The Quran

وَإِذا جاءَهُم أَمرٌ مِنَ الأَمنِ أَوِ الخَوفِ أَذاعوا بِهِ ۖ وَلَو رَدّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسولِ وَإِلىٰ أُولِي الأَمرِ مِنهُم لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذينَ يَستَنبِطونَهُ مِنهُم ۗ وَلَولا فَضلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيكُم وَرَحمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعتُمُ الشَّيطانَ إِلّا قَليلًا

Muhammad Asad

AND IF any [secret] matter pertaining to peace or war comes within their ken, they¹ spread it abroad - whereas, if they would but refer it unto the Apostle and unto those from among the believers² who have been entrusted with authority, such of them as are engaged in obtaining intelligence³ would indeed know [what to do with] it. And but for God's bounty towards you, and His grace, all but a few of you would certainly have followed Satan.

I.e., the half-hearted followers of Islam spoken of in the preceding verses (Zamakhshar). The above reference to peace or war - lit., "security or danger (khawf)"- is connected, firstly, with the basic principles of statecraft mentioned in verse 59 of this surah and, secondly, with the discourse on fighting in God's cause beginning with verse 71.
Lit., "from among them".
Lit., "those from among them who elicit [the truth]", i.e., the special organs of the state entrusted with gathering and evaluating political and military intelligence.