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Surah An-Nisa, Verse 77

سورة النساء، الآية ٧٧

4:77 Juz 5 Hizb 9 Page 90 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 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 ۝٧٧

Transliteration

alam tara ilā alladhīna qīla lahum kuffū aydiyakum wa-aqīmū l-ṣalata waātū l-zakata falammā kutiba ʿalayhimu l-qitālu idhā farīqun min'hum yakhshawna l-nāsa kakhashyati l-lahi aw ashadda khashyatan waqālū rabbanā lima katabta ʿalaynā l-qitāla lawlā akhartanā ilā ajalin qarībin qul matāʿu l-dun'yā qalīlun wal-ākhiratu khayrun limani ittaqā walā tuẓ'lamūna fatīlan

Translation

Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting]199 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]."

Notes

[199] Before permission was given by Allāh.

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

Verse 77 of Surah An-Nisa (4:77), a Medinan surah, is in juz 5, on page 90 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.

Listen to verse 77 of Surah An-Nisa

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Tafsir of verse 77

Al-Mukhtasar

Have you, O Messenger, thought about the condition of some of your Companions who asked that striving in Allah’s path be ordained for them, but they were told, ‘Restrain your hands from fighting, establish the prayer and give charity ’. This was before striving in Allah’s path was ordained. When they migrated to Medina and Islam became strong, and fighting was ordained, they found it difficult, and some of them began fearing people as they should fear Allah or even more than that. They said, ‘Our Lord, why did You ordain fighting for us? Why did You not delay it for a while so we could enjoy the worldly life’. Say to them, O Messenger: The enjoyment of the world, no matter how much, is little and perishable. Yet the Hereafter is better for the one who is mindful of Allah because its delights are everlasting. Your good actions will not be reduced in the least, not even to the extent of the thread that is on the date stone.

Tafsir of the whole Surah An-Nisa

Other translations of verse 77

Have you not seen those who were told, “Restrain your hands [from fighting]55, establish prayer and give zakah”? However, when fighting was ordained for them, a group of them feared people as one should fear Allah or even more. They said, “Our Lord, why have You ordained fighting for us? If only you had spared us for a little while.” Say, “The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah. And you will not be wronged, even as much as a thread of a date stone.

Notes

[55] Before permission was given to them by Allah.

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.

Hast thou not seen those unto whom it was said: Withhold your hands, establish worship and pay the poordue, but when fighting was prescribed for them behold! a party of them fear mankind even as their fear of Allah or with greater fear, and say: Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? If only Thou wouldst give us respite yet a while! Say (unto them, O Muhammad): The comfort of this world is scant; the Hereafter will be better for him who wardeth off (evil); and ye will not be wronged the down upon a date-stone.

Hast thou not turned Thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared Allah: They said: "Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst Thou not Grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right: Never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

Have you not seen those to whom it was said: Withhold your hands, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate; but when fighting is prescribed for them, lo! a party of them fear men as they ought to have feared Allah, or (even) with a greater fear, and say: Our Lord! why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? Wherefore didst Thou not grant us a delay to a near end? Say: The provision of this world is short, and the hereafter is better for him who guards (against evil); and you shall not be wronged the husk of a date stone.

Have you not regarded the ones to whom it was said, "Restrain your hands and keep up prayer and bring the Zakat?" (i.e., pay the poor-dues) Then, as soon as fighting was prescribed for them, behold, a group of them are apprehensive of the multitude (Literally: mankind) as they would have apprehension of Allah, or with stronger apprehension; and they said, "Our Lord, why have You prescribed fighting for us? Had You (only) deferred us to a near term!" Say, "The enjoyment of the present (life) (Literally: the lowly "life; i.e., the life of this world) is little, and the Hereafter is most charitable for him who is pious, and you will not be done an injustice even as (much as) a single date-plaiting (i.e., not even a little).

Verse 77 word by word

  1. أَلَمْ alam Have not
  2. تَرَ tara you seen ر أ ي
  3. إِلَى ilā [towards]
  4. ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna those who
  5. قِيلَ qīla (when) it was said ق و ل
  6. لَهُمْ lahum to them
  7. كُفُّوٓا۟ kuffū Restrain ك ف ف
  8. أَيْدِيَكُمْ aydiyakum your hands ي د ي
  9. وَأَقِيمُوا۟ wa-aqīmū and establish ق و م
  10. ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ l-ṣalata the prayer ص ل و
  11. وَءَاتُوا۟ waātū and give أ ت ي
  12. ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ l-zakata the zakah ز ك و
  13. فَلَمَّا falammā Then when
  14. كُتِبَ kutiba was ordained ك ت ب
  15. عَلَيْهِمُ ʿalayhimu on them
  16. ٱلْقِتَالُ l-qitālu the fighting ق ت ل
  17. إِذَا idhā then
  18. فَرِيقٌ farīqun a group ف ر ق
  19. مِّنْهُمْ min'hum of them
  20. يَخْشَوْنَ yakhshawna [they] fear خ ش ي
  21. ٱلنَّاسَ l-nāsa the people أ ن س
  22. كَخَشْيَةِ kakhashyati as (they) fear خ ش ي
  23. ٱللَّهِ l-lahi Allah
  24. أَوْ aw or
  25. أَشَدَّ ashadda more intense ش د د
  26. خَشْيَةً khashyatan fear خ ش ي
  27. وَقَالُوا۟ waqālū and they said ق و ل
  28. رَبَّنَا rabbanā Our Lord ر ب ب
  29. لِمَ lima why
  30. كَتَبْتَ katabta have You ordained ك ت ب
  31. عَلَيْنَا ʿalaynā upon us
  32. ٱلْقِتَالَ l-qitāla [the] fighting ق ت ل
  33. لَوْلَآ lawlā Why not
  34. أَخَّرْتَنَآ akhartanā You postpone (it for) us أ خ ر
  35. إِلَىٰٓ ilā to
  36. أَجَلٍ ajalin a term أ ج ل
  37. قَرِيبٍ qarībin near ق ر ب
  38. قُلْ qul Say ق و ل
  39. مَتَٰعُ matāʿu Enjoyment م ت ع
  40. ٱلدُّنْيَا l-dun'yā (of) the world د ن و
  41. قَلِيلٌ qalīlun (is) little ق ل ل
  42. وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةُ wal-ākhiratu and the Hereafter أ خ ر
  43. خَيْرٌ khayrun (is) better خ ي ر
  44. لِّمَنِ limani for whoever
  45. ٱتَّقَىٰ ittaqā fears (Allah) و ق ي
  46. وَلَا walā and not
  47. تُظْلَمُونَ tuẓ'lamūna you will be wronged ظ ل م
  48. فَتِيلًا fatīlan (even as much as) a hair on a date-seed ف ت ل

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic chain Sunan an-Nasa'i 3086

that Abdur-Rahman bin Awf and some of his companions came to the Prophet in Makkah and said: “O Messenger of Allah! We were respected when we were idolaters and when we believed, we were humiliated.” He said: “I have been commanded to pardon, so do not fight.” Then, when Allah caused us to move to…

إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ بِالْعَفْوِ فَلاَ تُقَاتِلُوا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا حَوَّلَنَا اللَّهُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ أَمَرَنَا بِالْقِتَالِ فَكَفُّوا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏‏{‏ أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās

Verses related to verse 77

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Muhammad 47:20–21

    وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَإِذَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ مُّحْكَمَةٌ وَذُكِرَ فِيهَا ٱلْقِتَالُ رَأَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ نَظَرَ ٱلْمَغْشِىِّ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ فَأَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ …

    Those who believe say, "Why has a sūrah not been sent down?" But when a precise sūrah is revealed and battle is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] looking at you with a look of one overcome by death. And more appropriate for them [would have been] …

  • Ar-Rahman 55:26–27

    كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ …

    Everyone upon it [i.e., the earth] will perish, …

  • Ali ’Imran 3:185

    كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ

    Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.

  • Al-Hajj 22:45

    فَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَٰهَا وَهِىَ ظَالِمَةٌ فَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا وَبِئْرٍ مُّعَطَّلَةٍ وَقَصْرٍ مَّشِيدٍ

    And how many a city did We destroy while it was committing wrong - so it is [now] fallen into ruin - and [how many] an abandoned well and [how many] a lofty palace.

  • Al-A’raf 7:131

    فَإِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا۟ لَنَا هَٰذِهِۦ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا۟ بِمُوسَىٰ وَمَن مَّعَهُۥٓ أَلَآ إِنَّمَا طَٰٓئِرُهُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

    But when good [i.e., provision] came to them, they said, "This is ours [by right]." And if a bad [condition] struck them, they saw an evil omen in Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allāh, but most of them do not know.

  • Al-Hajj 22:11

    وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرْفٍ فَإِنْ أَصَابَهُۥ خَيْرٌ ٱطْمَأَنَّ بِهِۦ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ ٱنقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦ خَسِرَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْخُسْرَانُ ٱلْمُبِينُ

    And of the people is he who worships Allāh on an edge. If he is touched by good, he is reassured by it; but if he is struck by trial, he turns on his face [to unbelief]. He has lost [this] world and the Hereafter. That is what is the manifest loss.

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:43

    وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ

    And establish prayer and give zakāh and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].

  • An-Nur 24:56

    وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

    And establish prayer and give zakāh and obey the Messenger - that you may receive mercy.

  • Ghafir 40:69

    أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ أَنَّىٰ يُصْرَفُونَ

    Do you not consider those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh - how are they averted?

  • Ibrahim 14:28

    أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا۟ قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ ٱلْبَوَارِ

    Have you not considered those who exchanged the favor of Allāh for disbelief and settled their people [in] the home of ruin?

  • An-Nisa 4:44

    أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ يَشْتَرُونَ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةَ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّوا۟ ٱلسَّبِيلَ

    Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, purchasing error [in exchange for it] and wishing you would lose the way?

  • An-Nisa 4:49

    أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنفُسَهُم بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا

    Have you not seen those who claim themselves to be pure? Rather, Allāh purifies whom He wills, and injustice is not done to them, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed].

All similar verses of Surah An-Nisa

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