If the (enemy) had entered the city from every side and asked them to rise in revolt, they would have done so, and not hesitated but a little;
And if the armies had come upon them from the outskirts of Medinah and demanded disbelief from them, they would certainly have given them their demand and would not have hesitated in it except a little.
And if entrance had been forced against them from those quarters, and then they had been asked to apostatise, they would have done so, and but tarried about it briefly.
Now if their town had been stormed, and they had been asked [by the enemy] to commit apos­tasy, [the hypocrites] would have done so without much delay
And if they were to be entered upon from the sides thereof and they were asked to sedition, they would surely have committed it, and they would have tarried therein but slightly.
And if the enemy had entered from all sides (of the city), and they had been exhorted to AlFitnah (i.e. to renegade from Islam to polytheism) they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little.
Had it been invaded from its sides, and they were asked to dissent, they would have done so with little hesitation.
If the enemy were to enter the town from various directions, and they were summoned to act treacherously, they would have succumbed to it and would have shown little reluctance in doing so.
And if the enemy had entered from all sides, and they had been exhorted to Al-Fitnah, they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little.
If the enemy had entered from all sides and they had been exhorted to treachery, they would have committed it, and would have hesitated thereupon but little.
Had they been invaded from its flanks and had they been asked to apostatize, they would have done so with only a mild hesitation,
And if an entrance had been forced against them from its quarters, and then they had been asked to incite, they would have done so, and remained in it (the city) but a little (time).
And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly.
Had the army of the enemies invaded their homes and asked them to give-up their religion, they would have yielded to them without delay.
And if an entry were made upon them from the outlying parts of it, then they were asked to wage war, they would certainly have done it, and they would not have stayed in it but a little while.
Walaw dukhilat AAalayhim min aq<u>ta</u>rih<u>a</u> thumma suiloo alfitnata la<u>a</u>tawh<u>a</u> wam<u>a</u> talabbathoo bih<u>a</u> ill<u>a</u> yaseer<u>a</u><b>n</b>
If their town had been stormed, and they had been incited to sedition, they would have rebelled with little hesitation.
And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (city), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay!