Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 190

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you, and do not transgress. Verily, Allah does not like the transgressors.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Fight in the cause of Allah ˹only˺ against those who wage war against you, but do not exceed the limits.[[ “Do not exceed the limits” refers to Islamic warfare guidelines set by the Prophet. In an authentic saying collected by Abu Dawûd, he (ﷺ) is reported to have instructed the Muslim army, “Depart in the Name of Allah and with His help—following the way of the Messenger of Allah. Do not kill an old man, a child, or a woman. Do not mutilate dead bodies of the enemy. Be gracious and courteous, for Allah loves those who act with grace.” The Prophet (ﷺ) also says, “Do not wish to meet your enemy in battle but always pray for well-being. If fighting is a must, then be steadfast.”]] Allah does not like transgressors.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you, but do not transgress, for Allah does not like transgressors.

A. J. Arberry

And fight in the way of God with those; who fight with you, but aggress not: God loves not the aggressors.

Abdul Haleem

Fight in God’s cause against those who fight you, but do not overstep the limits: God does not love those who overstep the limits.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, and transgress not; verily Allah loveth not the transgressors

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.

Abul Ala Maududi

And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight against you but do not commit aggression because AIIah does not like aggressors.

Ahmed Ali

Fight those in the way of God who fight you, but do not be aggressive: God does not like aggressors.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And fight in Allah's cause against those who fight you and do not exceed the limits; and Allah does not like the transgressors.

Ali Quli Qarai

Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress. Indeed Allah does not like transgressors.

Ali Ünal

Fight in God’s cause (in order to exalt His Name) against those who fight against you, but do not exceed the bounds (set by God), for surely God loves not those who exceed the bounds.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And fight in the cause of Allâh those who fight and persecute you, but commit no aggression. Surely, Allâh does not love the aggressors.

English Literal

And kill/fight in God`s way/sake those who kill/fight you , and do not transgress/violate , that God does not love/like the transgressors/violators .

Faridul Haque

And fight in Allah´s cause against those who fight you and do not exceed the limits; and Allah does not like the transgressors.

Hamid S. Aziz

Fight in the Cause of Allah with those who fight you, but transgress not the limits (or begin not hostilities); verily, Allah loves not those who transgress (or the aggressors).

Hilali & Khan

And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors. [This Verse is the first one that was revealed in connection with Jihad, but it was supplemented by another (V. 9:36)].

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you but be not aggressive. Surely Allah loves not the aggressors.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors.

Muhammad Sarwar

Fight for the cause of God, those who fight you, but do not transgress, for God does not love the transgressors.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you, but do not aggress. Allah does not love the aggressors.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors.

Wahiduddin Khan

And fight in God's cause against those who wage war against you, but do not commit aggression -- for surely, God does not love aggressors.

Talal Itani

And fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not commit aggression; God does not love the aggressors.

Tafsir jalalayn

After the Prophet (s) was prevented from [visiting] the House in the year of the battle of Hudaybiyya, he made a pact with the disbelievers that he would be allowed to return the following year, at which time they would vacate Mecca for three days. Having prepared to depart for the Visitation [`umra], [he and] the believers were concerned that Quraysh would not keep to the agreement and instigate fighting. The Muslims were averse to becoming engaged in fighting while in a state of pilgrimage inviolability in the Sacred Enclosure [al-haram] and during the sacred months, and so the following was revealed; And fight in the way of God, to elevate His religion, with those who fight against you, the disbelievers, but aggress not, against them by initiating the fighting; God loves not the aggressors, the ones that overstep the bounds which God has set for them; this stipulation was abrogated by the verse of bar'a, `immunity' [Q. 9;1], or by His saying [below];

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Command to fight Those Who fight Muslims and killing Them wherever They are found

Allah command's;

وَقَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُحِبِّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ



And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors.

Abu Jafar Ar-Razi said that Ar-Rabi bin Anas said that Abu Al-Aliyah commented on what Allah said;
وَقَاتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ
(And fight in the way of Allah those who fight you),

"This was the first Ayah about fighting that was revealed in Al-Madinah. Ever since it was revealed, Allah's Messenger used to fight only those who fought him and avoid non-combatants. Later, Surah Bara'h was revealed."

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said similarly, then he said that;

this was later abrogated by the Ayah;
فَاقْتُلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ
(then kill them wherever you find them), (9;5).

However, this statement is not plausible, because Allah's statement;
الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ
(...those who fight you) applies only to fighting the enemies who are engaged in fighting Islam and its people. So the Ayah means,

`Fight those who fight you', just as Allah said in another Ayah;
وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَأفَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَأفَّةً
(...and fight against the Mushrikin collectively as they fight against you collectively), (9;36).

This is why Allah said later in the Ayah;
وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ
(And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out),

meaning, `Your energy should be spent on fighting them, just as their energy is spent on fighting you, and on expelling them from the areas from which they have expelled you, as a law of equality in punishment.'
The Prohibition of mutilating the Dead and stealing from the captured Goods

Allah said;

وَلَا تَعْتَدُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يُحِبِّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ


but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors.

This Ayah means,

`Fight for the sake of Allah and do not be transgressors,' such as, by committing prohibitions.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri stated that transgression (indicated by the Ayah),

"includes mutilating the dead, theft (from the captured goods), killing women, children and old people who do not participate in warfare, killing priests and residents of houses of worship, burning down trees and killing animals without real benefit."

This is also the opinion of Ibn Abbas, Umar bin Abdul-Aziz, Muqatil bin Hayyan and others.

Muslim recorded in his Sahih that Buraydah narrated that Allah's Messenger said;

اغْزُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ قَاتِلُوا مَنْ كَفَرَ بِاللهِ اغْزُوا وَلَا تَغُلُّوا وَلَا تَغْدِرُوا وَلَا تَمْثُلُوا وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا وَلِيدًا وَلَا أَصْحَابَ الصَّوَامِع

Fight for the sake of Allah and fight those who disbelieve in Allah. Fight, but do not steal (from the captured goods), commit treachery, mutilate (the dead), or kill a child, or those who reside in houses of worship.

It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Ibn Umar said,

"A woman was found dead during one of the Prophet's battles and the Prophet then forbade killing women and children."

There are many other Hadiths on this subject.
Shirk is worse than Killing

Allah says;