And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah69 is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
Notes
[69] Among the meanings of fitnah are disbelief and its imposition on others, discord, dissension, civil strife, persecution, oppression, injustice, seduction, terrorism, trial and torment.
Verse 191 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:191), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 30 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 191
Al-Mukhtasar
And kill them where you come across them, and make them leave the place they made you leave - which is Makkah. And oppression that stops those who believe from worshipping, making them return to disbelief and ungratefulness is worse than killing. And do not fight with them in the Sacred Mosque, out of respect for it, unless they start fighting you there. If they start fighting in the Sacred Mosque, then kill them. And fighting them if they attack in the Sacred mosque is the reward of those who deny the truth.
And kill them wherever you find them89, and drive them out from where they drove you out90, for persecution91 is far worse than killing. But do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there. However, if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
Notes
[89] i.e., the disbelievers who raised arms against you. [90] i.e., the land of Makkah from which the Muslims were expelled. [91] Among the meanings of "fitnah" are: disbelief and its imposition on others, dissension, trial, and torment.
And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah 41 is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (the sanctuary at Makkah),42 unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.
Notes
[41] (V.2:191) Al-Fitnah: polytheism, to disbelieve after one has believed in Allâh, or a trial or a calamity or an affliction.
[42] (V.2:191) Narrated Abu-Bakrah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم delivered to us a Khutbah (religious talk) on the day of Nahr (10th of Dhul Hijjah ). He said, "Do you know what is the day today?" We said, "Allâh and His Messenger know better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give that day another name. He said, "Isn’t it the day of Nahr ?" We said, "It is." He further asked, "Which month is this?" We said, "Allâh and His Messenger know better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give it another name. He then said, "Isn’t it the month of Dhul-Hijjah ?" We replied: "Yes, it is." He further asked, "What town is this?" We replied, "Allâh and His Messenger know it better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give it another name. He then said, "Isn’t it the forbidden (sacred) town (of Makkah)?" We said, "Yes, it is." He said, "No doubt, your blood and your properties are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this town of yours, till the day you meet your Lord. No doubt! Haven’t I conveyed Allâh’s Message to you? We said, "Yes." He said, "O Allâh! Be witness. So it is in incumbent upon those who are present to convey it (this information) to those who are absent because the informed one might comprehend it (what I have said) better than the present audience, who will convey it to him. Beware! Do not renegade (as) disbelievers after me by striking the necks (cutting the throats) of one another." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.2, Hadîth No.797).
And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers.
And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith.
And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.
And kill them wherever you catch them, and drive them out from where they drove you out; and temptation (Or: discord, sedition) is more serious (Literally: stronger) than killing; and do not fight with them at the Inviolable Mosque until they fight with you therein; so in case they fight with you, then kill them; thus is the recompense of the disbelievers.
And when the inviolable months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
Indeed, the number of months with Allāh is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allāh [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion [i.e., way], so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allāh is with the righteous [who fear Him].
And it is He who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah after He caused you to overcome them. And ever is Allāh, of what you do, Seeing. …
