2. Surah Al Baqarah
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
أَلَمْ
تَرَ إِلَى
الَّذِينَ
خَرَجُواْ مِن
دِيَارِهِمْ
وَهُمْ أُلُوفٌ
حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ...
2: 243. Didst thou not turn thy vision to those who abandoned their homes, though they were thousands (in number), for fear of death?
... فَقَالَ لَهُمُ اللّهُ مُوتُواْ ثُمَّ أَحْيَاهُمْ...
Allah said to them: "Die." Then He restored them to life.
C274. We now return to the subject of Jihad, which we left at n. 214-216.
We are to be under no illusion about it. If we are not prepared to fight for our faith, with our lives and all our resources, both our lives and our resources will be wiped out by our enemies.
As to life, Allah gave it, and a coward is not likely to save it. It has happened again and again in history that men who tamely submitted to be driven from their homes although they were more numerous than their enemies had the sentence of death pronounced on them for their cowardice, and they deserved it. But Allah gives further and further chances in His mercy. This is a lesson to every generation.
The Commentators differ as to the exact episode referred to, but the wording is perfectly general, and so is the lesson to be learnt from it.
... إِنَّ اللّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٢٤٣﴾
For Allah is full of bounty to mankind, but most of them are ungrateful.
وَقَاتِلُواْ
فِي سَبِيلِ
اللّهِ وَاعْلَمُواْ
أَنَّ اللّهَ
سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
﴿٢٤٤﴾
2: 244. Then fight in the Cause of Allah, and know that Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
C275. For Allah's cause we must fight, but never to satisfy our own selfish passions or greed, for the warning is repeated:
"God heareth and knoweth all things" all deeds, words and motives are perfectly open before Him, however we might conceal them from men or even from ourselves.
Other versions:
2: 243 [al-Baqara, Medina 87 ]
Asad Art thou not aware of those who forsook their homelands in their thousands for fear of death – whereupon God said unto them, “Die,” and later brought them back to life? [note 232]
Yusuf Ali Didst thou not turn thy vision to those who abandoned their homes though they were thousands (in number) for fear of death? Allah said to them: "Die." Then He restored them to life. For Allah is full of bounty to mankind but most of them are ungrateful.
Pickthall Bethink thee (O Muhammad) of those of old, who went forth from their habitations in their thousands, fearing death, and Allah said unto them: Die, and then He brought them back to life. Lo! Allah is a Lord of Kindness to mankind, but most of mankind give not thanks.
Transliteration Alam tara ilal lazina kharaju_ min diya_rihim wa hum ulu_fun hazaral ma_t(i), fa qa_la lahumulla_hu mu_tu_, summa ahya_kum innalla_ha lazu_ fadlin 'alan na_si wa la_kinna aksaran na_si la_ yasykuru_n(a).
[ Asad’s note 232 - …………….Now, neither the Quran not any authentic Tradition offers any indication as to who the people referred to in this verse may have been. ………….We must, therefore, assume (as Muhammad Abduh does in Manar II, 455 ff.) that the above allusion is parabolically connected with the subsequent call to the faithful to be ready to lay down their lives in God’s cause: an illustration of the fact that fear of physical death leads to the moral death of nations and communities, just as their regeneration (or “coming back to life”) depends on their regaining their moral status through overcoming the fear of death. This is undoubtedly the purport of the elliptical story of Samuel, Saul and David told in verses 246 – 251.]
[ Ali’s note - 274 We now return to the subject of Jihad, which we left at n. 214-216. We are to be under no illusion about it. If we are not prepared to fight for our faith, with our lives and all our resources, both our lives and our resources will be wiped out by our enemies. As to life, God gave it, and a coward is not likely to save it. It has happened again and again in history that men who tamely submitted to be driven from their homes although they were more numerous than their enemies had the sentence of death pronounced on them for their cowardice, and they deserved it. But God gives further and further chances in His mercy. This is a lesson to every generation. The Commentators differ as to the exact episode referred to, but the wording is perfectly general, and so is the lesson to be learnt from it. (2.243) ]
2: 244
Yusuf Ali Then fight in the cause of Allah and know that Allah heareth and knoweth all things.
Pickthall Fight in the way of Allah, and know that Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Transliteration Wa qa_tilu_ fi sabililla_hi wa'lamu_ annalla_ha sami'un'alim(un).
Man zallazi yuqridulla_ha qardan hasanan fa yuda_'ifahu_ lahu_ ad'a_fan kasirah(tan), walla_hu yaqbidu wa yabsut(u), wa ilaihi turja'u_n(a).