An-Nisaa (The Women)

Verse 74

Table of Contents

    74. " So let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter , and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a great reward."

    Believers must be prepared for Holy Struggle. In this verse, as well as in a few following verses, the true Muslim believers have logically and excitingly been invited to struggle in the way of Allah.

    At first, it implies that only those fight in the way of Allah who are ready to sell the life of this material world for the eternal life in the Hereafter. That is, only those persons can be counted among the true strivers that are ready for such a bargain. It says:

    "So let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter ..."

    Then, at the end of the verse, it remarks that the fate of such strivers is quite clear. They either become martyr, or they defeat the enemy for the sake of Allah and gain the victory. In both cases, they will be given a great reward by Allah. The verse says:

    "... and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a great reward."

    It is certain that such soldiers, with such a spiritual state, have no failure in their minds, because in both cases they know themselves victorious. Even the non-Muslim scholars, who have discussed about the quick triumphs of Muslims at the time of the Prophet (S), and their victories after that, have considered this doctrine as one of the effective factors in the progression of Muslims.