh and pay Zakāh." However, when fighting is enjoined upon them, then surprisingly, a group from them starts fearing people, as one would fear Allah, or fearing even more.They say, “Our Lord, why have you enjoined fighting upon us? Would you have not spared us for a little more time?” Say, “The enjoyment of the world is but a little, and the Hereafter is far better for the one who fears Allah, and you shall not be wronged, even to the measure of a fiber.

[Prophet], do you not see those who were told, ‘Restrain yourselves from fighting, perform the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms’? When fighting was ordained for them, some of them feared men as much as, or even more than, they feared God, saying, ‘Lord, why have You ordained fighting for us? If only You would give us just a little more time.’ Say to them, ‘Little is the enjoyment in this world, the Hereafter is far better for those who are mindful of God: you will not be wronged by as much as the fibre in a date stone.

Hast thou not regarded those to whom it was said, 'Restrain your hands, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms'? Then, as soon as fighting is prescribed for them, there is a party of them fearing the people as they would fear God, or with a greater fear, and they say, 'Our Lord, why hast thou prescribed fighting for us? Why not defer us to a near term?' Say: 'The enjoyment of this world is little; the world to come is better for him who fears God; you shall not be wronged a single date-thread. '

Do ye not see those to whom it is said, 'Restrain your hands, and be steadfast in prayer and give alms;' and when it is prescribed for them to fight then a band of them fear men, as though it were the fear of God or a still stronger fear, and they say, 'O our Lord! why hast thou prescribed for us to fight, couldst thou not let us abide till our near appointed time?' Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is but slight, and the next is better for him who fears:- but they shall not be wronged a straw.

Do you not see those to whom it is said, "Restrain your hands, but be steadfast in prayer and give alms (do charity);" and when it is prescribed for them to fight then, behold, a section of them fear men, with the fear justly due to Allah, or with a still stronger fear, and they say, "Our Lord! Why have you ordered us to fight. Could you not let us abide till our appointed time?" Say, "The enjoyment of this world is but slight (or short), and the Hereafter is better for him who does right. But they shall not be wronged a straw."

Have you not regarded the ones to whom it was said, "Restrain your hands and keep up prayer and bring the Zakat?" (i. e., pay the poor-dues) Then, as soon as fighting was prescribed for them, behold, a group of them are apprehensive of the multitude (Literally: mankind) as they would have apprehension of Allah, or with stronger apprehension; and they said, "Our Lord, why have You prescribed fighting for us? Had You (only) deferred us to a near term!" Say, "The enjoyment of the present (life) (Literally: the lowly "life; i.e., the life of this world) is little, and the Hereafter is most charitable for him who is pious, and you will not be done an injustice even as (much as) a single date-plaiting (i.e., not even a little).

Hast thou not observed those unto whom it was said, withhold your hands from war, and be constant at prayers, and pay the legal alms? But when war is commanded them, behold, a part of them fear men as they should fear God, or with a greater fear, and say, O Lord, wherefore hast thou commanded us to go to war, and hast not suffered us to wait our approaching end? Say unto them, The provision of this life is but small; but the future shall be better for him who feareth God; and ye shall not be in the least injured at the day of judgment.

Have you not looked at those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular Charity? When (at last) the order to fight was issued to them, look! A section of them feared men as— Or even more than— They would have feared Allah: They said: "Our Lord! Why have You ordered us to fight? Would You not grant us the delay (of death) to our (natural) term, near (enough)?"— Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: The Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never will you be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

Have you not considered those to whom it was said, `Withhold your hands (from fighting) and keep up Prayer and go on presenting Zakât?' But now when fighting has been made binding upon them, a section of them (- the hypocrites) begin to fear the people as they should fear Allâh or with a still stronger fear and they say, `Our Lord! why have You made fighting binding upon us? Would You not defer us to a near term (and grant us a little respite). ' Say, `The enjoyment of this world is short (and negligible its pleasures) and the Hereafter is better for him who guards against evil and keeps his duty to Allâh, and you shall not be done injustice to, not even a whit.'

Have you not regarded those who were told, ‘Keep your hands off [from warfare], and maintain the prayer, and give the zakāt’? But when fighting was prescribed for them, behold, a part of them were afraid of people as if fearing Allah, or were even more afraid, and they said, ‘Our Lord! Why did You prescribe fighting for us? Why did You not respite us for a short time?!’ Say, ‘The enjoyment of this world is little and the Hereafter is better for the Godwary, and you will not be wronged so much as a single date-thread.