Surah 4:75

"What is with you (that) you do you not fight in the way of God, and (on behalf of) the weak among the men, women, and children, who say, ‘Our Lord, bring us out of this town of the evildoers, and make for us an ally from Yourself, and make for us a helper from Yourself ’?"

Contradictions (1)Islamic Commentaries (1)Manuscripts (50)

Encouraging Jihad to Defend the Oppressed Verses 4:75-76

Show Full Scripture Context (4:75-76) — 2 Verses

Verse 75

وَمَا لَكُمۡ لَا تُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلۡوِلۡدَٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ أَخۡرِجۡنَا مِنۡ هَٰذِهِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلظَّالِمِ أَهۡلُهَا وَٱجۡعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيّٗا وَٱجۡعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا

What is with you (that) you do you not fight in the way of God, and (on behalf of) the weak among the men, women, and children, who say, ‘Our Lord, bring us out of this town of the evildoers, and make for us an ally from Yourself, and make for us a helper from Yourself ’?

Verse 76

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ فَقَٰتِلُوٓاْ أَوۡلِيَآءَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۖ إِنَّ كَيۡدَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا

Those who believe fight in the way of God, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of al-Ṭāghūt. So fight the allies of Satan! Surely the plot of Satan is weak.

Encouraging Jihad to Defend the Oppressed

Allah encouraged His believing servants to perform Jihad in His cause and to strive hard to save the oppressed Muslims in Makkah, men, women and children who were restless because of having to remain there. This is why Allah said,

Quoted Scripture

"whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town},"

referring to Makkah. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,

Quoted Scripture

"And many a town, stronger than your town which has driven you out"

Allah then describes this town,

Quoted Scripture

"whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help"

meaning, send protectors and helpers for us. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “I and my mother were from the oppressed (in Makkah).”
Allah then said,

Quoted Scripture

"Those who believe, fight in the cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of the Taghut."

Therefore, the believers fight in obedience to Allah and to gain His pleasure, while the disbelievers fight in obedience to Shaytan. Allah then encourages the believers to fight His enemies,

Quoted Scripture

"So fight against the friends of Shaytan; ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytan}."

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 2, Page 515-516)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.

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