Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 75
Quran 4:75 · The Women · Madani · Para 5 · Page 89
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُوْنَ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِیْنَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَآءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِیْنَ یَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هٰذِهِ الْقَرْیَةِ الظَّالِمِ اَهْلُهَا ۚ وَاجْعَلْ لَّنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ وَلِیًّا ۙۚ وَّاجْعَلْ لَّنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ نَصِیْرًا ۟ؕ
Transliteration
Wama lakum la tuqatiloonafee sabeeli Allahi walmustadAAafeena mina arrijaliwannisa-i walwildani allatheenayaqooloona rabbana akhrijna min hathihialqaryati aththalimi ahluhawajAAal lana min ladunka waliyyan wajAAallana min ladunka naseera
Saheeh International
And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allāh and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, "Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper"?
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
What is preventing you, O believers, from striving in the path of Allah in order to raise His Word and to rescue the oppressed men, women and children who call to Allah, saying, ‘Our Lord, let us leave Makkah, because its people are oppressive – due to their associating partners with Allah and their aggression towards His servants. Give us someone from You who will take control of our affairs, take care of us and protect us from harm’.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged) on 4:75–4:76
And what is wrong with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah, and for those weak, ill-treated and oppressed among men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help. (75)Those who believe, fight in the cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of the Taghut. So fight against the friends of Shaytan; ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytan (76)
Encouraging Jihad to Defend the Oppressed
Allah encouraged His believing servants to perform Jihad in His cause and to strive hard to save the oppressed Muslims in Makkah, men, women and children who were restless because of having to remain there. This is why Allah said,
الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ
(whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town), referring to Makkah. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِيَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَتْكَ
(And many a town, stronger than your town which has driven you out)[47:13] Allah then describes this town,
الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا
(whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help) meaning, send protectors and helpers for us. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn 'Abbas said, "I and my mother were from the oppressed (in Makkah)." Allah then said,
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ
(Those who believe, fight in the cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of the Taghut.)
Therefore, the believers fight in obedience to Allah and to gain His pleasure, while the disbelievers fight in obedience to Shaytan. Allah then encourages the believers to fight His enemies,
فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
(So fight against the friends of Shaytan; ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytan).