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Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 246

سورة البقرة، الآية ٢٤٦

2:246 Juz 2 Hizb 4 Page 40 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:246

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلَإِ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰٓ إِذْ قَالُوا۟ لِنَبِىٍّ لَّهُمُ ٱبْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَٰتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِن كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَٰتِلُوا۟ قَالُوا۟ وَمَا لَنَآ أَلَّا نُقَٰتِلَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِن دِيَٰرِنَا وَأَبْنَآئِنَا فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا۟ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٢٤٦

Transliteration

alam tara ilā l-mala-i min banī is'rāīla min baʿdi mūsā idh qālū linabiyyin lahumu ib'ʿath lanā malikan nuqātil fī sabīli l-lahi qāla hal ʿasaytum in kutiba ʿalaykumu l-qitālu allā tuqātilū qālū wamā lanā allā nuqātila fī sabīli l-lahi waqad ukh'rij'nā min diyārinā wa-abnāinā falammā kutiba ʿalayhimu l-qitālu tawallaw illā qalīlan min'hum wal-lahu ʿalīmun bil-ẓālimīna

Translation

Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after [the time of] Moses when they said to a prophet of theirs, "Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of Allāh"? He said, "Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if battle was prescribed for you?" They said, "And why should we not fight in the cause of Allāh when we have been driven out from our homes and from our children?" But when battle was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 246 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:246), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 40 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 246

Al-Mukhtasar

Do you not know, O Prophet, about those nobles from the Israelites after the time of Moses who said to a prophet of theirs, ‘Set up for us a king and we will fight alongside him in Allah’s path’? The prophet replied, ‘It may be that if Allah makes fighting obligatory, you will not fight!’ They denied that this would happen and insisted, ‘What would stop us from fighting in Allah’s path when our enemies have removed us from our homes and have taken our children as prisoners?’ Yet when Allah made fighting obligatory on them, they all turned away, except a few of them. Allah knows the wrongdoers who broke their promise and turned away from His instruction; and He will repay them for their action.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 246

Did you not see the chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses when they said to their prophet: “Appoint for us a king so that we fight in the way of Allah.” He said: “How likely is it that if fighting was enjoined upon you that you will not fight?” They said: “How could we not fight in the way of Allah, while we have been driven out of our homes and separated from our children137?” However, when fighting was enjoined upon them, they turned away, except a few of them. And Allah is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.

Notes

[137] Their women and children were taken as captives by the enemy.

Have you not thought about the group of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Mûsâ (Moses)? When they said to a Prophet of theirs, "Appoint for us a king and we will fight in Allâh’s Way." He said, "Would you then refrain from fighting, if fighting was prescribed for you?" They said, "Why should we not fight in Allâh’s Way while we have been driven out of our homes and our children (families have been taken as captives)?" But when fighting was ordered for them, they turned away, all except a few of them. And Allâh is All-Aware of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).

Bethink thee of the leaders of the Children of Israel after Moses, how they said unto a prophet whom they had: Set up for us a king and we will fight in Allah's way. He said: Would ye then refrain from fighting if fighting were prescribed for you? They said: Why should we not fight in Allah's way when we have been driven from our dwellings with our children? Yet, when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, all save a few of them. Allah is aware of evil-doers.

Hast thou not Turned thy vision to the Chiefs of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Moses? they said to a prophet (That was) among them: "Appoint for us a king, that we May fight in the cause of Allah." He said: "Is it not possible, if ye were commanded to fight, that that ye will not fight?" They said: "How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, seeing that we were turned out of our homes and our families?" but when they were commanded to fight, they turned back, except a small band among them. But Allah Has full knowledge of those who do wrong.

Have you not considered the chiefs of the children of Israel after Musa, when they said to a prophet of theirs: Raise up for us a king, (that) we may fight in the way of Allah. He said: May it not be that you would not fight if fighting is ordained for you? They said: And what reason have we that we should not fight in the way of Allah, and we have indeed been compelled to abandon our homes and our children. But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned back, except a few of them, and Allah knows the unjust.

Have you not regarded the chiefs of the Seeds (Or: sons) of Israel) even after Musa, (Moses) as they said to a Prophet of theirs, "Send forth for us a king, (so that) we would fight in the way of Allah."He said, " Might it be that in case fighting is prescribed for you, you would not fight?" They said, "How is it that we would not fight in the way of Allah, and we have already been driven out of our residences and sons?" Yet, when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, except a few of them; and Allah is Ever-Knowing of the unjust.

Verse 246 word by word

  1. أَلَمْ alam Did not
  2. تَرَ tara you see ر أ ي
  3. إِلَى ilā [towards]
  4. ٱلْمَلَإِ l-mala-i the chiefs م ل أ
  5. مِنۢ min of
  6. بَنِىٓ banī (the) Children ب ن ي
  7. إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ is'rāīla (of) Israel
  8. مِنۢ min from
  9. بَعْدِ baʿdi after ب ع د
  10. مُوسَىٰٓ mūsā Musa
  11. إِذْ idh when
  12. قَالُوا۟ qālū they said ق و ل
  13. لِنَبِىٍّ linabiyyin to a Prophet ن ب أ
  14. لَّهُمُ lahumu of theirs
  15. ٱبْعَثْ ib'ʿath Appoint ب ع ث
  16. لَنَا lanā for us
  17. مَلِكًا malikan a king م ل ك
  18. نُّقَٰتِلْ nuqātil we may fight ق ت ل
  19. فِى fī in
  20. سَبِيلِ sabīli (the) way س ب ل
  21. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
  22. قَالَ qāla He said ق و ل
  23. هَلْ hal Would
  24. عَسَيْتُمْ ʿasaytum you perhaps ع س ي
  25. إِن in if
  26. كُتِبَ kutiba prescribed ك ت ب
  27. عَلَيْكُمُ ʿalaykumu upon you
  28. ٱلْقِتَالُ l-qitālu [the] fighting ق ت ل
  29. أَلَّا allā that not
  30. تُقَٰتِلُوا۟ tuqātilū you fight ق ت ل
  31. قَالُوا۟ qālū They said ق و ل
  32. وَمَا wamā And what
  33. لَنَآ lanā for us
  34. أَلَّا allā that not
  35. نُقَٰتِلَ nuqātila we fight ق ت ل
  36. فِى fī in
  37. سَبِيلِ sabīli (the) way س ب ل
  38. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
  39. وَقَدْ waqad while surely
  40. أُخْرِجْنَا ukh'rij'nā we have been driven خ ر ج
  41. مِن min from
  42. دِيَٰرِنَا diyārinā our homes د و ر
  43. وَأَبْنَآئِنَا wa-abnāinā and our children ب ن ي
  44. فَلَمَّا falammā Yet, when
  45. كُتِبَ kutiba was prescribed ك ت ب
  46. عَلَيْهِمُ ʿalayhimu upon them
  47. ٱلْقِتَالُ l-qitālu the fighting ق ت ل
  48. تَوَلَّوْا۟ tawallaw they turned away و ل ي
  49. إِلَّا illā except
  50. قَلِيلًا qalīlan a few ق ل ل
  51. مِّنْهُمْ min'hum among them
  52. وَٱللَّهُ wal-lahu And Allah
  53. عَلِيمٌۢ ʿalīmun (is) All-Knowing ع ل م
  54. بِٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ bil-ẓālimīna of the wrongdoers ظ ل م

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  • An-Nisa 4:77

    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 مَتَٰعُ ٱلدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

    Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakāh"? But then when battle was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allāh or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have You decreed upon us fighting? If only You had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, "The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allāh. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]."

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