Surah An-Nisa (النساء) • The Women

Quran 4:66

4:66

وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ أَوِ ٱخْرُجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِكُم مَّا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ مِّنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا۟ مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِۦ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا

walaw annā katabnā ʿalayhim ani uq'tulū anfusakum awi ukh'rujū min diyārikum mā faʿalūhu illā qalīlun min'hum walaw annahum faʿalū mā yūʿaẓūna bihi lakāna khayran lahum wa-ashadda tathbītan

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].

— Saheeh International

if We had ordered, ‘Lay down your lives’ or ‘Leave your homes,’ they would not have done so, except for a few- it would have been far better for them and stronger confirmation of their faith, if they had done as they were told,

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

And if We had ordered them (saying), "Kill yourselves (i.e. the innocent ones kill the guilty ones) or leave your homes," very few of them would have done it; but if they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them, and would have strengthened their (Faith);

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 5Page 89medinan

Word by Word

وَلَوْwalawAnd if
أَنَّاannā[that] We
كَتَبْنَاkatabnā(had) decreed
عَلَيْهِمْʿalayhimon them
أَنِanithat
ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟uq'tulūKill
أَنفُسَكُمْanfusakumyourselves
أَوِawior
ٱخْرُجُوا۟ukh'rujūGo forth
مِنminfrom
دِيَـٰرِكُمdiyārikumyour homes
مَّاmānot
فَعَلُوهُfaʿalūhuthey would have done it
إِلَّاillāexcept
قَلِيلٌۭqalīluna few
مِّنْهُمْۖmin'humof them
وَلَوْwalawBut if
أَنَّهُمْannahum[that] they
فَعَلُوا۟faʿalūhad done
مَاmāwhat
يُوعَظُونَyūʿaẓūnathey were advised
بِهِۦbihiwith [it]
لَكَانَlakānasurely (it) would have been
خَيْرًۭاkhayranbetter
لَّهُمْlahumfor them
وَأَشَدَّwa-ashaddaand stronger
تَثْبِيتًۭاtathbītanstrengthen(ing)