“Kill them wherever you encounter them, and drive them out from where they drove you out. Persecution is more grievous than killing. Do not fight them at the Sacred Mosque unless they fight you there; but if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. But if they desist, then indeed Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is wholly for Allah. But if they desist, then there is to be no aggression except against the wrongdoers.” (191–193)

His words, exalted is He, “Kill them wherever you encounter them”: It is said that the first verse was abrogated by this verse. The root meaning of the word translated here as “encounter” is skill and discernment in matters. Its meaning is: kill them wherever you find yourselves able to fight and kill them.

“And drive them out from where they drove you out”: This is because they drove the Muslims out of Makkah. Thus, He said: Drive them out of their homes just as they drove you out of your homes.