Thus, when you meet those who disbelieved, strike their necks until you subdue them; then seize them as captives; then you may release them without ransom or with ransom until the war lays down its burden. That is because if Allah had willed, He could have helped you against them, but He does so to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost.
This verse contains the instruction connected with the Battle of Badr. When an encounter takes place with the enemies of Allah, the believers are commanded to strike the necks of the disbelievers to subdue them completely. The captives are to be kept under custody and should not be released with or without ransom until the battle ends. After the battle is completed, they may be released with or without ransom. If Allah had willed, He could have granted victory without battle, but mankind has been deputed as vicegerents on earth, and all events, including battles, occur to test mankind with one another. See explanation 6:164-165; 8:60-61, 67-70; and 29:30.
But since today there is no group of believers anywhere in the world and no leader of believers, the odd believer is commanded to do strenuous Jihad with Adhikr against the Hypocrites who are hiding and repudiating the verses, and against the Kuffar who are rejecting the verses, as told in the verses 9:73; 25:52; and 66:9.
When Antichrist, Masseeh Addajjal, comes to erase Islam, the Arabic Qur’an Reading Fujjar will accept him as a prophet at first to obtain water and food, and later they will even accept him as Lord to obtain cloned copies of males and females for fulfilling their sexual thirst. Then Allah will bring Jesus for the second time, and through him Antichrist and the Fujjar will be killed, implementing the command of the verses 4:91; 5:33; 9:5, 123; and 33:60–61. See explanation 40:69–77.