If you meet them in battle, inflict on them such a defeat as would be a lesson for those who come after them, and that they may be warned.
So if you find them in battle, kill them in a manner which makes those behind them scamper back, in the hope that they may learn a lesson.
So, if thou comest upon them anywhere in the war, deal with them in such wise as to scatter the ones behind them; haply they will remember.
if thou find them at war [with you], make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, so that they might take it to heart;
Wherefore if thou over-takest them in war, disperse thou through them those behind them, that haply they may be admonished.
So if you gain the mastery over them in war, punish them severely in order to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.
If you confront them in battle, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, that they may take heed.
So if you meet them in war, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them that they may he admonished.
So if you gain the mastery over them in war, then disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.
If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember.
So if you confront them in battle, treat them [in such a wise] as to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may take admonition.
if you meet them in battle, cause their example to scatter those behind them so that they remember.
So if you, [O Muhammad], gain dominance over them in war, disperse by [means of] them those behind them that perhaps they will be reminded.
When you capture the (unbelievers) during a fight, teach them a lesson so that they thereafter will always be aware of the threat of your power.
Therefore if you overtake them in fighting, then scatter by (making an example of) them those who are in their rear, that they may be mindful.
Faimm<u>a</u> tathqafannahum fee al<u>h</u>arbi fasharrid bihim man khalfahum laAAallahum ya<u>thth</u>akkaroon<b>a</b>
Should you encounter them in war, then deal with them in such a manner that those that follow them should abandon their designs and may take warning.
If ye gain the mastery over them in war, disperse, with them, those who follow them, that they may remember.
فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَرْبِ فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
If you, O Messenger, face in battle these people who break their pledges, then make a harsh example of them so that others hear about it, take a lesson from that and become afraid of fighting you and supporting your enemies against you.
If you, O Messenger, face in battle these people who break their pledges, then make a harsh example of them so that others hear about it, take a lesson from that and become afraid of fighting you and supporting your enemies against you.
<p>In the fourth verse (57), Allah Ta` ala has given a standing instruction to His Rasul ﷺ about such evil breakers of solemn pledges in the following words:</p><p>فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْحَرْ‌بِ فَشَرِّ‌دْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ ﴿57﴾</p><p>So, if you find them in war, make them an example (deterrent) for those behind them, so that they take a lesson.</p><p>Here, the word:	تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ (tathqafannahum) means to get the upper hand against them and the word: شرّدَ (sharrada) is a derivation from the infinitive noun: تَشرِید (tashrid) which essentially means to drive out or scatter away. So, the verse means: 'If you overpower such people in a war, give them a drastic punishment which becomes an instant lesson for others - so that those who are busy bashing Islam behind the cover of such people serving as their agent provocateurs should understand clearly that there remains no alternative for them but to run for their lives. The drive of the instruction is that these people should be punished in a manner which makes an impression on the disbelievers of Makkah and other hostile tribes and sucks away any courage they may have to come back and confront Muslims in the future.</p><p>By saying: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ (so that they take a lesson - 57) at the end of the verse, a hint has been given towards the universal mercy of the Lord of all the worlds. This treatment makes it clear that the real purpose of this exemplary punishment was not to take revenge or release personal anger, in fact, this was being awarded in their own interest and expedient gain whereby they may, perhaps, review conditions before them, regain some of their sanity, feel ashamed of what they did and go on to correct themselves.</p>
In the fourth verse (57), Allah Ta` ala has given a standing instruction to His Rasul ﷺ about such evil breakers of solemn pledges in the following words:فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْحَرْ‌بِ فَشَرِّ‌دْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ ﴿57﴾So, if you find them in war, make them an example (deterrent) for those behind them, so that they take a lesson.Here, the word:	تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ (tathqafannahum) means to get the upper hand against them and the word: شرّدَ (sharrada) is a derivation from the infinitive noun: تَشرِید (tashrid) which essentially means to drive out or scatter away. So, the verse means: 'If you overpower such people in a war, give them a drastic punishment which becomes an instant lesson for others - so that those who are busy bashing Islam behind the cover of such people serving as their agent provocateurs should understand clearly that there remains no alternative for them but to run for their lives. The drive of the instruction is that these people should be punished in a manner which makes an impression on the disbelievers of Makkah and other hostile tribes and sucks away any courage they may have to come back and confront Muslims in the future.By saying: لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُ‌ونَ (so that they take a lesson - 57) at the end of the verse, a hint has been given towards the universal mercy of the Lord of all the worlds. This treatment makes it clear that the real purpose of this exemplary punishment was not to take revenge or release personal anger, in fact, this was being awarded in their own interest and expedient gain whereby they may, perhaps, review conditions before them, regain some of their sanity, feel ashamed of what they did and go on to correct themselves.