Al-Baqarah 246: Did you see the dignitaries of the sons of Israel that came after Moses? They said to the Prophet who was sent to them, “send to us a ruler so that we may fight in the path of Allah”. He (the Prophet) said “what if war will be ordered upon you but you do not fight?”. They said, “having been driven out of our homes and our sons, why should we not fight in the path of Allah?”. When war was ordered upon them, they returned and fled with the exception of a few. Allah knows the oppressors well.

Have you not seen the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? it says. Have you not seen?

They had said to a prophet sent to them: Send us a king, so that under his command we may fight in the way of Allah. Now Allah Almighty's verses 'remember' and 'have you not seen' we cannot tie to this world; look how clear it is. You know how they tie it to the world — when it says 'have you not seen', they tie these, according to some narrations of that time, to certain things, whereas look how beautifully it says here: while in the realm of the hereafter, before his coming into the world, the Messenger of Allah — Allah Almighty sending, as much as He willed, to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

What was it? Have you not seen the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? Have you not seen? They had said to a prophet sent to them: Send us a king, so that under his command we may fight in the way of Allah. Yes. Now here, the Prophet — did he (?) come from the time of the prophet who came after Moses? Well, since it says 'have you not seen' about that too, it means from the hereafter seeing the worldly realm. That is: Ve mâ erselnâke illâ rahmeten li'l-âlemîn — though he came as a mercy to the worlds, His saying: I made you alive. Alive in both realms, and though created first, his coming as the Seal of the Prophets, as the last, the one who brings prophethood to an end.

Because he was equipped with the greatest knowledge, and was sent as the owner of the religion of Islam, the last and most perfected religion, that is, as its representative — the owner is Allah, of course. Sent as its representative, and so that his glory and greatness might continue until the Last Day, Allah Almighty sent him as the last prophet. Here, both to raise the Messenger of Allah's ummi standing, to raise his glory, and to show that Allah Almighty is capable of everything, our Lord tells us His verses clearly. What does it say? Have you not seen? Have you not seen the notables of the Children of Israel after Moses? They had said to a prophet sent to them: Send us a king, so that under his command we may fight in the way of Allah.

What if fighting is prescribed for you and you do not fight? (?) it is happening like that. They don't fight. We will tell you too. From the future. What does it say? What if fighting is prescribed for you, that is, and you do not fight? It is within destinies, you see; it will happen. He also makes known Allah's (?). Responsibility will be lifted from our Lord. They will again do their (?). No, (?). When they came to their (?) and were told not to drink water there, many go and drink the water, and insolently they say: today we cannot come along with you. Yes, we will come to them, God willing.

Though we have been driven from our homes and separated from our children, why should we not fight in the way of Allah, they said. When fighting was prescribed for them, all but a few of them turned back and fled. Allah knows the wrongdoers well, it says.

Worldly life is fleeting.

If the world were yours, with all its rubies, its emeralds, every kind of ornament, if it were under your rule and you lived among them, one day you will taste death, and we will journey to the hereafter to give account of that wealth and property. So, in order not to fall among those deceived by the world's fleeting life who forget the hereafter, those wretched people, we must remember our Lord's blessings and give thanks. If we want to prepare for the hereafter, by doing what Allah has said, by worshipping Him, by tearing down the evils in our nafs, we attain our Lord's mercy and become the sultans of the hereafter.

Otherwise, if we are deceived by a small blessing of this fleeting life, we will suffer the torment of eternal life. Intelligent people never seek the torment of the hereafter. Intelligent people. Those who use their reason. Yes. That is why Allah Almighty says: Will you not use your reason?

Between Egypt and Palestine lived the people of Amalek. To this, Amalek (?). At their head was Goliath.

The army under Goliath's command attacked the Children of Israel and, defeating them, drove them from their homeland. This Goliath was a tyrant.

To win back their homeland, the Children of Israel asked one of the prophets Allah Almighty had sent to them for a commander to lead them. That is what they asked for. The verse was revealed upon this event. What if you don't fight? Yes. After Moses, Allah Almighty sent another prophet to the Children of Israel. This prophet too, by Allah Almighty's command, invites them to the Truth and to guidance. Meanwhile, invaded by the people of Amalek, they are driven from their homeland; the Children of Israel plead with their prophet to, by means of a commander to lead them, against the people of Amalek who drove them from their homeland, wage war and take back their homeland once — that is their request.

Between them and their prophet a conversation like this takes place. With their prophet. This Israelite people really is a people very oppressive toward their own selves. Though Allah Almighty, in the worldly realm, (?) sent so much, though our Lord made His existence felt over them so much, still they went on rebelling against Allah's command. What audacity! As Allah Almighty saved them from oppression, they thought our Lord was, I mean, obliged to save them from oppression. And: we are Allah's close ones. Caught up in mindsets like 'He will surely help us', they brought about their own destruction.

What does it say now? After Moses, Allah Almighty sends the Children of Israel a prophet. To that prophet, the Children of Israel — against this Goliath's army, against the people of Amalek, who drove the sons of Israel from their (?), I mean — let him send a commander so we can fight them and take back our homeland, our children again, they say. And between the prophets a conversation like this takes place. The notables, the respected people of the Israelite people came to the prophet: Give us a commander. And we will fight them in the way of Allah, they say. Their prophet who was among them, (?), to their notables: If Allah appoints a commander for you and then you do not fight, then you will be among the wrongdoers — so he warns them.

Upon this, as Allah Almighty says in His verse, the notables of the Children of Israel: We have been driven from our homes. Allah Almighty knows, after all, what is in their destinies according to (?), and He tells the verse in their reports anyway. Yes. Though we live far from our children, why should we not fight them in the way of Allah, they say. Upon this, their prophet, pleading with Allah Almighty, asks for one to lead them, a commander.

Allah Almighty, answering His prophet's prayer, appoints a commander over them. So in this case fighting becomes obligatory on them. If a commander is appointed, war. Now look, they will oppose this commander too. Look at their wrongdoing. When fighting was made obligatory on them, all but a few of them turned back and fled. This people never kept its word throughout history, so that, though they gave their word to Allah and His prophet, they would keep it. Whoever gives his word and does not keep it — these are wrongdoers. That is why Allah Almighty says in His verse: We know the wrongdoers well.

Since Allah the Creator knows the states of His creatures, Allah the wrongdoers, the God-fearing and all the beings He created (?) in the best way. Now in the verse we will also tell the readings, God willing.