Captives, Prisoners of war

Discover the profound verses and divine insights mapped to this theme.

وَمَنلَّمۡيَسۡتَطِعۡمِنكُمۡطَوۡلًاأَنيَنكِحَٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتِٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِفَمِنمَّامَلَكَتۡأَيۡمَٰنُكُممِّنفَتَيَٰتِكُمُٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِۚوَٱللَّهُأَعۡلَمُبِإِيمَٰنِكُمۚبَعۡضُكُممِّنۢبَعۡضٖۚفَٱنكِحُوهُنَّبِإِذۡنِأَهۡلِهِنَّوَءَاتُوهُنَّأُجُورَهُنَّبِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِمُحۡصَنَٰتٍغَيۡرَمُسَٰفِحَٰتٖوَلَامُتَّخِذَٰتِأَخۡدَانٖۚفَإِذَآأُحۡصِنَّفَإِنۡأَتَيۡنَبِفَٰحِشَةٖفَعَلَيۡهِنَّنِصۡفُمَاعَلَىٱلۡمُحۡصَنَٰتِمِنَٱلۡعَذَابِۚذَٰلِكَلِمَنۡخَشِيَٱلۡعَنَتَمِنكُمۡۚوَأَنتَصۡبِرُواْخَيۡرٞلَّكُمۡۗوَٱللَّهُغَفُورٞرَّحِيمٞ٢٥
Saheeh International

And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls. And Allāh is most knowing about your faith. You [believers] are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their people and give them their due compensation [i.e., mahr] according to what is acceptable. [They should be] chaste, neither [of] those who commit unlawful intercourse randomly nor those who take [secret] lovers. But once they are sheltered in marriage, if they should commit adultery, then for them is half the punishment for free [unmarried] women. This [allowance] is for him among you who fears affliction [i.e., sin], but to be patient is better for you. And Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

وَمَنWaman
لَّمْlam
يَسْتَطِعْyastatiAA
مِنكُمْminkum
طَوْلًاtawlan
أَنan
يَنكِحَyankiha
ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِalmuhsanati
ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِalmuminati
فَمِنfamin
مَّاma
مَلَكَتْmalakat
أَيْمَـٰنُكُمaymanukum
مِّنmin
فَتَيَـٰتِكُمُfatayatikumu
ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۚalmuminati
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
أَعْلَمُaAAlamu
بِإِيمَـٰنِكُم ۚbieemanikum
بَعْضُكُمbaAAdukum
مِّنۢmin
بَعْضٍۢ ۚbaAAdin
فَٱنكِحُوهُنَّfainkihoohunna
بِإِذْنِbiithni
أَهْلِهِنَّahlihinna
وَءَاتُوهُنَّwaatoohunna
أُجُورَهُنَّojoorahunna
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِbialmaAAroofi
مُحْصَنَـٰتٍmuhsanatin
غَيْرَghayra
مُسَـٰفِحَـٰتٍۢmasafihatin
وَلَاwala
مُتَّخِذَٰتِmuttakhithati
أَخْدَانٍۢ ۚakhdanin
فَإِذَآfaitha
أُحْصِنَّohsinna
فَإِنْfain
أَتَيْنَatayna
بِفَـٰحِشَةٍۢbifahishatin
فَعَلَيْهِنَّfaAAalayhinna
نِصْفُnisfu
مَاma
عَلَىAAala
ٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتِalmuhsanati
مِنَmina
ٱلْعَذَابِ ۚalAAathabi
ذَٰلِكَthalika
لِمَنْliman
خَشِىَkhashiya
ٱلْعَنَتَalAAanata
مِنكُمْ ۚminkum
وَأَنwaan
تَصْبِرُوا۟tasbiroo
خَيْرٌۭkhayrun
لَّكُمْ ۗlakum
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
غَفُورٌۭghafoorun
رَّحِيمٌۭraheemun
مَاكَانَلِنَبِيٍّأَنيَكُونَلَهُۥٓأَسۡرَىٰحَتَّىٰيُثۡخِنَفِيٱلۡأَرۡضِۚتُرِيدُونَعَرَضَٱلدُّنۡيَاوَٱللَّهُيُرِيدُٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۗوَٱللَّهُعَزِيزٌحَكِيمٞ٦٧
Saheeh International

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allāh's enemies] in the land. You [i.e., some Muslims] desire the commodities of this world,1 but Allāh desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.

مَاMa
كَانَkana
لِنَبِىٍّlinabiyyin
أَنan
يَكُونَyakoona
لَهُۥٓlahu
أَسْرَىٰasra
حَتَّىٰhatta
يُثْخِنَyuthkhina
فِىfee
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚalardi
تُرِيدُونَtureedoona
عَرَضَAAarada
ٱلدُّنْيَاalddunya
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
يُرِيدُyureedu
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۗalakhirata
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
عَزِيزٌAAazeezun
حَكِيمٌۭhakeemun
لَّوۡلَاكِتَٰبٞمِّنَٱللَّهِسَبَقَلَمَسَّكُمۡفِيمَآأَخَذۡتُمۡعَذَابٌعَظِيمٞ٦٨
Saheeh International

If not for a decree from Allāh that preceded,1 you would have been touched for what you took by a great punishment.

لَّوْلَاLawla
كِتَـٰبٌۭkitabun
مِّنَmina
ٱللَّهِAllahi
سَبَقَsabaqa
لَمَسَّكُمْlamassakum
فِيمَآfeema
أَخَذْتُمْakhathtum
عَذَابٌAAathabun
عَظِيمٌۭAAatheemun
فَكُلُواْمِمَّاغَنِمۡتُمۡحَلَٰلٗاطَيِّبٗاۚوَٱتَّقُواْٱللَّهَۚإِنَّٱللَّهَغَفُورٞرَّحِيمٞ٦٩
Saheeh International

So consume what you have taken of war booty [as being] lawful and good, and fear Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

فَكُلُوا۟Fakuloo
مِمَّاmimma
غَنِمْتُمْghanimtum
حَلَـٰلًۭاhalalan
طَيِّبًۭا ۚtayyiban
وَٱتَّقُوا۟waittaqoo
ٱللَّهَ ۚAllaha
إِنَّinna
ٱللَّهَAllaha
غَفُورٌۭghafoorun
رَّحِيمٌۭraheemun
يَٰٓأَيُّهَاٱلنَّبِيُّقُللِّمَنفِيٓأَيۡدِيكُممِّنَٱلۡأَسۡرَىٰٓإِنيَعۡلَمِٱللَّهُفِيقُلُوبِكُمۡخَيۡرٗايُؤۡتِكُمۡخَيۡرٗامِّمَّآأُخِذَمِنكُمۡوَيَغۡفِرۡلَكُمۡۚوَٱللَّهُغَفُورٞرَّحِيمٞ٧٠
Saheeh International

O Prophet, say to whoever is in your hands of the captives, "If Allāh knows [any] good in your hearts, He will give you [something] better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you; and Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful."

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyaayyuha
ٱلنَّبِىُّalnnabiyyu
قُلqul
لِّمَنliman
فِىٓfee
أَيْدِيكُمaydeekum
مِّنَmina
ٱلْأَسْرَىٰٓalasra
إِنin
يَعْلَمِyaAAlami
ٱللَّهُAllahu
فِىfee
قُلُوبِكُمْquloobikum
خَيْرًۭاkhayran
يُؤْتِكُمْyutikum
خَيْرًۭاkhayran
مِّمَّآmimma
أُخِذَokhitha
مِنكُمْminkum
وَيَغْفِرْwayaghfir
لَكُمْ ۗlakum
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
غَفُورٌۭghafoorun
رَّحِيمٌۭraheemun
وَإِنيُرِيدُواْخِيَانَتَكَفَقَدۡخَانُواْٱللَّهَمِنقَبۡلُفَأَمۡكَنَمِنۡهُمۡۗوَٱللَّهُعَلِيمٌحَكِيمٌ٧١
Saheeh International

But if they intend to betray you - then they have already betrayed Allāh before, and He empowered [you] over them. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.

وَإِنWain
يُرِيدُوا۟yureedoo
خِيَانَتَكَkhiyanataka
فَقَدْfaqad
خَانُوا۟khanoo
ٱللَّهَAllaha
مِنmin
قَبْلُqablu
فَأَمْكَنَfaamkana
مِنْهُمْ ۗminhum
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
عَلِيمٌAAaleemun
حَكِيمٌhakeemun
۞ إِنَّمَاٱلصَّدَقَٰتُلِلۡفُقَرَآءِوَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِوَٱلۡعَٰمِلِينَعَلَيۡهَاوَٱلۡمُؤَلَّفَةِقُلُوبُهُمۡوَفِيٱلرِّقَابِوَٱلۡغَٰرِمِينَوَفِيسَبِيلِٱللَّهِوَٱبۡنِٱلسَّبِيلِۖفَرِيضَةٗمِّنَٱللَّهِۗوَٱللَّهُعَلِيمٌحَكِيمٞ٦٠
Saheeh International

Zakāh expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed for it1 and for bringing hearts together [for Islām] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allāh and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allāh. And Allāh is Knowing and Wise.

۞ إِنَّمَاInnama
ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُalssadaqatu
لِلْفُقَرَآءِlilfuqarai
وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِwaalmasakeeni
وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَwaalAAamileena
عَلَيْهَاAAalayha
وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِwaalmuallafati
قُلُوبُهُمْquloobuhum
وَفِىwafee
ٱلرِّقَابِalrriqabi
وَٱلْغَـٰرِمِينَwaalgharimeena
وَفِىwafee
سَبِيلِsabeeli
ٱللَّهِAllahi
وَٱبْنِwaibni
ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖalssabeeli
فَرِيضَةًۭfareedatan
مِّنَmina
ٱللَّهِ ۗAllahi
وَٱللَّهُwaAllahu
عَلِيمٌAAaleemun
حَكِيمٌۭhakeemun
وَأَنزَلَٱلَّذِينَظَٰهَرُوهُممِّنۡأَهۡلِٱلۡكِتَٰبِمِنصَيَاصِيهِمۡوَقَذَفَفِيقُلُوبِهِمُٱلرُّعۡبَفَرِيقٗاتَقۡتُلُونَوَتَأۡسِرُونَفَرِيقٗا٢٦
Saheeh International

And He brought down those who supported them among the People of the Scripture1 from their fortresses and cast terror into their hearts [so that] a party [i.e., their men] you killed, and you took captive a party [i.e., the women and children].

وَأَنزَلَWaanzala
ٱلَّذِينَallatheena
ظَـٰهَرُوهُمthaharoohum
مِّنْmin
أَهْلِahli
ٱلْكِتَـٰبِalkitabi
مِنmin
صَيَاصِيهِمْsayaseehim
وَقَذَفَwaqathafa
فِىfee
قُلُوبِهِمُquloobihimu
ٱلرُّعْبَalrruAAba
فَرِيقًۭاfareeqan
تَقْتُلُونَtaqtuloona
وَتَأْسِرُونَwatasiroona
فَرِيقًۭاfareeqan
وَأَوۡرَثَكُمۡأَرۡضَهُمۡوَدِيَٰرَهُمۡوَأَمۡوَٰلَهُمۡوَأَرۡضٗالَّمۡتَطَـُٔوهَاۚوَكَانَٱللَّهُعَلَىٰكُلِّشَيۡءٖقَدِيرٗا٢٧
Saheeh International

And He caused you to inherit their land and their homes and their properties and a land which you have not trodden.1 And ever is Allāh, over all things, competent.

وَأَوْرَثَكُمْWaawrathakum
أَرْضَهُمْardahum
وَدِيَـٰرَهُمْwadiyarahum
وَأَمْوَٰلَهُمْwaamwalahum
وَأَرْضًۭاwaardan
لَّمْlam
تَطَـُٔوهَا ۚtataooha
وَكَانَwakana
ٱللَّهُAllahu
عَلَىٰAAala
كُلِّkulli
شَىْءٍۢshayin
قَدِيرًۭاqadeeran
وَيُطۡعِمُونَٱلطَّعَامَعَلَىٰحُبِّهِۦمِسۡكِينٗاوَيَتِيمٗاوَأَسِيرًا٨
Saheeh International

And they give food in spite of love for it1 to the needy, the orphan, and the captive,

وَيُطْعِمُونَWayutAAimona
ٱلطَّعَامَalttaAAama
عَلَىٰAAala
حُبِّهِۦhubbihi
مِسْكِينًۭاmiskeenan
وَيَتِيمًۭاwayateeman
وَأَسِيرًاwaaseeran