وَلَو أَنّا كَتَبنا عَلَيهِم أَنِ اقتُلوا أَنفُسَكُم أَوِ اخرُجوا مِن دِيارِكُم ما فَعَلوهُ إِلّا قَليلٌ مِنهُم ۖ وَلَو أَنَّهُم فَعَلوا ما يوعَظونَ بِهِ لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم وَأَشَدَّ تَثبيتًا

Had We commanded them, “Lay down your lives,” or “Abandon your homes,” only a few would have complied. If they had done what they were advised, it would’ve been better for them and strengthened their conviction.

وَإِذًا لَآتَيناهُم مِن لَدُنّا أَجرًا عَظيمًا

Then We would’ve rewarded them generously from Us.

وَلَهَدَيناهُم صِراطًا مُستَقيمًا

And We would’ve guided them to a straight path.

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسولَ فَأُولـٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذينَ أَنعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيهِم مِنَ النَّبِيّينَ وَالصِّدّيقينَ وَالشُّهَداءِ وَالصّالِحينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولـٰئِكَ رَفيقًا

Whoever obeys God and the Messenger will be among those whom God has blessed: the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions they are!

ذٰلِكَ الفَضلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفىٰ بِاللَّهِ عَليمًا

This is the bounty from God, and sufficient is God as the All-Knowing.

وَإِنَّ مِنكُم لَمَن لَيُبَطِّئَنَّ فَإِن أَصابَتكُم مُصيبَةٌ قالَ قَد أَنعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ إِذ لَم أَكُن مَعَهُم شَهيدًا

Among you, is he who hesitates. If a disaster strikes you, he would say, “God has favored me, since I wasn’t martyred with them.”

وَلَئِن أَصابَكُم فَضلٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ لَيَقولَنَّ كَأَن لَم تَكُن بَينَكُم وَبَينَهُ مَوَدَّةٌ يا لَيتَني كُنتُ مَعَهُم فَأَفوزَ فَوزًا عَظيمًا

Yet, should a bounty from God come your way, he would say, as if there was never any love between you and him, “I wish I had been with them, so I could have achieved a great victory.”

فَليُقاتِل في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذينَ يَشرونَ الحَياةَ الدُّنيا بِالآخِرَةِ ۚ وَمَن يُقاتِل في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ فَيُقتَل أَو يَغلِب فَسَوفَ نُؤتيهِ أَجرًا عَظيمًا

Therefore, let those who trade this worldly life for the Hereafter fight in God’s path. Whoever fights in God’s path, whether he is slain or victorious, We will grant him a great reward.

وَما لَكُم لا تُقاتِلونَ في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ وَالمُستَضعَفينَ مِنَ الرِّجالِ وَالنِّساءِ وَالوِلدانِ الَّذينَ يَقولونَ رَبَّنا أَخرِجنا مِن هـٰذِهِ القَريَةِ الظّالِمِ أَهلُها وَاجعَل لَنا مِن لَدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجعَل لَنا مِن لَدُنكَ نَصيرًا

Why shouldn’t you fight in God’s path, when the oppressed among men, women, and children implore, “Our Lord, deliver us from this town of oppressive people, and appoint for us from You a protector and appoint for us from You a helper.”?

الَّذينَ آمَنوا يُقاتِلونَ في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذينَ كَفَروا يُقاتِلونَ في سَبيلِ الطّاغوتِ فَقاتِلوا أَولِياءَ الشَّيطانِ ۖ إِنَّ كَيدَ الشَّيطانِ كانَ ضَعيفًا

Those who believe fight in the cause of God, while those who disbelieve fight in the cause of tyranny. So, fight against Satan’s allies; surely, Satan’s strategies are weak.