ٱلنِّسَاء : ٩٤

  • يَٰٓأَيُّهَا O you
  • ٱلَّذِينَ who
  • ءَامَنُوٓاْ believe[d]
  • إِذَا When
  • ضَرَبۡتُمۡ you go forth
  • فِي in
  • سَبِيلِ (the) way
  • ٱللَّهِ (of) Allah
  • فَتَبَيَّنُواْ then investigate
  • وَلَا and (do) not
  • تَقُولُواْ say
  • لِمَنۡ to (the one) who
  • أَلۡقَىٰٓ offers
  • إِلَيۡكُمُ to you
  • ٱلسَّلَٰمَ (a greeting of) peace
  • لَسۡتَ You are not
  • مُؤۡمِنٗا a believer
  • تَبۡتَغُونَ seeking
  • عَرَضَ transitory gains
  • ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ (of) the life
  • ٱلدُّنۡيَا (of) the world
  • فَعِندَ for with
  • ٱللَّهِ Allah
  • مَغَانِمُ (are) booties
  • كَثِيرَةٞۚ abundant
  • كَذَٰلِكَ Like that
  • كُنتُم you were
  • مِّن from
  • قَبۡلُ before
  • فَمَنَّ then conferred favor
  • ٱللَّهُ Allah
  • عَلَيۡكُمۡ upon you
  • فَتَبَيَّنُوٓاْۚ so investigate
  • إِنَّ Indeed
  • ٱللَّهَ Allah
  • كَانَ is
  • بِمَا of what
  • تَعۡمَلُونَ you do
  • خَبِيرٗا All-Aware
O you who have believed, when you go forth [to fight] in the cause of Allāh, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace, "You are not a believer,"1 aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allāh are many acquisitions. You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allāh conferred His favor [i.e., guidance] upon you, so investigate. Indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.
Footnotes
1 - Do not assume that he pretends Islām merely in order to save himself, for he may be sincere in faith.
The following was revealed when a group from among the Companions passed by a man from the Banoo Sulaym driving his flock of sheep, and he offered them a greeting of peace. But they said, 'He only greeted us dissimulating, out of fear'. So they killed him and took away his flock: O you who believe, when you are going forth, travelling in order to struggle, in the way of God, be discriminating (fa-tabayyanoo; a variant reading has fa-tathabbatoo, 'ascertain', here and further below); and do not say to him who offers you peace (read al-salaam or al-salam), that is, the greeting, or [offers you] submission, declaring the profession of faith (shahaada), which is an indication of being a Muslim: 'You are not a believer: you are only saying this to dissimulate for fear of your life and property', so that you then end up killing him, desiring, seeking by this, the transient goods of the life of this world, that is, its enjoyment, in the way of spoils. With God are plenteous spoils, rendering you free of the need to kill such a person for his property. So you were formerly, when your lives and property were protected simply upon your professing the faith; but God has been gracious to you, making you known for your faith and uprightness. So be discriminating, lest you kill a believer and treat those entering the religion as you were treated [formerly]. Surely God is ever Aware of what you do, and will requite you for it.