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
فَوَيْلٌ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۖ فَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ
So woe to those who write the "scripture" with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allāh," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.
أَوَكُلَّمَا عَـٰهَدُوا۟ عَهْدًا نَّبَذَهُۥ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
Is it not [true] that every time they took a covenant a party of them threw it away? But, [in fact], most of them do not believe.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
Those are the ones who have bought the life of this world [in exchange] for the Hereafter, so the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be aided.
فَمَنْ خَافَ مِن مُّوصٍ جَنَفًا أَوْ إِثْمًا فَأَصْلَحَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
But if one fears from the bequeather [some] error or sin and corrects that which is between them [i.e., the concerned parties], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.