Have you not considered the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs, “Appoint a king for us, and we will fight in the cause of Allah.” He said, “Is it possible that, if fighting was ordained for you, you would not fight?” They said, “Why would we not fight in the cause of Allah, when we were driven out of our homes, along with our children?” But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. But Allah is aware of the wrongdoers.
Al-Baqarah 2:246
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أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ هَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ أَلَّا تُقَاتِلُوا ۖ قَالُوا وَمَا لَنَا أَلَّا نُقَاتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَقَدْ أُخْرِجْنَا مِنْ دِيَارِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا ۖ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتَالُ تَوَلَّوْا إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالظَّالِمِينَ
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Have you not considered the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs, “Appoint a king for us, and we will fight in the cause of God.” He said, “Is it possible that, if fighting was ordained for you, you would not fight?” They said, “Why would we not fight in the cause of God, when we were driven out of our homes, along with our children?” But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. But God is aware of the wrongdoers.
Didn't you hear about the leaders of the Children of Israel after Moses? They said to their prophet, "Choose a king for us, so we can fight in Allah's way." He said, "What if fighting is commanded for you, but then you don't fight?" They said, "Why wouldn't we fight in Allah's way, when we've been forced out of our homes and separated from our children?" But when fighting was commanded for them, most of them turned away, except for a few. Allah knows the wrongdoers.
Haven't you heard about the leaders of the Israelites after Moses? They said to their prophet, "Choose a king for us, and we'll fight in Allah's way." He replied, "What if fighting is commanded for you, but then you refuse to fight?" They answered, "Why wouldn't we fight in Allah's way, when we've been driven out of our homes and separated from our children?" But when fighting was commanded for them, most of them turned away. Allah knows well those who do wrong.
Have you not seen the chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses, when they said to a prophet of theirs, “Appoint a king for us so we may fight in God’s cause”? He said, “Is it possible that, if fighting is prescribed for you, you will not fight?” They said, “Why would we not fight in God’s cause when we have been driven from our homes and our children?” Yet when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away — all but a few of them. God is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Have you not considered the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs, “Appoint a king for us, and we will fight in Allah’s way.” He said, “Is it possible that, if fighting was ordained for you, you would not fight?” They said, “And why would we not fight in Allah’s way, when we were expelled from our homes, along with our children?” But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. But Allah knows the wrongdoers.
Have you not considered the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? When they said to a prophet of theirs, “Appoint a king for us, and we will fight in God’s way.” He said, “Is it possible that, if fighting was ordained for you, you would not fight?” They said, “And why would we not fight in God’s way, when we were expelled from our homes, along with our children?” But when fighting was ordained for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. But God knows the wrongdoers.
Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after [the time of] Moses when they said to a prophet of theirs, "Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of Allāh"? He said, "Would you perhaps refrain from fighting if battle was prescribed for you?" They said, "And why should we not fight in the cause of Allāh when we have been driven out from our homes and from our children?" But when battle was prescribed for them, they turned away, except for a few of them. And Allāh is Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Have you not thought about the group of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Mûsâ (Moses)? When they said to a Prophet of theirs, "Appoint for us a king and we will fight in Allâh’s Way." He said, "Would you then refrain from fighting, if fighting was prescribed for you?" They said, "Why should we not fight in Allâh’s Way while we have been driven out of our homes and our children (families have been taken as captives)?" But when fighting was ordered for them, they turned away, all except a few of them. And Allâh is All-Aware of the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers).
Have you not seen the chiefs of the Children of Israel after Moses when they said to their prophet: “Appoint for us a king so that we fight in the way of Allah.” He said: “How likely is it that if fighting were enjoined upon you, you would not fight?” They said: “How could we not fight in the way of Allah, while we have been driven out of our homes and separated from our children?” However, when fighting was enjoined upon them, they turned away, except a few of them. And Allah is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.
Hast thou not Turned thy vision to the Chiefs of the Children of Israel after (the time of) Moses? they said to a prophet (That was) among them: "Appoint for us a king, that we May fight in the cause of Allah." He said: "Is it not possible, if ye were commanded to fight, that that ye will not fight?" They said: "How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah, seeing that we were turned out of our homes and our families?" but when they were commanded to fight, they turned back, except a small band among them. But Allah Has full knowledge of those who do wrong.
Bethink thee of the leaders of the Children of Israel after Moses, how they said unto a prophet whom they had: Set up for us a king and we will fight in Allah's way. He said: Would ye then refrain from fighting if fighting were prescribed for you? They said: Why should we not fight in Allah's way when we have been driven from our dwellings with our children? Yet, when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned away, all save a few of them. Allah is aware of evil-doers.
Have you not heard of what the chiefs of the Children of Israel demanded of one of their prophets after Moses? They said, "Appoint for us a king, and we will fight for the cause of God." He replied, "What if you refuse to fight, when ordered to do so?" "Why should we not fight for the cause of God," they replied, "when we have been driven forth from our homes and our children?" But when at last they were commanded to fight, they all refused, except a few of them. God knows the wrongdoers.
Have you also reflected upon the matter concerning the chiefs of the Israelites after (the death of) Moses? They said to their Prophet, "Appoint a king for us so that we may fight in the way of Allah." The Prophet asked them, "Might it be that you will not fight, if fighting is prescribed for you?" They replied, "How can it be that we would refuse to fight in the way of Allah when we have been turned out of our homes and separated from our children?" But (in spite of this assurance) when they were enjoined to fight, they all, except a few of them, turned their backs. And Allah knows each and everyone of these transgressors.
Have you not regarded the elite of the Israelites after Moses, when they said to their prophet, ‘Appoint for us a king that we may fight in the way of Allah.’ He said, ‘May it not be that you will not fight if fighting were prescribed for you?’ They said, ‘Why should we not fight in the way of Allah, when we have been expelled from our homes and [separated from] our children?’ So when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned back except a few of them, and Allah knows well the wrongdoers.
Alam tara ila almalai min banee israeela min baAAdi moosa ith qaloo linabiyyin lahumu ibAAath lana malikan nuqatil fee sabeeli Allahi qala hal AAasaytum in kutiba AAalaykumu alqitalu alla tuqatiloo qaloo wama lana alla nuqatila fee sabeeli Allahi waqad okhrijna min diyarina waabnaina falamma kutiba AAalayhimu alqitalu tawallaw illa qaleelan minhum waAllahu AAaleemun bialththalimeena