سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 66
وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ ٱخْرُجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا۟ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا ﴿66﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (i.e. the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their (Faith);
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
أَنَّا
annā
[that] We
كَتَبْنَا
katabnā
(had) decreed
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
on them
أَنِ
ani
that
ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟
uq'tulū
Kill
أَنفُسَكُمْ
anfusakum
yourselves
أَوِ
awi
or
ٱخْرُجُوا۟
ukh'rujū
Go forth
مِن
min
from
دِيَـٰرِكُم
diyārikum
your homes
مَّا
mā
not
فَعَلُوهُ
faʿalūhu
they would have done it
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَلِيلٌۭ
qalīlun
a few
مِّنْهُمْ ۖ
min'hum
of them
وَلَوْ
walaw
But if
أَنَّهُمْ
annahum
[that] they
فَعَلُوا۟
faʿalū
had done
مَا
mā
what
يُوعَظُونَ
yūʿaẓūna
they were advised
بِهِۦ
bihi
with [it]
لَكَانَ
lakāna
surely (it) would have been
خَيْرًۭا
khayran
better
لَّهُمْ
lahum
for them
وَأَشَدَّ
wa-ashadda
and stronger
تَثْبِيتًۭا
tathbītan
strengthen(ing)
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 66 to 68) ➊ These verses are also related to the hypocrites; in them, they are encouraged towards sincerity and abandoning hypocrisy. That is, ideally, one should not hesitate to give up their life in obeying Allah’s command, (but these are such people that) if Allah were to command them to destroy their own lives or leave their homes, they would never carry it out. The commands We have given them are very easy and purely for their own benefit; if they accept the advice and act upon these commands, hypocrisy will go away, and they will attain perfect faith. They should consider this a blessing. (Muwaddih)
➋ Ibn Ashur states that in my opinion, this is a prelude to the rulings of jihad that are about to begin: «{ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا خُذُوْا حِذْرَكُمْ فَانْفِرُوْا ثُبَاتٍ اَوِ انْفِرُوْا جَمِيْعًا }» [ النساء : ۷۱ ] and the relevance to these verses is also that if We had made migration or fighting, i.e., «{ اَنِ اقْتُلُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُمْ اَوِ اخْرُجُوْا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ }», obligatory upon them, very few would have acted upon it. But if they had done so, it would have been better for them and a cause of immense reward. That is, the commands regarding the highest levels of faith, which are the peak of Islam’s hump, are yet to come, let alone that these people want to have their judgments made elsewhere. [ التحریر والتنویر ]
➋ Ibn Ashur states that in my opinion, this is a prelude to the rulings of jihad that are about to begin: «{ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا خُذُوْا حِذْرَكُمْ فَانْفِرُوْا ثُبَاتٍ اَوِ انْفِرُوْا جَمِيْعًا }» [ النساء : ۷۱ ] and the relevance to these verses is also that if We had made migration or fighting, i.e., «{ اَنِ اقْتُلُوْۤا اَنْفُسَكُمْ اَوِ اخْرُجُوْا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ }», obligatory upon them, very few would have acted upon it. But if they had done so, it would have been better for them and a cause of immense reward. That is, the commands regarding the highest levels of faith, which are the peak of Islam’s hump, are yet to come, let alone that these people want to have their judgments made elsewhere. [ التحریر والتنویر ]
