Skip to main content

وَلَوْ اَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ اَنِ اقْتُلُوْٓا اَنْفُسَكُمْ اَوِ اخْرُجُوْا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ مَّا فَعَلُوْهُ اِلَّا قَلِيْلٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۗوَلَوْ اَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوْا مَا يُوْعَظُوْنَ بِهٖ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَاَشَدَّ تَثْبِيْتًاۙ  ( النساء: ٦٦ )

walaw
وَلَوْ
And if
annā
أَنَّا
[that] We
katabnā
كَتَبْنَا
(had) decreed
ʿalayhim
عَلَيْهِمْ
on them
ani
أَنِ
that
uq'tulū
ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟
"Kill
anfusakum
أَنفُسَكُمْ
yourselves"
awi
أَوِ
or
ukh'rujū
ٱخْرُجُوا۟
"Go forth
min
مِن
from
diyārikum
دِيَٰرِكُم
your homes"
مَّا
not
faʿalūhu
فَعَلُوهُ
they would have done it
illā
إِلَّا
except
qalīlun
قَلِيلٌ
a few
min'hum
مِّنْهُمْۖ
of them
walaw
وَلَوْ
But if
annahum
أَنَّهُمْ
[that] they
faʿalū
فَعَلُوا۟
had done
مَا
what
yūʿaẓūna
يُوعَظُونَ
they were advised
bihi
بِهِۦ
with [it]
lakāna
لَكَانَ
surely (it) would have been
khayran
خَيْرًا
better
lahum
لَّهُمْ
for them
wa-ashadda
وَأَشَدَّ
and stronger
tathbītan
تَثْبِيتًا
strengthen(ing)

Wa law annaa katabnaa 'alaihim aniq tulooo anfusakum awikh rujoo min diyaarikum maa fa'aloohu illaa qaleelum minhum wa law annahum fa'aloo maa yoo'azoona bihee lakaana khairal lahum wa ashadda tasbeetaa (an-Nisāʾ 4:66)

Sahih International:

And if We had decreed upon them, "Kill yourselves" or "Leave your homes," they would not have done it, except for a few of them. But if they had done what they were instructed, it would have been better for them and a firmer position [for them in faith]. (An-Nisa [4] : 66)

1 Mufti Taqi Usmani

If We had prescribed for them that they should kill themselves or that they should migrate from their homeland, they would have not done it, except a few of them. If they had done what they were advised to do, it would have been better for them, and more effective in making (them) firm.