سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 77
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ ٱلنَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا ٱلْقِتَالَ لَوْلَآ أَخَّرْتَنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ ۗ قُلْ مَتَـٰعُ ٱلدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا ﴿77﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَمْ
alam
Have not
تَرَ
tara
you seen
إِلَى
ilā
[towards]
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
قِيلَ
qīla
(when) it was said
لَهُمْ
lahum
to them
كُفُّوٓا۟
kuffū
Restrain
أَيْدِيَكُمْ
aydiyakum
your hands
وَأَقِيمُوا۟
wa-aqīmū
and establish
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ
l-ṣalata
the prayer
وَءَاتُوا۟
waātū
and give
ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ
l-zakata
the zakah
فَلَمَّا
falammā
Then when
كُتِبَ
kutiba
was ordained
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
on them
ٱلْقِتَالُ
l-qitālu
the fighting
إِذَا
idhā
then
فَرِيقٌۭ
farīqun
a group
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
of them
يَخْشَوْنَ
yakhshawna
[they] fear
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the people
كَخَشْيَةِ
kakhashyati
as (they) fear
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
أَوْ
aw
or
أَشَدَّ
ashadda
more intense
خَشْيَةًۭ ۚ
khashyatan
fear
وَقَالُوا۟
waqālū
and they said
رَبَّنَا
rabbanā
Our Lord
لِمَ
lima
why
كَتَبْتَ
katabta
have You ordained
عَلَيْنَا
ʿalaynā
upon us
ٱلْقِتَالَ
l-qitāla
[the] fighting
لَوْلَآ
lawlā
Why not
أَخَّرْتَنَآ
akhartanā
You postpone (it for) us
إِلَىٰٓ
ilā
to
أَجَلٍۢ
ajalin
a term
قَرِيبٍۢ ۗ
qarībin
near
قُلْ
qul
Say
مَتَـٰعُ
matāʿu
Enjoyment
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
قَلِيلٌۭ
qalīlun
(is) little
وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ
wal-ākhiratu
and the Hereafter
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
لِّمَنِ
limani
for whoever
ٱتَّقَىٰ
ittaqā
fears (Allah)
وَلَا
walā
and not
تُظْلَمُونَ
tuẓ'lamūna
you will be wronged
فَتِيلًا
fatīlan
(even as much as) a hair on a date-seed
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 77) ➊ { اَلَمْ تَرَ اِلَى الَّذِيْنَ قِيْلَ لَهُمْ …:} That is, as long as the Muslims were in Makkah and the disbelievers used to harm them, Allah Almighty forbade them from fighting and commanded them to be patient. Now that (in Madinah Munawwarah) the command for fighting has come, they should understand that their desire has been fulfilled, but the immature Muslims withdraw and fear death and fear people as they fear Allah. (Muwaddih) In several narrations, it is mentioned that during the Makkan period, the Muslims often wished to confront the oppressors face to face, but Allah Almighty would command them that for now, the command you have been given for prayer and zakat (spending wealth), you should become well accustomed to it, so that you may be trained. Even in the early years of migration in Madinah Munawwarah, the Muslims had the same desire, but when Allah Almighty permitted fighting, then some weak Muslims began to hesitate, so this verse was revealed about them. (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi)
➋ { لَوْ لَاۤ اَخَّرْتَنَاۤ اِلٰۤى اَجَلٍ قَرِيْبٍ:} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) translated it as: "Why did You not let us live for a little while longer?" The answer is given ahead. Some have translated it as: "Why did You not grant us some respite before revealing the command of fighting as an obligation?"
➌ { قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيْلٌ:} The morale of those with weak faith and the hypocrites who hesitated from fighting has been raised by two things: first, by mentioning the transience of the world, encouragement for jihad has been given. However much the world may be, it is perishable, and however much the perishable may be, it is little (very little). What comparison is there between the perishable and the everlasting? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Just as a person dips his finger in the sea and then takes it out, and a little moisture remains on his finger, such is the example of this world compared to the Hereafter." [ مسلم، الجنۃ و صفۃ نعیمہا، باب فناء الدنیا … : ۲۸۵۸، عن المستورد الفھری رضی اللہ عنہ ] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "My example and the example of this world is like that of a traveler who rests under the shade of a tree and then leaves it and moves on." [ترمذی، الزھد، باب حدیث ’’ ما الدنیا الإکراکب استظل‘‘ : ۲۳۷۷، عن ابن مسعود رضی اللہ عنہ ]
➋ { لَوْ لَاۤ اَخَّرْتَنَاۤ اِلٰۤى اَجَلٍ قَرِيْبٍ:} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) translated it as: "Why did You not let us live for a little while longer?" The answer is given ahead. Some have translated it as: "Why did You not grant us some respite before revealing the command of fighting as an obligation?"
➌ { قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيْلٌ:} The morale of those with weak faith and the hypocrites who hesitated from fighting has been raised by two things: first, by mentioning the transience of the world, encouragement for jihad has been given. However much the world may be, it is perishable, and however much the perishable may be, it is little (very little). What comparison is there between the perishable and the everlasting? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Just as a person dips his finger in the sea and then takes it out, and a little moisture remains on his finger, such is the example of this world compared to the Hereafter." [ مسلم، الجنۃ و صفۃ نعیمہا، باب فناء الدنیا … : ۲۸۵۸، عن المستورد الفھری رضی اللہ عنہ ] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "My example and the example of this world is like that of a traveler who rests under the shade of a tree and then leaves it and moves on." [ترمذی، الزھد، باب حدیث ’’ ما الدنیا الإکراکب استظل‘‘ : ۲۳۷۷، عن ابن مسعود رضی اللہ عنہ ]
