Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 39

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And fight them until there is no Fitnah (mischief), and total obedience becomes for Allah. So, if they desist, then, Allah is indeed watchful over what they do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Fight against them until there is no more persecution—and ˹your˺ devotion will be entirely to Allah. But if they desist, then surely Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Fight them until there is no more persecution and the religion is entirely for Allah; but if they desist, then Allah is All-Seeing of what they do.

A. J. Arberry

Fight them, till there is no persecution and the religion is God's entirely; then if they give over, surely God sees the things they do;

Abdul Haleem

[Believers], fight them until there is no more persecution, and all worship is devoted to God alone: if they desist, then God sees all that they do,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And fight against them until there be no temptations and their obedience be wholly unto Allah. So if they desist, thens verily Allah is the Beholder of that which they do.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do.

Abul Ala Maududi

And fight against them until the mischief ends and the way prescribed by Allah - the whole of it -prevail Then, if they give up mischief, surely Allah sees what they do.

Ahmed Ali

So, fight them till all opposition ends, and obedience is wholly God's. If they desist then verily God sees all they do.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And fight them until no mischief remains and the entire religion is only for Allah; then if they desist, Allah sees all what they do.

Ali Quli Qarai

Fight them until persecution is no more, and religion becomes exclusively for Allah. So if they desist, Allah indeed watches what they do.

Ali Ünal

And (if they still persist in unbelief and hostilities), fight against them until there is no longer disorder and oppresssion rooted in rebellion against God, and the whole of religion (the full authority to order the way of life is recognized) for God exclusively. If they cease (to persist in unbelief and continue hostilities toward the believers), then surely God sees well all that they do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (O Muslims!) fight them until there is no more persecution (in the name of religion) and adopting a (certain) religion is wholly for the sake of Allâh, but if they desist, then surely Allâh is Watchful of what they do (and they will not be done injustice to).

English Literal

And fight/kill them until (there) be no misguidance/betrayal , and the religion, all of it be to God, so if they ended/stopped , so that God (is) seeing/knowing with what they make/do .

Faridul Haque

And fight them until no mischief remains and the entire religion is only for Allah; then if they desist, Allah sees all what they do.

Hamid S. Aziz

Fight them then until there be no more oppression, and that religion may be wholly Allah´s. But if they desist, then Allah is Seer of what they do.

Hilali & Khan

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone [in the whole of the world]. But if they cease (worshipping others besides Allah), then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist, that which is past will be forgiven them; and if they return, then the example of those of old has already gone.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah; but if they desist, then surely Allah sees what they do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah. But if they cease, then lo! Allah is Seer of what they do.

Muhammad Sarwar

Fight them so that idolatry will not exist any more and God's religion will stand supreme. If theygive up the idols), God will be Well Aware of what they do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Fight them until persecution is no more and the Religion of Allah reigns supreme. If they desist, Allah sees the things they do;

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah, and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah alone. But if they cease, then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.

Wahiduddin Khan

Fight them until there is no more [religious] persecution, and religion belongs wholly to God: if they desist, then surely God is watchful of what they do,

Talal Itani

Fight them until there is no more persecution, and religion becomes exclusively for God. But if they desist—God is Seeing of what they do.

Tafsir jalalayn

And fight them until sedition, idolatry, is, exists, no more and religion is all for God, alone, none other being worshipped; then if they desist, from unbelief, surely God sees what they do, and will requite them for it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلّه

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah, and the religion will all be for Allah alone.

Al-Bukhari recorded that;

a man came to Ibn Umar and said to him, "O Abu Abdur-Rahman! Why do you not implement what Allah said in His Book,
وَإِن طَايِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا
(And if two parties (or groups) among the believers fall to fighting...(49;9). What prevents you from fighting as Allah mentioned in His Book?"

Ibn Umar said, "O my nephew! I prefer that I be reminded with this Ayah rather than fighting, for in the latter case, I will be reminded by the Ayah in which Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, said,
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُوْمِناً مُّتَعَمِّداً
(And whoever kills a believer intentionally...) (4;93)."

The man said, "Allah, the Exalted, said,
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah...)."

Ibn Umar said, "We did that during the time of the Messenger of Allah, when Islam was weak and the man would be tried in religion, either tormented to death or being imprisoned. When Islam became stronger and widespread, there was no more Fitnah."

When the man realized that Ibn Umar would not agree to what he is saying, he asked him, "What do you say about Ali and Uthman?"

Ibn Umar replied, "What do I say about Ali and Uthman! As for Uthman, Allah has forgiven him, but you hate that Allah forgives him. As for Ali, he is the cousin of the Messenger of Allah and his son-in-law,"

and he pointed with his hand saying, "And this is his house over there."

Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

"Ibn Umar came to us and was asked, "What do you say about fighting during Fitnah?"

Ibn Umar said, "Do you know what Fitnah refers to Muhammad. He was fighting against the idolators, and at that time, attending (or residing with) the idolators was a Fitnah (trial in religion). It is nothing like what you are doing, fighting to gain leadership!"

All these narrations were collected by Al-Bukhari, may Allah the Exalted grant him His mercy.

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah,
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
(And fight them until there is no more Fitnah...),

"So that there is no more Shirk."

Similar was said by Abu Al-Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi bin Anas, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Zayd bin Aslam.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said that he was informed from Az-Zuhri, from Urwah bin Az-Zubayr and other scholars that
حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ
(until there is no more Fitnah),

the Fitnah mentioned here means, until no Muslim is persecuted so that he abandons his religion.

Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn Abbas said about Allah's statement,
وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلّه
(and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah alone).

"So that Tawhid is practiced in sincerity with Allah."

Al-Hasan, Qatadah and Ibn Jurayj said,
وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلّه
(and the religion will all be for Allah alone),

"So that La ilaha illa-llah is proclaimed."

Muhammad bin Ishaq also commented on this Ayah,

"So that Tawhid is practiced in sincerity towards Allah, without Shirk, all the while shunning all rivals who (are being worshipped) besides Him."

Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said about,
وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلّه
(and the religion will all be for Allah alone),

"So that there is no more Kufr (disbelief) with your religion remains."

There is a Hadith collected in the Two Sahihs that testifies to this explanation. The Messenger of Allah said,

أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ

فَإِذَا قَالُوهَا عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُمْ وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلاَّ بِحَقِّهَا وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَل

I was commanded to fight against the people until they proclaim, `There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.'

If and when they say it, they will preserve their blood and wealth from me, except for its right (Islamic penal code), and their reckoning is with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.

Also, in the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Abu Musa Al-Ashari said,

"The Messenger of Allah was asked about a man who fights because he is courageous, in prejudice with his people, or to show off. Which of these is for the cause of Allah?

He said,

مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَل

Whoever fights so that Allah's Word is the supreme, is in the cause of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored."

Allah said next,

فَإِنِ انتَهَوْاْ

But if they cease,

and desist from their Kufr as a result of your fighting them, even though you do not know the true reasons why they did so,

فَإِنَّ اللّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ



then certainly, Allah is All-Seer of what they do.

Allah said in similar Ayah,

فَإِن تَابُواْ وَأَقَامُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَءاتَوُاْ الزَّكَوةَ فَخَلُّواْ سَبِيلَهُمْ

But if they repent and perform the Salah, and give Zakah, then leave their way free. (9;5)

فَإِخوَانُكُمْ فِى الدِّينِ
then they are your brethren in religion. (9;11)

and,

وَقَـتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ للَّهِ فَإِنِ انتَهَواْ فَلَ عُدْوَنَ إِلاَّ عَلَى الظَّـلِمِينَ

And fight them until there is no more Fitnah and the religion (worship) is for Allah (alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against the wrongdoers. (2;193)

It is recorded in the Sahih that;

the Messenger of Allah said to Usamah bin Zayd when he overpowered a man with his sword, after that man proclaimed that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah;

أَقَتَلْتَهُ بَعْدَ مَا قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ




وَكَيْفَ تَصْنَعُ بِلَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ



Have you killed him after he proclaimed, `La Ilaha Illallah!'

What would you do with regard to `La Ilaha Illallah' on the Day of Resurrection.

Usamah said, "O Allah's Messenger! He only said it to save himself."

The Messenger replied,

هَلَّ شَقَقْتَ عَنْ قَلْبِهِ


Did you cut his heart open?

The Messenger kept repeating,

مَنْ لَكَ بِلَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ


What would you do with regard to `La Ilaha Illallah' on the Day of Resurrection? until Usamah said, "I wished I had embraced Islam only that day."

Allah said next,

وَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ مَوْلَاكُمْ نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ