“Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things.” (9:39)
This verse is part of chapter nine, which focuses primarily on the battle between Pagans and Muslims. This battle as described in the Qur’an is one in which Muslims took some time off during war, in order to allow Pagans to step forward for peace. If Pagans called for peace, Muslims would cease fighting them. However, if Pagans did not call for peace in the allotted time span, then Muslims would continue to fight them, since HELLO, they’re at war!
The call to war in chapter nine deals with, what’s that, oh yes, self-defence:
”Will ye not fight people who violated their oaths, plotted to expel the Messenger, and took the aggressive by being the first to assault you? Do ye fear them? Nay, it is Allah Whom ye should more justly fear, if ye believe!” (9:13)
So, we go back to God trying to talk sense into pansy Arabs to side with believers. Their excuse was always, “If we fight, we shall surely die!” So God’s pretty much telling them:
“Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah’s cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah: they are the people who will achieve (salvation). “ (9:20)
“Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught: the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned back in retreat.” (9:25)
”O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.” (9:38)
Depicting Islam 