Surah Nisa ayat 71 Tafsir Quran 4:71

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا خُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ فَانفِرُوا ثُبَاتٍ أَوِ انفِرُوا جَمِيعًا﴾
[ النساء: 71]

4:71 O you who have believed, take your precaution and [either] go forth in companies or go forth all together.

O you who believe take your precautions against your enemy that is be wary of him and be vigilant against him; then move forward prepare to fight him in companies in separate groups one raiding party followed by the next; or move forward all together in one assembly.

O you who have conformed to Islam: Take all precautions to provide against a surprise party and advance in single battalions or advance in regiment

The Necessity of Taking Necessary Precautions Against the Enemy Allah commands His faithful servants to take precautions against their enemies, by being prepared with the necessary weapons and supplies, and increasing the number of troops fighting in His cause. ثُبَاتٍ ( in parties ) means, group after group, party after party, and expedition after expedition.
`Ali bin Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that, فَانفِرُواْ ثُبَاتٍ ( and either go forth in parties ) means, "In groups, expedition after expedition, أَوِ انْفِرُواْ جَمِيعاً ( or go forth all together ), means, all of you." Similar was reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurrasani, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Khusayf Al-Jazari. Refraining from Joining Jihad is a Sign of Hypocrites Allah said, وَإِنَّ مِنْكُمْ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ ( There is certainly among you he who would linger behind. ) Mujahid and others said that this Ayah was revealed about the hypocrites.
Muqatil bin Hayyan said that, لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ ( linger behind ) means, stays behind and does not join Jihad.
It is also possible that this person himself lingers behind, while luring others away from joining Jihad.
For instance, `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, may Allah curse him, used to linger behind and lure other people to do the same and refrain from joining Jihad, as Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Jarir stated.
This is why Allah said about the hypocrite, that when he lingers behind from Jihad, then: فَإِنْ أَصَـبَتْكُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ ( If a misfortune befalls you ) death, martyrdom, or - by Allah's wisdom - being defeated by the enemy, قَالَ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِذْ لَمْ أَكُنْ مَّعَهُمْ شَهِيداً ( he says, "Indeed Allah has favored me that I was not present among them." ) meaning, since I did not join them in battle.
Because he considers this one of Allah's favors on him, unaware of the reward that he might have gained from enduring war or martyrdom, if he was killed. وَلَئِنْ أَصَـبَكُمْ فَضْلٌ مِنَ الله ( But if a bounty comes to you from Allah ) such as victory, triumph and booty, لَيَقُولَنَّ كَأَن لَّمْ تَكُنْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ مَوَدَّةٌ ( he would surely say - as if there had never been ties of affection between you and him, ) meaning, as if he was not a follower of your religion, يلَيتَنِى كُنتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَفُوزَ فَوْزاً عَظِيماً ( "Oh! I wish I had been with them; then I would have achieved a great success." ) by being assigned a share of the booty and taking possession of that share.
This is his ultimate aim and objective. The Encouragement to Participation in Jihad Allah then said, فَلْيُقَاتِلْ ( So fight ) the believer with an aversion ( to fighting ), فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يَشْرُونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالاٌّخِرَةِ ( those who trade the life of this world with the Hereafter ) referring to those sell their religion for the meager goods of the world, and they only do this because of their disbelief and lack of faith.
Allah then said; وَمَن يُقَـتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيُقْتَلْ أَو يَغْلِبْ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْراً عَظِيماً ( And whoever fights in the cause of Allah, and is killed or gets victory, We shall bestow on him a great reward. ) meaning, whoever fights in the cause of Allah, whether he was killed or triumphant, he will earn an immense compensation and a great reward with Allah.
The Two Sahihs recorded,
«وَتَكَفَّلَ اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِهِ، إِنْ تَوَفَّاهُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، أَوْ يَرْجِعَهُ إِلى مَسْكَنِهِ الَّذِي خَرَجَ مِنْهُ، بِمَا نَالَ مِنْ أَجْرٍ أَوْ غَنِيمَة»
( Allah has guaranteed the Mujahid in His cause that He will either bring death to him, admitting into Paradise; or, He will help him return safely to his home with whatever reward and booty he gained. )

(4:71) Believers! Always be on your guard against encounters. *101 Then (as circumstance demands) either advance in detachments or advance in a body.

O you who have believed, take your meaning

*101).
This discourse was revealed after the Battle of Uhud, when the tribes living around Madina had been greatly encouraged by the defeat of the Muslims.
Thus dangers seemed to surround the Muslims on all sides.
Day in and day out news poured in about the hostile intentions of one tribe after another.
Reports came in of attacks mounted now in one area, and then in another.
The Muslims were again and again the victims of treachery.
Their preachers were invited to preach and then put to the sword.
Beyond Madina, neither their lives nor their property was secure.
Consequently the Muslims had to prepare themselves for a fierce struggle, for a tremendous, all-out effort to ensure that the Islamic movement would not be crushed.

 

The Necessity of Taking Necessary Precautions Against the Enemy Allah commands His faithful servants to take precautions against their enemies, by being prepared with the necessary weapons and supplies, and increasing the number of troops fighting in His cause. ثُبَاتٍ ( in parties ) means, group after group, party after party, and expedition after expedition.
`Ali bin Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that, فَانفِرُواْ ثُبَاتٍ ( and either go forth in parties ) means, "In groups, expedition after expedition, أَوِ انْفِرُواْ جَمِيعاً ( or go forth all together ), means, all of you." Similar was reported from Mujahid, `Ikrimah, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurrasani, Muqatil bin Hayyan and Khusayf Al-Jazari. Refraining from Joining Jihad is a Sign of Hypocrites Allah said, وَإِنَّ مِنْكُمْ لَمَن لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ ( There is certainly among you he who would linger behind. ) Mujahid and others said that this Ayah was revealed about the hypocrites.
Muqatil bin Hayyan said that, لَّيُبَطِّئَنَّ ( linger behind ) means, stays behind and does not join Jihad.
It is also possible that this person himself lingers behind, while luring others away from joining Jihad.
For instance, `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, may Allah curse him, used to linger behind and lure other people to do the same and refrain from joining Jihad, as Ibn Jurayj and Ibn Jarir stated.
This is why Allah said about the hypocrite, that when he lingers behind from Jihad, then: فَإِنْ أَصَـبَتْكُمْ مُّصِيبَةٌ ( If a misfortune befalls you ) death, martyrdom, or - by Allah's wisdom - being defeated by the enemy, قَالَ قَدْ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىَّ إِذْ لَمْ أَكُنْ مَّعَهُمْ شَهِيداً ( he says, "Indeed Allah has favored me that I was not present among them." ) meaning, since I did not join them in battle.
Because he considers this one of Allah's favors on him, unaware of the reward that he might have gained from enduring war or martyrdom, if he was killed. وَلَئِنْ أَصَـبَكُمْ فَضْلٌ مِنَ الله ( But if a bounty comes to you from Allah ) such as victory, triumph and booty, لَيَقُولَنَّ كَأَن لَّمْ تَكُنْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ مَوَدَّةٌ ( he would surely say - as if there had never been ties of affection between you and him, ) meaning, as if he was not a follower of your religion, يلَيتَنِى كُنتُ مَعَهُمْ فَأَفُوزَ فَوْزاً عَظِيماً ( "Oh! I wish I had been with them; then I would have achieved a great success." ) by being assigned a share of the booty and taking possession of that share.
This is his ultimate aim and objective. The Encouragement to Participation in Jihad Allah then said, فَلْيُقَاتِلْ ( So fight ) the believer with an aversion ( to fighting ), فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يَشْرُونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالاٌّخِرَةِ ( those who trade the life of this world with the Hereafter ) referring to those sell their religion for the meager goods of the world, and they only do this because of their disbelief and lack of faith.
Allah then said; وَمَن يُقَـتِلْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيُقْتَلْ أَو يَغْلِبْ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْراً عَظِيماً ( And whoever fights in the cause of Allah, and is killed or gets victory, We shall bestow on him a great reward. ) meaning, whoever fights in the cause of Allah, whether he was killed or triumphant, he will earn an immense compensation and a great reward with Allah.
The Two Sahihs recorded, «وَتَكَفَّلَ اللهُ لِلْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِهِ، إِنْ تَوَفَّاهُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ، أَوْ يَرْجِعَهُ إِلى مَسْكَنِهِ الَّذِي خَرَجَ مِنْهُ، بِمَا نَالَ مِنْ أَجْرٍ أَوْ غَنِيمَة» ( Allah has guaranteed the Mujahid in His cause that He will either bring death to him, admitting into Paradise; or, He will help him return safely to his home with whatever reward and booty he gained. )

Knowing that they went out to fight in the way of Allah, Allah said: ( O ye who believe ) in Muhammad and the Qur’an! ( Take your precautions ) against your enemy and do not advance dispersed, ( then advance the proven ones ) then put forward the ones that are the best, ( or advance all together ) with your Prophet.

O you who believe! Take your precautions, and either go forth (on an expedition) in parties, or go forth all together.

Page 89 English transliteration