Have you not considered (the case of) the Chiefs of the Children of Israel (who lived) after (the time of) Moses? When they said to a Prophet of theirs, (- Samuel), `Appoint for us a controlling authority that we may fight in the cause of Allâh.' He said, `Is it not likely, that if fighting is prescribed for you, you will not fight?' They said, `And what reason have we that we should not fight in the cause of Allâh, and we have been indeed driven forth from our homes and (parted from) our children?' Yet, when fighting was prescribed for them, they backed out except a few of them. And Allâh knows the unjust well.