His saying: {Strike the necks}, is in the accusative case as a command, meaning: Strike the necks. His saying: {Then either favors afterwards or ransom}, means: show favor by granting a favor, and ransom by taking a ransom. {Until the war lays down its burdens}, interpreted by Mujahid as: Until there is no religion except Islam.

Yahya said: There is a rearrangement in it; he says: So when you meet those who disbelieved, then strike the necks until the war lays down its burdens.

Muhammad said: The meaning is: until the people of war put down their weapons (arms); and this is the view adopted by Mujahid. The origin of 'wizr' (burden) is that which one carries, so weapons were named 'awzar' (burdens) because they are carried. Al-A'sha said:

And I have prepared for war its burdens (weapons) ... long spears and well-bred horses.

Yahya reported from Ibn Lahi'ah, from Abu al-Zubayr, who said: I asked Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah, saying: If I have a tyrannical Imam and I encounter the people of misguidance with him, should I fight or not, given that I have no love for him nor support for him? He replied: Fight the people of misguidance wherever you find them, and upon the Imam is what he bears, and upon you is what you bear.

Yahya reported from 'Ammar al-Duhni, from Jisr al-Missisi, from al-Hasan, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Islam is built upon three: Jihad is ongoing from the time Allah sent His Prophet until the last faction of the Muslims, who will be the ones fighting the Dajjal; it is not nullified by the tyranny of anyone who acts tyrannically,"