So when you encounter in battle those who disbelieve then attack them with a striking of the necks fa-darba’l-riqābi is a verbal noun in place of the full verbal construction that is to say fa’dribū riqābahum ‘then strike their necks’ in other words slay them — reference is made to the ‘striking of the necks’ because the predominant cause of being slayed is to be struck in the neck. Then when you have made thoroughly decimated them bind spare them take them captive and bind firmly the bonds al-wathāq is what is used to bind yūthaqu a captive. Thereafter either set them free by grace mannan is a verbal noun in place of the full verbal construction that is to say either show them grace by setting them free unconditionally; or by ransom ransoming them with payment or with Muslim captives until the war that is to say its participants lay down its burdens its heavy loads of weaponry and other things so that either the disbelievers surrender or enter into a treaty. This last clause constitutes the ‘purpose’ of enjoining the Muslims to slaying and taking captive. So shall it be dhālika is the predicate of an implied subject such as al-amr ‘the ordinance’ in other words ‘the ordinance of God regarding them is as mentioned’. And had God willed He could have Himself taken vengeance on them without any fighting but He has commanded you to do it that He may test some of you by means of others from among them by way of battle so that the slain among you will end up in Paradise while those slain among them will end up in the Fire. And those who are slain qutilū a variant reading has qātalū ‘those who fight’ — this verse was revealed on the day of the battle of Uhud after the dead and the wounded had become numerous among the Muslims — in the way of God He will not let their works go to waste He will not render them void.
