Kill Themโ€ฆ Fitna (Disbelief) Is Worse Than Killingโ€™? โ€“ Quran (2:191โ€“194)

๐Š๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ฆโ€ฆ ๐…๐ข๐ญ๐ง๐š (๐ƒ๐ข๐ฌ๐›๐ž๐ฅ๐ข๐ž๐Ÿ) ๐ˆ๐ฌ ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ๐ž ๐“๐ก๐š๐ง ๐Š๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ โ€™? โ€“ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐š๐ง (๐Ÿ:๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿโ€“๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ’)



Mohamad Mostafa Nassar

Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR

๐๐š๐œ๐ค๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐

These verses were revealed at the treaty of Hudaybiyah, or just after it (Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi, Tafsir Jalalayn, and Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

๐€๐ง๐š๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐•๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ

As noted from our previous article, we showed from Muslim and non-Muslim scholars that the verse was revealed at a time when the Muslims were being persecuted by the Quraish. The scholars pointed out that the Arabic word โ€˜fitnaโ€™ used for the verse means, โ€˜persecutionโ€™, and โ€˜oppressionโ€™ i.e., that the verse showed Muslims who were being persecuted for their beliefs, that they were allowed to fight back against the oppressors. To end the persecution and let man be free to practice their religion without interference from anyone.

๐‹๐ž๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐Ÿ:๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ŸŽ โ€“ ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ“ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ž๐ญ ๐š ๐›๐ž๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐  ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ๐ž๐ฌ:

Fight in the way of God those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors. 2:190
And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. 2:191

And if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 2:192

Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors. 2:193

[Fighting in] the sacred month is for [aggression committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who fear Him. 2:194

And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good. 2:195

1. 2:190 โ€“ This verse tells us to โ€œfight those who fight youโ€ i.e., self-defence, but at the same time commands Muslims not to transgress, 1400 years ago (Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas and Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi).

2. The next verse (2:191) tells us that the killing involved in the incident was only aimed at those who tried (or did) expelling people by force (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, and Tafsir Ibn Kathir).

2.1 The next sentence in the verse is the favorite part which some critics twist. It goes like this, โ€œand fitnah is worse than killingโ€, translated by them as โ€œdisbelief (fitna) is worse than killingโ€.

Their made up interpretation for this verse is that it sanctions killing of non-Muslims, just for following and believing in another religion. This is not true. In fact, the next sentence in the same verse (2:191) under discussion tells Muslims the following:

โ€œโ€ฆAnd do not fight them at al-Masjid al- Haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill themโ€ฆโ€ โ€“ Quran 2:191

The intended meaning for the passage on โ€˜fitnaโ€™ is understood by classical scholars to mean, to hinder and forcefully make Muslims disbelieve in the message of Islam is worse than killing (Mujahid Ibn Jabr (645-722 AD), Tafsir In Kathir and Tafsir Jalalayn). The verse intended meaning was aimed at those early Muslims who were persecuted and killed, just for believing in Islam. The Quraysh forcefully made Muslims leave the religion of Islam, under persecution.

If the verse as some claim sanctions the killing of non-Muslims, on account of their faith, the same verse wouldnโ€™t say to the Muslims not to start fighting until they fight first. Hence, just reading the verse shows that it was a war of self-defense.

The verse commanded faithful believers then to fight, to end persecution (fitna) as the following Muslim and non-Muslim Quran translations state for 2:191.

๐๐จ๐ง-๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ ๐“๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง:

Arthur John Arberry And slay them wherever you come upon them, and expel them from where they expelled you; persecution is more grievous than slaying. But fight them not by the Holy Mosque until they should fight you there; then, if they fight you, slay them โ€” such is the recompense of unbelievers. Quran 2:191

๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ ๐“๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ:

Muhammad Asad And slay them wherever you may come upon them, and drive them away from wherever they drove you away โ€“ for oppression is even worse than killingโ€ฆ

M. M. Pickthall 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. โ€ฆ

Shakir And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughterโ€ฆ

Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985) And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughterโ€ฆ

Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938) And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughterโ€ฆ

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar And kill them wherever you came upon them, and drive them out from wherever they drove you out. And persecution is more grave than killingโ€ฆ

Wahiduddin Khan Slay them wherever you find them [those who fight against you];[2] drive them out of the places from which they drove you, for [religious] persecution is worse than killingโ€ฆ

[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition) And kill them wherever you find them, and expel them from where they expelled you, and know that persecution is worse than being killedโ€ฆ

Abdel Haleem Kill them wherever you encounter them, and drive them out from where they drove you out, for persecution is more serious than killingโ€ฆ

Ahmed Ali And fight those (who fight you) wheresoever you find them, and expel them from the place they had turned you out from. Oppression is worse than killingโ€ฆ

Hamid S. Aziz Kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drive you out; for persecution (oppression or sedition) is worse than slaughterโ€ฆ

Shabbir Ahmed (But if they keep on fighting), subdue them wherever you find them. And drive them out from where they have driven you out. For, oppression, cruelty and persecution are even more severely destructive than the killingโ€ฆ

Syed Vickar Ahamed And slay them (who fight against Allahโ€™s cause) wherever you catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; For persecution and injustice are worse than killingโ€ฆ

Dr. Munir Munshey Kill them wherever you find them. Expel them from where they drove you away. Persecution and oppression are worse than killingโ€ฆ

Dr. Kamal Omar And kill them wherever you overpower them and extern them from where they have externed you. And tumult and oppression (are) worse than slaughterโ€ฆ

Talal A. Itani (new translation) And kill them wherever you overtake them, and expel them from where they had expelled you. Oppression is more serious than murder.

Bilal Muhammad (2013 Edition) And slay them wherever you catch them. And drive them out from where they have driven you out, for oppression is worse than slaughterโ€ฆ

Maududi Fight against them wherever they confront you in combat and drive them out from where they drove you out. Though killing is bad, persecution is worse than killingโ€ฆ

[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition) And kill them wherever you encounter them, and expel them from where they expelled you, and know that persecution is worse than being killedโ€ฆ

Bijan Moeinian Face your enemies anywhere they challenge you and take back your lost lands/ homes from them. [Although killing, which is inevitable in fight is bad,] persecution is worth than killingโ€ฆ

Maulana Muhammad Ali And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out of where they drove you out, and persecution is worse than slaughterโ€ฆ

Sher Ali And slay these transgressors wherever you meet them and drive them out from where they have driven you out; for persecution is worst than slayingโ€ฆ

Rashad Khalifa You may kill those who wage war against you, and you may evict them whence they evicted you. Oppression is worse than murderโ€ฆ

Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli And slay them wherever you find them, and drive them away from where they drove you away. And persecution is more grievous than slaughterโ€ฆ

Mir Aneesuddin And kill them wherever you find them and drive them out from the place from where they drove you out, for persecution is severer than slaughterโ€ฆ

Mohammad Shafi And kill them wherever you find them, amd turn them out from where they turned you out. For, persecution is worse than killingโ€ฆ

The reason why the verse (2:191) emphasizes that oppression (persecution) is worse than killing, is when one dies, one does not feel any more pain. Whereas when a human-being is persecuted, and oppressed, the physical pain and mental trauma the victim receives from the oppressor is continuous. That is why persecution and oppression is worse. Hence, the verse highlights people that lived 1400 years to fight persecution.

3. The next verses give us more evidence that the verses were revealed to make the Quraish cease hostilities, and stop persecuting Muslims:

โ€œAnd if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.โ€ โ€“ Quran 2:192

โ€œFight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors.โ€ Quran โ€“ 2:193

Notice, the verse says if they โ€œceaseโ€, then God is Forgiving and Merciful. Meaning that if they stop fighting and persecuting the Muslims for their beliefs, God would forgive their past acts against the believers.

Moreover, look the word โ€œfitnaโ€™ (persecution) is used again in this verse. From the same sentence in 2:193, the verse tells us that if the oppressors cease from aggression then they should be left alone. But if they continue with their ways in persecuting and killing Muslims, then they were allowed to fight back. This shows that these verses were revealed as a result of the Muslims at the time only wanting to live freely to practice their religion.

3.1 A point is made by some, what does the following sentence mean in โ€œuntil worship is for Godโ€?

โ€œโ€ฆuntil there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allahโ€ฆ 2:193โ€

When we read the part before โ€œworshipโ€ is mentioned we get clear picture what verse means. Here we are told that the aim for the Muslims 1400 years ago was that there be no more persecution and that people be free โ€œacknowledge worship for Allahโ€ i.e., man is free to follow his religion without getting persecuted, and oppressed for their beliefs by tyrants.

Different Quran translations for for 2:193 that โ€œfitnaโ€ means persecution (oppression).

๐๐จ๐ง-๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ ๐“๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง:

Arthur John Arberry Fight them, till there is no persecution and the religion is Godโ€™s; then if they give over, there shall be no enmity save for evildoers.

๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ ๐“๐ซ๐š๐ง๐ฌ๐ฅ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ:

Muhammad Asad Hence, fight against them until there is no more oppressionโ€ฆ

M. M. Pickthall And fight them until persecution is no moreโ€ฆ

Shakir And fight with them until there is no persecutionโ€ฆ

Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985) And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppressionโ€ฆ

Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938) And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppressionโ€ฆ

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar And fight them until there be no persecutionโ€ฆ

Wahiduddin Khan Fight them until there is no more fitna [religious persecution]โ€ฆ

[Al-Muntakhab] And fight them until persecution endsโ€ฆ

[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition) And fight them so there is no more persecutionโ€ฆ

Abdel Haleem Fight them until there is no more persecutionโ€ฆ

Hamid S. Aziz But fight them until there be no more oppression (persecution or sedition)โ€ฆ

Shabbir Ahmed And fight the aggressors until persecution is eliminated and there remains no compulsion or coercion in religionโ€ฆ

Syed Vickar Ahamed And keep fighting them until there is no more persecution and injusticeโ€ฆ

If they desist, let there be no hostility except against the oppressors.

Dr. Kamal Omar And fight them to kill until there is no more tumult and oppressionโ€ฆ

Talal A. Itani (new translation) And fight them until there is no oppressionโ€ฆ

Bilal Muhammad (2013 Edition) And fight against them until there is no more oppressionโ€ฆ

[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition) And fight them so there is no more persecutionโ€ฆ

Maulana Muhammad Ali And fight them until there is no persecutionโ€ฆ

Sher Ali And fight them until there is no persecutionโ€ฆ

Rashad Khalifa You may also fight them to eliminate oppressionโ€ฆ

Amatul Rahman Omar And fight them until persecution is no moreโ€ฆ

Ahmed Hulusi Fight them until the fitnah (the pressure to make you give up your faith) is lifted and you are able to practice the religion of Allah as you like. If they cease (pressuring and fighting), there is no hostility except against the wrongdoers.

Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli And fight with them until there is no (more) persecutionโ€ฆ

Mir Aneesuddin And fight with them till there is no persecutionโ€ฆ

Mohammad Shafi And fight with them until persecution exists no moreโ€ฆ

4. Letโ€™s read the last part of the verse (2:194):

โ€œ[Fighting in] the sacred month is for [aggression committed in] the sacred month, and for [all] violations is legal retribution. So whoever has assaulted you, then assault him in the same way that he has assaulted you. And fear Allah and know that Allah is with those who fear Him.โ€ Quran 2:194

We read that if a person โ€˜assaultsโ€™ you then you can assault the person back the same way perpetrator did (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Jalalayn, Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafsir Ibn โ€˜Abbas). Clear self-defense here!

๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ

Some of the earliest exegesis on the Quran state that the verses (2:190-194) where it mentions โ€˜fitnaโ€™, was in reference to the Muslims who were getting persecuted, so much so that they would abandon their faith.

๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฃ๐š๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ˆ๐›๐ง ๐‰๐š๐›๐ซ (๐Ÿ”๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ“-๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ๐Ÿ ๐€๐ƒ):

โ€œFitna is worse than killing
The fitna to which they are subjecting you, trying to make you return to disbelief, is worse than killing. Mujahid said it is referring to the believers, so the meaning is that being killed is better for a believer than being subjected to fitna. โ€ฆโ€ (Tafsir Al Qurtubi, Classical Commentary Of The Holy Qurโ€™an, [Dar al-Taqwa] volume 1, page 492)

๐“๐š๐Ÿ๐ฌ๐ข๐ซ ๐ˆ๐›๐ง ๐Š๐š๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ซ (๐Ÿ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ-๐Ÿ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ•๐Ÿ‘ ๐€๐ƒ):

โ€œConcerning the verse โ€œIf two groups of believers fall to fightingโ€ Q. 49.9) and โ€œfight against them until there is no โ€˜fitnahโ€™โ€ (Q.2:193), he answered: โ€œWe done all this in the time of Prophet. At that time, we came minority so that a Moslem was be faced by fitnah in his religion, either he would be killed or would be the victim of oppression. When the Moslem community grows as powerful adherents, killing oppression has gone.โ€

Based on this argument, we can conclude that โ€˜fitnahโ€™ should be defined as any oppression or forcing Moslem to do or not to do something against his rights as human being; all this being ratio legis or cause to proclaim fight against oppressor or those who want to kill them.โ€ (See Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1986), volume, page 227 โ€“ 229)

๐“๐š๐๐š๐›๐›๐ฎ๐ซ-๐ž-๐๐ฎ๐ซโ€™๐š๐ง (๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐Ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ซ ๐“๐ก๐ž ๐๐ฎ๐ซโ€™๐š๐ง) โ€“ ๐’๐œ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐š๐ซ ๐€๐ฆ๐ข๐ง ๐€๐กฬฃ๐ฌ๐š๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฌฬฃ๐ฅ๐š๐กฬฃ๐ข (๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ-๐Ÿ๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ•):

โ€œโ€™for persecution and oppression are worse than slaughterโ€™
The Word fitnah here means the use of force and violence to make a person change his religion, a phenomenon commonly known as persecution. The Qurโ€™an uses it in this sense at several places: โ€˜Those who persecute (fatanu) believing men and women, and then do not turn in repentance, will have Hellโ€™s sufferingโ€™ (al-Buruj, 85, 85:10); โ€˜but none believed in Moses except some children of his people,

because of the fear of Pharoah and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them (yaftina-hum)โ€™ (Yunus, 10:83); and โ€˜Then surely your sustainer, to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions (min baโ€™di ma futini)โ€ฆ (an0Nahl, 16:110).

This explains the justification for permitting the Muslims to fight against the polytheists if they attacked them, even within the precincts of the sacred Mosque or in the sacred months. This short sentence means that although waging war in the sacred Months and within the precincts of the Sacred Mosque is a serious offence, persecuting men and women merely on account of their belief in Allah is far greater offence than killing.

The Muslims are granted permission to fight back and retaliate against the disbelievers promptly and effectively.โ€ (Tadabbur-e-Qurโ€™an (Pondering Over The Qurโ€™an) Tafsir of Surah al-Fatihan and Surah al-Baqarah [Translation: Muhammad Saleem Kayani, 2006], By Amin Aแธฅsan Iแนฃlaแธฅi, volume 1, page 486 โ€“ 487)

๐๐ฎ๐ซโ€™๐š๐ง๐ข๐œ ๐Š๐ž๐ฒ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฌ: ๐€ ๐‘๐ž๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐†๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ž โ€“ ๐€๐›๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐‘๐š๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐’๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ข:

โ€œB. PERSECUTION
The word fitnah is also used for the persecution of believers. The persecution by Pharaoh of Bani Israโ€™il (Yunus 10:83), and of the believers by the Ashab al-Ukhdud (the makers of the pit fire) (al-Buruj 85:10), is termed fitnah. In this sense the Fitnah is regarded as worse than killing and warfar (al-Baqarah 2:191 and 217).โ€  (Qurโ€™anic Keywords: A Reference Guide By Abdur Rashid Siddiqui, page 61)

ADDENDUM:

The claim that the Quran ordered the early companions of Muhammed to fight against โ€œfitnaโ€, they assert here that they were ordered to fight non-Muslims merely because of they not believing in Islam. This claim has no foundation whatsoever when one looks at the earliest sources of Islam.

๐“๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐‡๐š๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฌ๐š๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐š ๐‚๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐š๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐ž๐ญ ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ก๐š๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ž๐ (๐ฉ) ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ž ๐œ๐ฅ๐š๐ซ๐ข๐Ÿ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ž๐š๐ง๐ญ ๐›๐ฒ โ€œ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ญ๐ง๐šโ€ (ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒ):

โ€œNarrated Sa`id bin Jubair:`Abdullah bin `Umar came to us and we hoped that he would narrate to us a good Hadith. But before we asked him, a man got up and said to him, โ€œO Abu `Abdur-Rahman! Narrate to us about the battles during the time of the afflictions, as Allah says:โ€“

โ€˜And fight them until there is no more afflictions (i.e. no more worshipping of others besides Allah).’โ€ (2.193) Ibn `Umar said (to the man), โ€œDo you know what is meant by afflictions? Let your mother bereave you! Muhammad used to fight against the pagans, FOR A MUSLIM WAS PUT TO TRIAL IN HIS RELIGION (THE PAGANS WILL EITHER KILL HIM OR CHAIN HIM AS A CAPTIVE). His fighting was not like your fighting which is carried on for the sake of ruling.
Arabic:


ุญูŽุฏูŽู‘ุซูŽู†ูŽุง ุฅูุณู’ุญูŽุงู‚ู ุงู„ู’ูˆูŽุงุณูุทููŠูู‘ุŒ ุญูŽุฏูŽู‘ุซูŽู†ูŽุง ุฎูŽุงู„ูุฏูŒุŒ ุนูŽู†ู’ ุจูŽูŠูŽุงู†ูุŒ ุนูŽู†ู’ ูˆูŽุจูŽุฑูŽุฉูŽ ุจู’ู†ู ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุญู’ู…ูŽู†ูุŒ ุนูŽู†ู’ ุณูŽุนููŠุฏู ุจู’ู†ู ุฌูุจูŽูŠู’ุฑูุŒ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ุฎูŽุฑูŽุฌูŽ ุนูŽู„ูŽูŠู’ู†ูŽุง ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุจู’ู†ู ุนูู…ูŽุฑูŽ ููŽุฑูŽุฌูŽูˆู’ู†ูŽุง ุฃูŽู†ู’ ูŠูุญูŽุฏูู‘ุซูŽู†ูŽุงุŒ ุญูŽุฏููŠุซู‹ุง ุญูŽุณูŽู†ู‹ุง ู€ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ู€ ููŽุจูŽุงุฏูŽุฑูŽู†ูŽุง ุฅูู„ูŽูŠู’ู‡ู ุฑูŽุฌูู„ูŒ ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ูŠูŽุง ุฃูŽุจูŽุง ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุญู’ู…ูŽู†ู ุญูŽุฏูู‘ุซู’ู†ูŽุง ุนูŽู†ู ุงู„ู’ู‚ูุชูŽุงู„ู ูููŠ ุงู„ู’ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉู ูˆูŽุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ูŠูŽู‚ููˆู„ู โ€{โ€ูˆูŽู‚ูŽุงุชูู„ููˆู‡ูู…ู’ ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ู„ุงูŽ ุชูŽูƒููˆู†ูŽ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒโ€}โ€ ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ู‡ูŽู„ู’ ุชูŽุฏู’ุฑููŠ ู…ูŽุง ุงู„ู’ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉู ุซูŽูƒูู„ูŽุชู’ูƒูŽ ุฃูู…ูู‘ูƒูŽุŒ ุฅูู†ูŽู‘ู…ูŽุง ูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ู…ูุญูŽู…ูŽู‘ุฏูŒ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุณู„ู… ูŠูู‚ูŽุงุชูู„ู ุงู„ู’ู…ูุดู’ุฑููƒููŠู†ูŽุŒ ูˆูŽูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุงู„ุฏูู‘ุฎููˆู„ู ูููŠ ุฏููŠู†ูู‡ูู…ู’ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉู‹ุŒ ูˆูŽู„ูŽูŠู’ุณูŽ ูƒูŽู‚ูุชูŽุงู„ููƒูู…ู’ ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู’ู…ูู„ู’ูƒูโ€.โ€ โ€œ (Sahih al-Bukhari volume 9, Book 88, Hadith 215 https://sunnah.com/bukhari/92/46)

That above hadith says fighting canโ€™t be โ€œfor leadershipโ€/supremacy. The fitna fighting was in relation to persecution and oppression. Here is a longer version:

โ€œNarrated Nafi: During the affliction of Ibn Az-Zubair, two men came to Ibn `Umar and said, โ€œThe people are lost, and you are the son of `Umar, and the companion of the Prophet, so what forbids you from coming out?โ€ He said, โ€œWhat forbids me is that Allah has prohibited the shedding of my brotherโ€™s blood.โ€ They both said, โ€œDidnโ€™t Allah say, โ€˜And fight then until there is no more affliction?โ€

He said โ€œWe fought until there was no more affliction and the worship is for Allah (Alone while you want to fight until there is affliction and until the worship become for other than Allah.โ€ โ€ฆ Wonโ€™t you listen to why Allah has mentioned in His Book:

โ€˜If two groups of believers fight each other, then make peace between them, but if one of then transgresses beyond bounds against the other, then you all fight against the one that transgresses. (49.9) and:โ€“โ€œAND FIGHT THEM TILL THERE IS NO MORE AFFLICTION (FITNA ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒ).โ€

Ibn `Umar said, โ€œWE DID IT, DURING THE LIFETIME OF ALLAHโ€™S MESSENGER WHEN ISLAM HAD ONLY A FEW FOLLOWERS. A MAN WOULD BE PUT TO TRIAL BECAUSE OF HIS RELIGION; HE WOULD EITHER BE KILLED OR TORTURED. BUT WHEN THE MUSLIMS INCREASED, THERE WAS NO MORE AFFLICTIONS OR OPPRESSIONS (FITNA). โ€ฆ
Arabic
ุญูŽุฏูŽู‘ุซูŽู†ูŽุง ู…ูุญูŽู…ูŽู‘ุฏู ุจู’ู†ู ุจูŽุดูŽู‘ุงุฑูุŒ ุญูŽุฏูŽู‘ุซูŽู†ูŽุง ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ู’ูˆูŽู‡ูŽู‘ุงุจูุŒ ุญูŽุฏูŽู‘ุซูŽู†ูŽุง ุนูุจูŽูŠู’ุฏู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูุŒ ุนูŽู†ู’ ู†ูŽุงููุนูุŒ ุนูŽู†ู ุงุจู’ู†ู ุนูู…ูŽุฑูŽ ู€ ุฑุถู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู†ู‡ู…ุง ู€ ุฃูŽุชูŽุงู‡ู ุฑูŽุฌูู„ุงูŽู†ู ูููŠ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉู ุงุจู’ู†ู ุงู„ุฒูู‘ุจูŽูŠู’ุฑู ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ุงูŽ ุฅูู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู†ูŽู‘ุงุณูŽ ู‚ูŽุฏู’ ุถููŠูู‘ุนููˆุงุŒ ูˆูŽุฃูŽู†ู’ุชูŽ ุงุจู’ู†ู ุนูู…ูŽุฑูŽ ูˆูŽุตูŽุงุญูุจู ุงู„ู†ูŽู‘ุจููŠูู‘ ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุณู„ู… ููŽู…ูŽุง ูŠูŽู…ู’ู†ูŽุนููƒูŽ ุฃูŽู†ู’ ุชูŽุฎู’ุฑูุฌูŽ ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ูŠูŽู…ู’ู†ูŽุนูู†ููŠ ุฃูŽู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูŽ ุญูŽุฑูŽู‘ู…ูŽ ุฏูŽู…ูŽ ุฃูŽุฎููŠโ€.โ€ ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ุงูŽ ุฃูŽู„ูŽู…ู’ ูŠูŽู‚ูู„ู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู โ€{โ€ูˆูŽู‚ูŽุงุชูู„ููˆู‡ูู…ู’ ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ู„ุงูŽ ุชูŽูƒููˆู†ูŽ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒ โ€}โ€ ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ู‚ูŽุงุชูŽู„ู’ู†ูŽุง ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ู„ูŽู…ู’ ุชูŽูƒูู†ู’ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒุŒ ูˆูŽูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุงู„ุฏูู‘ูŠู†ู ู„ูู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูุŒ ูˆูŽุฃูŽู†ู’ุชูู…ู’ ุชูุฑููŠุฏููˆู†ูŽ ุฃูŽู†ู’ ุชูู‚ูŽุงุชูู„ููˆุง ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ุชูŽูƒููˆู†ูŽ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒุŒ ูˆูŽูŠูŽูƒููˆู†ูŽ ุงู„ุฏูู‘ูŠู†ู ู„ูุบูŽูŠู’ุฑู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูโ€.โ€ ูˆูŽุฒูŽุงุฏูŽ ุนูุซู’ู…ูŽุงู†ู ุจู’ู†ู ุตูŽุงู„ูุญู ุนูŽู†ู ุงุจู’ู†ู ูˆูŽู‡ู’ุจูุŒ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ุฃูŽุฎู’ุจูŽุฑูŽู†ููŠ ููู„ุงูŽู†ูŒุŒ ูˆูŽุญูŽูŠู’ูˆูŽุฉู ุจู’ู†ู ุดูุฑูŽูŠู’ุญูุŒ ุนูŽู†ู’ ุจูŽูƒู’ุฑู ุจู’ู†ู ุนูŽู…ู’ุฑููˆ ุงู„ู’ู…ูŽุนูŽุงููุฑููŠูู‘ุŒ ุฃูŽู†ูŽู‘ ุจููƒูŽูŠู’ุฑูŽ ุจู’ู†ูŽ ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูุŒ ุญูŽุฏูŽู‘ุซูŽู‡ู ุนูŽู†ู’ ู†ูŽุงููุนูุŒ ุฃูŽู†ูŽู‘ ุฑูŽุฌูู„ุงู‹ุŒ ุฃูŽุชูŽู‰ ุงุจู’ู†ูŽ ุนูู…ูŽุฑูŽ ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ูŠูŽุง ุฃูŽุจูŽุง ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุญู’ู…ูŽู†ู ู…ูŽุง ุญูŽู…ูŽู„ูŽูƒูŽ ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ุฃูŽู†ู’ ุชูŽุญูุฌูŽู‘ ุนูŽุงู…ู‹ุง ูˆูŽุชูŽุนู’ุชูŽู…ูุฑูŽ ุนูŽุงู…ู‹ุงุŒ ูˆูŽุชูŽุชู’ุฑููƒูŽ ุงู„ู’ุฌูู‡ูŽุงุฏูŽ ูููŠ ุณูŽุจููŠู„ู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุนูŽุฒูŽู‘ ูˆูŽุฌูŽู„ูŽู‘ุŒ ูˆูŽู‚ูŽุฏู’ ุนูŽู„ูู…ู’ุชูŽ ู…ูŽุง ุฑูŽุบูŽู‘ุจูŽ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ูููŠู‡ู ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ูŠูŽุง ุงุจู’ู†ูŽ ุฃูŽุฎููŠ ุจูู†ููŠูŽ ุงู„ุฅูุณู’ู„ุงูŽู…ู ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ุฎูŽู…ู’ุณู ุฅููŠู…ูŽุงู†ู ุจูุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ูˆูŽุฑูŽุณููˆู„ูู‡ูุŒ ูˆูŽุงู„ุตูŽู‘ู„ุงูŽุฉู ุงู„ู’ุฎูŽู…ู’ุณูุŒ ูˆูŽุตููŠูŽุงู…ู ุฑูŽู…ูŽุถูŽุงู†ูŽุŒ ูˆูŽุฃูŽุฏูŽุงุกู ุงู„ุฒูŽู‘ูƒูŽุงุฉูุŒ ูˆูŽุญูŽุฌูู‘ ุงู„ู’ุจูŽูŠู’ุชูโ€.โ€ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ูŠูŽุง ุฃูŽุจูŽุง ุนูŽุจู’ุฏู ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุญู’ู…ูŽู†ูุŒ ุฃูŽู„ุงูŽ ุชูŽุณู’ู…ูŽุนู ู…ูŽุง ุฐูŽูƒูŽุฑูŽ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ูููŠ ูƒูุชูŽุงุจูู‡ู โ€{โ€ูˆูŽุฅูู†ู’ ุทูŽุงุฆูููŽุชูŽุงู†ู ู…ูู†ูŽ ุงู„ู’ู…ูุคู’ู…ูู†ููŠู†ูŽ ุงู‚ู’ุชูŽุชูŽู„ููˆุง ููŽุฃูŽุตู’ู„ูุญููˆุง ุจูŽูŠู’ู†ูŽู‡ูู…ูŽุงโ€}โ€ โ€{โ€ุฅูู„ูŽู‰ ุฃูŽู…ู’ุฑู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูโ€}โ€ โ€{โ€ู‚ูŽุงุชูู„ููˆู‡ูู…ู’ ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ู„ุงูŽ ุชูŽูƒููˆู†ูŽ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒโ€}โ€ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ููŽุนูŽู„ู’ู†ูŽุง ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ุนูŽู‡ู’ุฏู ุฑูŽุณููˆู„ู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุณู„ู… ูˆูŽูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุงู„ุฅูุณู’ู„ุงูŽู…ู ู‚ูŽู„ููŠู„ุงู‹ุŒ ููŽูƒูŽุงู†ูŽ ุงู„ุฑูŽู‘ุฌูู„ู ูŠููู’ุชูŽู†ู ูููŠ ุฏููŠู†ูู‡ู ุฅูู…ูŽู‘ุง ู‚ูŽุชูŽู„ููˆู‡ูุŒ ูˆูŽุฅูู…ูŽู‘ุง ูŠูุนูŽุฐูู‘ุจููˆู‡ูุŒ ุญูŽุชูŽู‘ู‰ ูƒูŽุซูุฑูŽ ุงู„ุฅูุณู’ู„ุงูŽู…ู ููŽู„ูŽู…ู’ ุชูŽูƒูู†ู’ ููุชู’ู†ูŽุฉูŒโ€.โ€ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ููŽู…ูŽุง ู‚ูŽูˆู’ู„ููƒูŽ ูููŠ ุนูŽู„ููŠูู‘ ูˆูŽุนูุซู’ู…ูŽุงู†ูŽ ู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ุฃูŽู…ูŽู‘ุง ุนูุซู’ู…ูŽุงู†ู ููŽูƒูŽุฃูŽู†ูŽู‘ ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ูŽ ุนูŽููŽุง ุนูŽู†ู’ู‡ูุŒ ูˆูŽุฃูŽู…ูŽู‘ุง ุฃูŽู†ู’ุชูู…ู’ ููŽูƒูŽุฑูู‡ู’ุชูู…ู’ ุฃูŽู†ู’ ุชูŽุนู’ูููˆุง ุนูŽู†ู’ู‡ูุŒ ูˆูŽุฃูŽู…ูŽู‘ุง ุนูŽู„ููŠูŒู‘ ููŽุงุจู’ู†ู ุนูŽู…ูู‘ ุฑูŽุณููˆู„ู ุงู„ู„ูŽู‘ู‡ู ุตู„ู‰ ุงู„ู„ู‡ ุนู„ูŠู‡ ูˆุณู„ู… ูˆูŽุฎูŽุชูŽู†ูู‡ูโ€.โ€ ูˆูŽุฃูŽุดูŽุงุฑูŽ ุจููŠูŽุฏูู‡ู ููŽู‚ูŽุงู„ูŽ ู‡ูŽุฐูŽุง ุจูŽูŠู’ุชูู‡ู ุญูŽูŠู’ุซู ุชูŽุฑูŽูˆู’ู†ูŽโ€.โ€
โ€ (Sahih al-Bukhari volume 6, Book 60, Hadith 40 https://sunnah.com/urn/41950)

And:

Narrated Ibn `Umar: โ€ฆ Ibn `Umar said, โ€œO son of my brother! I would rather be blamed for not fighting because of this Verse than to be blamed because of another Verse where Allah says: โ€˜And whoever kills a believer intentionallyโ€ฆโ€ (4.93) Then that man said, โ€œAllah says:โ€“

โ€˜And fight them until there is no more afflictions (worshipping other besides Allah) and the religion (i.e. worship) will be all for Allah (Alone)โ€ (8.39) Ibn `Umar said, โ€œWe did this during the lifetime of Allahโ€™s Messenger when the number of Muslims was small, and A MAN WAS PUT TO TRIAL BECAUSE OF HIS RELIGION, THE PAGANS WOULD EITHER KILL OR CHAIN HIM; BUT WHEN THE MUSLIMS INCREASED (AND ISLAM SPREAD), THERE WAS NO PERSECUTION (FITNA).โ€

When that man saw that Ibn `Umar did not agree to his proposal, he said, โ€œWhat is your opinion regarding `Ali and `Uthman?โ€ Ibn `Umar said, โ€œWhat is my opinion regarding `Ali and `Uthman? As for `Uthman, Allah forgave him and you disliked to forgive him, and `Ali is the cousin and son-in-law of Allahโ€™s Messenger.โ€ Then he pointed out with his hand and said, โ€œAnd that is his daughterโ€™s (house) which you can see.โ€ (Sahih al-Bukhari volume 6, Book 60, Hadith 173 https://sunnah.com/urn/43280)

๐€๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐Ÿ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐…๐š๐ญ๐ก ๐š๐ฅ-๐๐š๐ซ๐ข:

โ€œโ€™And fight them until there is no more FITNAHโ€ฆโ€™
Ibn Umar said, โ€˜We did that during the time of The Messenger of Allah when Islam was weak and the man would be tried in religion, EITHER TORMENTED TO DEATH OR BEING IMPRISONED. When Islam became stronger and widespread, there was no more Fitnah.โ€™ โ€ฆโ€ (Fath al-Bari volume 8, page 160) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) [Abridged by A Group of Scholars Under The Supervision Of Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri. Maktaba Dar-us-Salam โ€“ Second Edition, 2003] volume 4 page 314)

Ibn Kathir explains that โ€œfitnahโ€ in Surah 8:39-41 is understood classically to mean that a Muslim is persecuted so much that he may abandon his religion. In his footnote he provides Ibn Abi Hatim (854 โ€“ 938 AD) who also has this opinion:

โ€œโ€™until there is no Fitnahโ€™ the Fitnah mentioned here means, until no Muslims is PERSECUTED so that he abandons his religion.โ€ (Ibn Abi Hatim volume 5, page 1701) (Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) [Abridged by A Group of Scholars Under The Supervision Of Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri. Maktaba Dar-us-Salam โ€“ Second Edition, 2003] volume 4 page 314)

When some commentaries or the above Hadith say fitna in connection with โ€œno more worshipping of others besides Allahโ€ in brackets, one should note here this is in reference to some Muslims who were forcefully converted to polytheism (Shirk) and thus they had to worship idols or gods of the persecutors. Thus no more shirk in the sense of them (persecutors) not being able to persecute an individual where they may fall back into polytheism due to the oppression.

๐‚๐จ๐ง๐œ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง:

Having analysed the verses, one can clearly see that these verses were revealed at a time when the Muslims, 1400 years ago, were getting persecuted by the Quraysh. As shown, these verses have nothing to do with harming innocent non-believers. They were revealed concerning those who used to oppress, persecute and kill Muslims. [5] [6]

Related article:

โ€œShirk Or Persecution โ€“ What does The Word Fitna Mean?โ€

Quran (8:39) โ€“ โ€˜And fight With Them Until There Is No More Fitna (Persecution)โ€™

โ€œShirk Or Persecution โ€“ What does The Word Fitna Mean?โ€

What is the explanation of the Quran (8:39)

Paul The False Apostle of Satan

Atheism

References:

[1] Tafsir Al Qurtubi, Classical Commentary Of The Holy Qurโ€™an, [Dar al-Taqwa] volume 1, page 492
[2] See Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1986), volume, page 227 โ€“ 229
[3] Tadabbur-e-Qurโ€™an (Pondering Over The Qurโ€™an) Tafsir of Surah al-Fatihan and Surah al-Baqarah [Translation: Muhammad Saleem Kayani, 2006], By Amin Aแธฅsan Iแนฃlaแธฅi, volume 1, page 486 โ€“ 487
[4] Qurโ€™anic Keywords: A Reference Guide By Abdur Rashid Siddiqui, page 61
[5] Al-Mawardi in his commentary on Quran 2:190 states:
โ€œ(but do not transgress), which means do not assault and transgress against those who are not fighting and do not kill women and children.โ€ (Min Rawaiโ€™ al-Tafasir al-Nukat wa al-`Uyuun by al-Mawardi, volume 1, page 251)
[6] Muhammad al-Nasaafi:
โ€œWe should not transgress by initiating the fighting and not fight those who are not fighting from among the women, children, elders and so forth.โ€ (Madarik al-tanzil wa-haqaโ€™iq al-taโ€™wil, by Muhammed al-Nasaafi, volume 1, page 165).