Skip to content
Sūrah 2 · Verse 191

Al-Baqara 2:191

البقرة

وَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ ۚ وَٱلْفِتْنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلْقَتْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُقَـٰتِلُوهُمْ عِندَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ حَتَّىٰ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمْ فِيهِ ۖ فَإِن قَـٰتَلُوكُمْ فَٱقْتُلُوهُمْ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ

Meaning

And kill them wherever you find them[89], and drive them out from where they drove you out[90], for persecution[91] is far worse than killing. But do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there. However, if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

[89] i.e., the disbelievers who raised arms against you. [90] i.e., the land of Makkah from which the Muslims were expelled. [91] Among the meanings of "fitnah" are: disbelief and its imposition on others, dissension, trial, and torment.

Meaning: English Translation - Rowwad Translation Center. Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website. Version 1.0.19, 2026-03-12. QuranEnc.com

Meaning

And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah[69] is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

[69] Among the meanings of fitnah are disbelief and its imposition on others, discord, dissension, civil strife, persecution, oppression, injustice, seduction, terrorism, trial and torment.

Meaning: English Translation - Noor International Center. Issued by Noor International Center. Version 1.1.2, 2025-06-24. QuranEnc.com

Meaning

191. And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah [41] is worse than killing. And fight not with them at Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (the sanctuary at Makkah),[42] unless they (first) fight you there. But if they attack you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.

[41] (V.2:191) Al-Fitnah: polytheism, to disbelieve after one has believed in Allâh, or a trial or a calamity or an affliction.
[42] (V.2:191) Narrated Abu-Bakrah رضي الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم delivered to us a Khutbah (religious talk) on the day of Nahr (10th of Dhul Hijjah ). He said, "Do you know what is the day today?" We said, "Allâh and His Messenger know better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give that day another name. He said, "Isn’t it the day of Nahr ?" We said, "It is." He further asked, "Which month is this?" We said, "Allâh and His Messenger know better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give it another name. He then said, "Isn’t it the month of Dhul-Hijjah ?" We replied: "Yes, it is." He further asked, "What town is this?" We replied, "Allâh and His Messenger know it better." He remained silent till we thought that he might give it another name. He then said, "Isn’t it the forbidden (sacred) town (of Makkah)?" We said, "Yes, it is." He said, "No doubt, your blood and your properties are sacred to one another like the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours, in this town of yours, till the day you meet your Lord. No doubt! Haven’t I conveyed Allâh’s Message to you? We said, "Yes." He said, "O Allâh! Be witness. So it is in incumbent upon those who are present to convey it (this information) to those who are absent because the informed one might comprehend it (what I have said) better than the present audience, who will convey it to him. Beware! Do not renegade (as) disbelievers after me by striking the necks (cutting the throats) of one another." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.2, Hadîth No.797).

Meaning: English Translation - Hilali and Khan. Translated by Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan. Version 1.1.2, 2025-09-04. QuranEnc.com

Meaning

And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers.

Meaning: English Translation - Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall. The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), as distributed by the Tanzil Project (last update 4 September 2010). Version 2010-09-04, 2010-09-04. Tanzil

Al-Baqara

The Arabic is Tanzil’s text, unchanged. The meanings are their publishers’ editions, unchanged; Sabīl’s own reviewers have not yet examined them. Arabic: Tanzil Uthmani text, version 1.1. Source: tanzil.net