The Meaning of the Saying of Allah the Exalted: "Thus does Allah strike examples for the people... until war lays down its burdens."
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Then He said: [Muhammad 47:4] meaning in the battlefield strike the necks. "Strike" here is a verbal noun meaning command, i.e., strike their necks in killing, and you humiliated them by killing and weakened them by killing. So then, bind the bonds. What does "bind the bonds" mean? It means bind them in captivity. Do not take them captive before you have dealt them a crushing blow by killing. Deal them a crushing blow by killing until they have no standing, and then take them captive. And when you have taken them captive [Muhammad 47:4] until when? [Muhammad 47:4] Either you show them favor later or you take a ransom. What does this phrase imply here, brother?
The student: Command.
The Shaykh : No,[Muhammad 47:4] what does it imply?
The student: Choice.
The Shaykh : Choice, perfect.[Muhammad 47:4] It means either you show them favor and release them
So when you meet those who disbelieve
فإذا لقيتم الذين كفرواstrike the necks
فضرب الرقابuntil you have dealt them a crushing blow
حتى إذا أثخنتموهمeither [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them]
فإما مناً بعد وإما فداءًuntil the war lays down its burdens
حتى تضع الحرب أوزارهاThe student: Command.
The Shaykh : No,
either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them]
إما منا بعد وإما فداءThe student: Choice.
The Shaykh : Choice, perfect.