وَقَـٰتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ 244
Translations
And fight in the cause of Allāh and know that Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
Transliteration
Wa qātilū fī sabīli-llāhi wa-a'lamū anna-llāha samī'un 'alīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the believers to fight in the cause of Allah and assures them that Allah hears and knows all things. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this verse emphasizes that Allah is fully aware of the intentions, struggles, and sacrifices of those who fight in His path, encouraging steadfastness and sincere dedication. The attributes of being 'As-Samī' (All-Hearing) and 'Al-'Alīm' (All-Knowing) serve as a reminder that no effort goes unrecognized by Allah, whether it is seen by people or not.
Revelation Context
This verse comes within the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's guidance on jihād and fighting in the path of Allah, revealed in Medina when the Muslim community faced existential threats and was commanded to defend itself. The broader context discusses the permissibility and obligation of fighting against those who persecute believers, establishing both the spiritual and practical dimensions of struggle in Islam.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of people are those who are most beneficial to people' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever dies without having fought or having resolved to fight, dies upon one of the branches of hypocrisy' (Sahih Muslim) relates to the obligation to strive in Allah's cause.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that their struggles and sacrifices for righteous causes are never hidden from Allah, regardless of worldly recognition, encouraging sincere effort in both spiritual and defensive endeavors with complete reliance on Divine justice. It reminds us to purify our intentions knowing that Allah is fully aware of our hearts, circumstances, and true motivations.
Related Ayahs
ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى ظُلَلٍ مِّنَ ٱلْغَمَامِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ
Do they await but that Allāh should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels [as well] and the matter is [then] decided? And to Allāh [all] matters are returned.
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allāh has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and earth are signs for a people who use reason.
وَمَآ أَنفَقْتُم مِّن نَّفَقَةٍ أَوْ نَذَرْتُم مِّن نَّذْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُهُۥ ۗ وَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
And whatever you spend of expenditures or make of vows - indeed, Allāh knows of it. And for the wrongdoers there are no helpers.