أَلَمْ Did not alam you see tara [towards] ilā the chiefs l-mala-i of min (the) Children banī (of) Israel is'rāīla from min after baʿdi Musa mūsā when idh they said qālū to a Prophet linabiyyin of theirs lahumu Appoint ib'ʿath for us lanā a king malikan we may fight nuqātil in fī (the) way sabīli (of) Allah l-lahi He said qāla Would hal you perhaps ʿasaytum if in prescribed kutiba upon you ʿalaykumu [the] fighting l-qitālu that not allā you fight tuqātilū They said qālū And what wamā for us lanā that not allā we fight nuqātila in fī (the) way sabīli (of) Allah l-lahi while surely waqad we have been driven ukh'rij'nā from min our homes diyārinā and our children wa-abnāinā Yet, when falammā was prescribed kutiba upon them ʿalayhimu the fighting l-qitālu they turned away tawallaw except illā a few qalīlan among them min'hum And Allah wal-lahu (is) All-Knowing ʿalīmun of the wrongdoers bil-ẓālimīna
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.