يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا۟ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَنْ أَلْقَىٰٓ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَٰمَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًۭا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ ٱللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌۭ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا
Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo izaa darabtum fee sabeelil laahi fatabaiyanoo wa laa taqooloo liman alqaaa ilaikumus salaama lasta mu'minan tabtaghoona 'aradal hayaatid dunyaa fa'indal laahi maghaanimu kaseerah; kazaalika kuntum min qablu famannnal laahu 'alaikum fatabaiyanoo; innallaaha kaana bimaa ta'maloona Khabeeraa
O you who have believed, when you go forth [to fight] in the cause of Allah, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace "You are not a believer," aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allah are many acquisitions. You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allah conferred His favor upon you, so investigate. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.
Tafsir
Scholars offer complementary perspectives
The following was revealed when a group from among the Companions passed by a man from the Banū Sulaym driving his flock of sheep and he offered them a greeting of peace. But they said ‘He only greeted us dissimulating out of fear’. So they killed him and took away his flock O you who believe when you are going forth travelling in order to struggle in the way of God be discriminating fa-tabayyanū; a variant reading has fa-tathabbatū ‘ascertain’ here and further below; and do not say to him who offers you peace read al-salām or al-salam that is the greeting or offers you submission declaring the profession of faith shahāda which is an indication of being a Muslim ‘You are not a believer you are only saying this to dissimulate for fear of your life and property’ so that you then end up killing him desiring seeking by this the transient goods of the life of this world that is its enjoyment in the way of spoils. With God are plenteous spoils rendering you free of the need to kill such a person for his property. So you were formerly when your lives and property were protected simply upon your professing the faith; but God has been gracious to you making you known for your faith and uprightness. So be discriminating lest you kill a believer and treat those entering the religion as you were treated formerly. Surely God is ever Aware of what you do and will requite you for it.
Related Hadiths
"A man from Banu Sulaim who had some sheep with him, passed by some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He gave Salam to them and they said: 'He did not give Salam except to protect himself.' So they attacked him, killed him, and took his sheep. They went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with them, and Allah, Most High, revealed: O you who believe! When you go in the cause of Allah, verify and say not to anyone who greets you: "You are not a believer (4:94)."
The Muslims met a man with some sheep of his. He said: Peace be upon you. But they killed him and took those few sheep. Thereupon the following Qur'anic verse was revealed: "...And say to anyone who offers you a salutation: Thou art none of believer, coveting the perishable good of this life." meaning these few sheep.
“Whenever he
appointed a man to lead a military detachment, the Messenger of Allah
(ﷺ) would advise him especially to fear Allah and treat the Muslims
with him well. He (ﷺ) said: ‘Fight in the Name of Allah and in
the
cause of Allah. Fight those how disbelieve in Allah. Fight but do
not
be treacherous, do not steal from the spoils of war, do not
mutilate
and do not kill children. When you meet your enemy from
among the
polytheists, call them to one of three things. Whichever of
them they
respond to, accept it from them and refrain from fighting
them. Invite
them to accept Islam, and if they respond then accept it
from them and
refrain from fighting them. Then invite them to leave
their land and
move to the land of the polytheists. Tell them that if
they do that,
then they will have the same rights and duties as the
polytheists. If
they refuse, then tell them that they will be like
the Muslim Bedouins
(who live in the desert), subject to the same
rulings of Allah as the
believers. But they will have no share of
Fay’* or war spoils, unless
they fight alongside the Muslims. If
they refuse to enter Islam, then
ask them to pay the Poll-tax. If
they do that, then accept it from
them and refrain from fighting
them. But if they refuse, then seek the
help of Allah against them
and fight them. If you lay siege to them
and they want you to give
them the protection of Allah and your
Prophet, do not give them the
protection of Allah and your Prophet,
rather give them your
protection and the protection of your father and
your Companions, for
if you violate your protection and the protection
of your fathers,
that is easier than violating the protection of Allah
and the
protection of His Messenger. If you lay siege to them and they
want
you to let them come out with a promise of the judgement of Allah
and
His Messenger (ﷺ), do not offer them a promise of the judgement
of
Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), rather offer them your judgement,
because you do not know if you will actually pass (the same as)
Allah’s judgement regarding them or not.’”
Another chain reports a similar hadith.
Regarding the Verse: "And say not to anyone who offers you peace (by accepting Islam), You are not
a believer." There was a man amidst his sheep. The Muslims pursued him, and he said (to them)
"Peace be on you." But they killed him and took over his sheep. Thereupon Allah revealed in that
concern, the above Verse up to:-- "...seeking the perishable good of this life." (4.94) i.e. those sheep.
The Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessing be upon him) observed: You shall not enter Paradise so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things which are the articles of faith) and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another. Should I not direct you to a thing which, if you do, will foster love amongst you: (i. e.) give currency to (the practice of paying salutation to one another by saying) as-salamu alaikum.
Related Topics
Related Ayahs
يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتِىَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَنِّى فَضَّلْتُكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ
O Children of Israel, remember My favor that I have bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds.
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُۥ لَكُنتُم مِّنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
Then you turned away after that. And if not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have been among the losers.
أَوَلَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ
But do they not know that Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare?
لِّلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَإِن تُبْدُوا۟ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ
To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether you show what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.
هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ حَٰجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Here you are - those who have argued about that of which you have [some] knowledge, but why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows, while you know not.
لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًۭا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ
Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.
Common Words
105 total80 unique15 repeated
من6x
ٱلله4x
على3x
ما3x
فى3x
به3x
عليكم2x
يعلم2x
وما2x
وإن2x
يشاء2x
وٱلله2x
فيما2x
لكم2x
علم2x
يبنى1x
إسرءيل1x
ٱذكروا1x
نعمتى1x
ٱلتى1x