وَقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ ٱلدِّينُ كُلُّهُۥ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنِ ٱنتَهَوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ 39
Translations
And fight against them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion [i.e., worship], all of it, is for Allāh. And if they cease - then indeed, Allāh is Seeing of what they do.
Transliteration
Wa qātilūhum ḥattā lā takūna fitnaḥ wa yakūna ad-dīn kulluhū lillāh. Fa-in intahaw fa-inna Allāha bimā yaʿmalūn baṣīr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to fight against those who persecute Muslims until religious persecution (fitnah) ceases and Allah's religion is practiced freely. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that 'fitnah' refers to religious oppression and forced apostasy, and fighting continues until either the enemy ceases persecution or accepts Islamic authority. The ayah concludes with a reminder that Allah is all-Seeing of their deeds, emphasizing accountability and divine oversight.
Revelation Context
Revealed in the Medinan period during the early conflicts between Muslims and Quraysh. This ayah is part of Surah Al-Anfal's discussion of the Battle of Badr and the principles governing defensive warfare. The context involves the Quraysh's persecution of early Muslims in Mecca, providing the basis for permitting and commanding defensive military action.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah' (Sahih Muslim 33). Additionally, 'Fitnah is worse than killing' (Surah 2:191) contextualizes the severity of religious persecution that necessitates defensive action.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that fighting in Islam has a defined ethical purpose—to end religious oppression, not for territorial conquest or revenge—and emphasizes that believers remain under divine scrutiny in all actions. Modern readers should understand that Islamic military ethics are proportional and purposeful, with clear conditions for cessation when the aggression stops.