Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’ān with a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation (2005)
and when the eyes rolled [with fear]
and the hearts leapt to the throats,
and you entertained misgivings about Allah,
11 it was there that the faithful were tested
and jolted with a severe agitation.
12 And when the hypocrites were saying,
as well as those in whose hearts is a sickness,
‘Allah and His Apostle did not promise us
[anything] except delusion.’
13 And when a group of them said,
‘O people of Yathrib!
[This is] not a place for you,1 so go back!’2
And a group of them sought the Prophet’s permission,
saying, ‘Our homes lie exposed 3 [to the enemy],’
although they were not exposed.
They only sought to flee.
14 Had they been invaded from its flanks 4
and had they been asked to apostatize,
they would have done so
with only a mild hesitation,
15 though they had certainly pledged to Allah before
that they would not turn their backs [to flee],
and pledges given to Allah are accountable.
16 Say, ‘Flight will not avail you
should you flee from death or from being killed,
and then you will be let to enjoy only for a little while.’
1 That is, there is no chance of your withstanding the army of the polytheists.
2 That is, return to your earlier creed, or go back to your homes.
3 Or ‘unprotected.’
4 That is, of the city Madīnah.
