The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

a
i.e. the Prophethood given to Muhammad.
b
The pronoun hi here refers to either (i) the Scripture or (ii) Abraham.
c
The Arabic taghut is variously interpreted to refer to idols, a speci
fic tyrant, an
oracle, or an opponent of the Prophet.
The Qur
an
4: 53
56

---

wronged themselves, and begged God’s forgiveness, and the
Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found
that God accepts repentance and is most merciful. 
65By your Lord,
they will not be true believers until they let you decide between them
in all matters of dispute, and 
find no resistance in their souls to your
decisions, accepting them totally –
–
66if We had ordered, ‘Lay down
your lives’ or ‘Leave your homes,’ they would not have done so,
except for a few –
– it would have been far better for them and
stronger con
firmation of their faith, if they had done as they were
told,
67and We would have given them a rich reward of Our own
68and guided them to a straight path. 69Whoever obeys God and the
Messenger will be among those He has blessed: the messengers, the
truthful, those who bear witness to the truth,
a
and the righteous –
–
what excellent companions these are! 
70That is God’s favour. No one
knows better than Him.
71You who believe, be on your guard. March [to battle] in small
groups or as one body. 
72Among you there is the sort of person who
is sure to lag behind: if a calamity befalls you, he says, ‘God has been
gracious to me that I was not there with them,’
73yet he is sure to say,
if you are favoured by God, ‘If only I had been with them, I could
have made great gains,’ as if there had been no ties of a
ffection
between you and him. 
74Let those of you who are willing to trade the
life of this world for the life to come, 
fight in God’s way. To anyone
who
fights in God’s way, whether killed or victorious, We shall give a
great reward. 
75Why should you not fight in God’s cause and for
those oppressed men, women, and children who cry out, ‘Lord,
rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors! By Your
grace, give us a protector and give us a helper!’?
76The believers fight
for God’s cause, while those who reject faith 
fight for an unjust
cause.
b
Fight the allies of Satan: Satan’s strategies are truly weak.
77[Prophet], do you not see those who were told, ‘Restrain your-
selves from 
fighting, perform the prayer, and pay the prescribed
alms’? When 
fighting was ordained for them, some of them feared
men as much as, or even more than, they feared God, saying, ‘Lord,
why have You ordained 
fighting for us? If only You would give us
just a little more time.’ Say to them, ‘Little is the enjoyment in this
a
Martyrs bear witness to the truth with their lives (Razi).
b
Again this is the term taghut, which has a multitude of meanings. See note to
verse 
60.
Women
57
4: 77

---

world, the Hereafter is far better for those who are mindful of God:
you will not be wronged by as much as the 
fibre in a date stone.
78Death will overtake you no matter where you may be, even inside
high towers.’ When good fortune comes their way, they say, ‘This is
from God,’ but when harm befalls them, they say, ‘This is from you
[Prophet].’ Say to them, ‘Both come from God.’ What is the matter
with these people that they can barely understand what they are
told?
79Anything good that happens to you [Prophet] is from God;
anything bad is [ultimately] from yourself. We have sent you as a
messenger to people; God is su
fficient witness. 80Whoever obeys the
Messenger obeys God. If some pay no heed, We have not sent you to
be their keeper. 
81They say, ‘We obey you,’ but as soon as they leave
your presence, some of them scheme by night to do other than what
you said. God records what they scheme, so leave them alone, and
put your trust in God: He is su
fficient protector.
82Will they not think about this Quran? If it had been from
anyone other than God, they would have found much inconsistency
in it. 
83Whenever news of any matter comes to them, whether
concerning peace or war, they spread it about; if they referred it to
the Messenger and those in authority among them, those seeking
its meaning would have found it out from them. If it were not
for God’s bounty and mercy towards you, you would almost all have
followed Satan.
84So [Prophet] fight in God’s way. You are accountable only for
yourself. Urge the believers on. God may well curb the power of
the disbelievers, for He is stronger in might and more terrible
in punishment. 
85Whoever speaks for
a
a good cause will share in
its bene
fits and whoever speaks for a bad cause will share in its
burden: God controls everything. 
86But [even in battle] when you
[believers] are o
ffered a greeting, respond with a better one, or at
least return it:
b
God keeps account of everything. 
87He is God: there
is no god but Him. He will gather you all together on the Day of
Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. Whose word can be
truer than God’s?