The Quran

Preface

وَلَو أَنّا كَتَبنا عَلَيهِم أَنِ اقتُلوا أَنفُسَكُم أَوِ اخرُجوا مِن دِيارِكُم ما فَعَلوهُ إِلّا قَليلٌ مِنهُم ۖ وَلَو أَنَّهُم فَعَلوا ما يوعَظونَ بِهِ لَكانَ خَيرًا لَهُم وَأَشَدَّ تَثبيتًا

Yusuf Ali

If We had ordered them to sacrifice their lives or to leave their homes, very few of them would have done it:¹ But if they had done what they were (actually) told, it would have been best for them, and would have gone farthest to strengthen their (faith);

The highest in faith willingly sacrifice their lives, their homes, and all that they hold dearest, in the cause of God. Those whose faith is not so strong are expected at least to do what a loyal member of any society does, submit his doubts and disputes to the head of the society and cheerfully accept his decision and submit to it. The contrast is between the hypocrites who will not even do this, and the really devoted men and women who would voluntarily sacrifice their lives.