Introduction to
Surah
8. Al-Anfâl
In the Name of Allâh, the Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
1. They ask you (O
Muhammad SAW)
about the spoils of war. Say: "The spoils are for Allâh
and the Messenger." So fear Allâh and adjust all matters
of difference among you, and obey Allâh and His Messenger
(Muhammad SAW),
if you are believers.
2. The believers
are only those who, when Allâh is mentioned, feel a fear
in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'ân) are recited
unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they
put their trust in their Lord (Alone);
3. Who perform As-Salât
(IqâmatasSalât) and spend out of
that We have provided them.
4. It is they who
are the believers in truth. For them are grades of dignity with
their Lord, and Forgiveness and a generous provision (Paradise).
5. As your Lord caused
you (O Muhammad SAW)
to go out from your home with the truth, and verily, a party among
the believers disliked it;
6. Disputing with
you concerning the truth after it was made manifest, as if they
were being driven to death, while they were looking (at it).
7. And (remember)
when Allâh promised you (Muslims) one of the two parties
(of the enemy i.e. either the army or the caravan) that it should
be yours, you wished that the one not armed (the caravan) should
be yours, but Allâh willed to justify the truth by His Words
and to cut off the roots of the disbelievers (i.e. in the battle
of Badr).
8. That He might
cause the truth to triumph and bring falsehood to nothing, even
though the Mujrimûn (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners,
criminals, etc.) hate it.
9. (Remember) when
you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I
will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other
(following one another) in succession."
10. Allâh made
it only as glad tidings, and that your hearts be at rest therewith. And
there is no victory except from Allâh. Verily, Allâh
is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
11. (Remember) when
He covered you with a slumber as a security from Him, and He caused
water (rain) to descend on you from the sky, to clean you thereby
and to remove from you the Rijz (whispering, evil-suggestions,
etc.) of Shaitân (Satan), and to strengthen your
hearts, and make your feet firm thereby.
12. (Remember) when
your Lord inspired the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so
keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into
the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over
the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes."
13. This is because
they defied and disobeyed Allâh and His Messenger. And whoever
defies and disobeys Allâh and His Messenger, then verily,
Allâh is Severe in punishment.
14. This is the torment,
so taste it, and surely for the disbelievers is the torment of
the Fire.
15. O you who believe!
When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battle-field, never turn
your backs to them.
16. And whoever turns
his back to them on such a day - unless it be a stratagem of war,
or to retreat to a troop (of his own), - he indeed has drawn upon
himself wrath from Allâh. And his abode is Hell, and
worst indeed is that destination!
17. You killed them
not, but Allâh killed them. And you (Muhammad SAW) threw not when you did throw
but Allâh threw, that He might test the believers by a fair
trial from Him. Verily, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
18. This (is the
fact) and surely, Allâh weakens the deceitful plots of the
disbelievers.
19. (O disbelievers)
if you ask for a judgement, now has the judgement come unto you
and if you cease (to do wrong), it will be better for you, and
if you return (to the attack), so shall We return, and your forces
will be of no avail to you, however numerous it be, and verily,
Allâh is with the believers.
20. O you who believe!
Obey Allâh and His Messenger, and turn not away from him
(i.e. Messenger Muhammad SAW)
while you are hearing.
21. And be not like
those who say: "We have heard," but they hear not.
22. Verily! The worst
of (moving) living creatures with Allâh are the deaf and
the dumb, those who understand not (i.e. the disbelievers).
23. Had Allâh
known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen,
and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned
away, averse (to the truth).
24. O you who believe!
Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he
(SAW) calls you[]
to that which will give you life,[] and know
that Allâh comes in between a person and his heart (i.e.
He prevents an evil person to decide anything). And verily to
Him you shall (all) be gathered.
25. And fear the
Fitnah (affliction and trial, etc.) which affects not in
particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict
all the good and the bad people), and know that Allâh is
Severe in punishment.
26. And remember
when you were few and were reckoned weak in the land, and were
afraid that men might kidnap you, but He provided a safe place
for you, strengthened you with His Help, and provided you with
good things so that you might be grateful.
27. O you who believe!
Betray not Allâh and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly
your Amânât (things entrusted to you, and all
the duties which Allâh has ordained for you).[]
28. And know that
your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely
with Allâh is a mighty reward.
29. O you who believe!
If you obey and fear Allâh, He will grant you Furqân
a criterion [(to judge between right and wrong), or (Makhraj,
i.e. making a way for you to get out from every difficulty)],
and will expiate for you your sins, and forgive you, and Allâh
is the Owner of the Great Bounty.
30. And (remember)
when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad SAW) to imprison you, or to kill you,
or to get you out (from your home, i.e. Makkah); they were
plotting and Allâh too was planning, and Allâh is
the Best of the planners.
31. And when Our
Verses (of the Qur'ân) are recited to them, they say: "We
have heard this (the Qur'ân); if we wish we can say the
like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients."
32. And (remember)
when they said: "O Allâh! If this (the Qur'ân)
is indeed the truth (revealed) from You, then rain down stones
on us from the sky or bring on us a painful torment."
33. And Allâh
would not punish them while you (Muhammad SAW) are amongst them, nor will He
punish them while they seek (Allâh's) Forgiveness.
34. And why should
not Allâh punish them while they stop (men) from Al-Masjid-al-Harâm,
and they are not its guardians? None can be its guardian except
Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2), but most of
them know not.
35. Their Salât
(prayer) at the House (of Allâh, i.e. the Ka'bah at Makkah)
was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. Therefore taste
the punishment because you used to disbelieve.
36. Verily, those
who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the Path
of Allâh, and so will they continue to spend it; but in
the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be
overcomed. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto Hell.
37. In order that
Allâh may distinguish the wicked (disbelievers, polytheists
and doers of evil deeds) from the good (believers of Islâmic
Monotheism and doers of righteous deeds), and put the wicked (disbelievers,
polytheists and doers of evil deeds) one on another, heap them
together and cast them into Hell. Those! it is they who are the
losers.
38. Say to those
who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past
will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the
examples of those (punished) before them have already preceded
(as a warning).
39. And fight them
until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism:
i.e. worshipping others besides Allâh) and the religion
(worship) will all be for Allâh Alone [in the whole of the
world[]]. But if they cease (worshipping others
besides Allâh), then certainly, Allâh is All-Seer
of what they do.[]
40. And if they turn
away, then know that Allâh is your Maulâ (Patron,
Lord, Protector and Supporter, etc.), (what) an Excellent Maulâ,
and (what) an Excellent Helper!
41. And know that
whatever of war-booty that you may gain, verily one-fifth (1/5th)
of it is assigned to Allâh, and to the Messenger, and to
the near relatives [of the Messenger (Muhammad SAW)], (and also) the orphans, Al-Masâkin
(the poor) and the wayfarer, if you have believed in Allâh
and in that which We sent down to Our slave (Muhammad SAW) on the Day of criterion (between
right and wrong), the Day when the two forces met (the battle
of Badr) - And Allâh is Able to do all things.
42. (And remember)
when you (the Muslim army) were on the near side of the valley,
and they on the farther side, and the caravan on the ground lower
than you. Even if you had made a mutual appointment to meet, you
would certainly have failed in the appointment, but (you met)
that Allâh might accomplish a matter already ordained (in
His Knowledge); so that those who were to be destroyed (for their
rejecting the Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence,
and those who were to live (i.e. believers) might live after a
clear evidence. And surely, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
43. (And remember)
when Allâh showed them to you as few in your (i.e. Muhammad's
SAW) dream, if He had shown them to
you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would
surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allâh saved
(you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.
44. And (remember)
when you met (the army of the disbelievers on the Day of the battle
of Badr), He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made
you appear as few in their eyes, so that Allâh might accomplish
a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge), and to Allâh
return all matters (for decision).
45. O you who believe!
When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them
and remember the Name of Allâh much (both with tongue and
mind), so that you may be successful.
46. And obey Allâh
and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest
you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely,
Allâh is with those who are As-Sâbirin (the
patient ones, etc.).
47. And be not like
those who come out of their homes boastfully and to be seen of
men, and hinder (men) from the Path of Allâh. and Allâh
is Muhîtun (encircling and thoroughly comprehending)
all that they do.
48. And (remember)
when Shaitân (Satan) made their (evil) deeds seem
fair to them and said, "No one of mankind can overcome you
this Day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbour
(for each and every help)." But when the two forces came
in sight of each other, he ran away and said "Verily, I have
nothing to do with you. Verily! I see what you see not. Verily!
I fear Allâh for Allâh is Severe in punishment."
49. When the hypocrites
and those in whose hearts was a disease (of disbelief) said: "These
people (Muslims) are deceived by their religion." But whoever
puts his trust in Allâh, then surely, Allâh is All-Mighty,
All-Wise.
50. And if you could
see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve
(at death), they smite their faces and their backs, (saying):
"Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire."
51. "This is
because of that which your hands had forwarded. And verily, Allâh
is not unjust to His slaves."
52. Similar to the
behaviour of the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), and of those before
them; they rejected the Ayât (proofs, verses, etc.)
of Allâh, so Allâh punished them for their sins. Verily,
Allâh is All-Strong, Severe in punishment.
53. That is so because
Allâh will never change a grace which He has bestowed on
a people until they change what is in their ownselves. And verily,
Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
54. Similar to the
behaviour of the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), and those before
them. They belied the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses,
lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), of their Lord, so We destroyed
them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Fir'aun (Pharaoh)
for they were all Zâlimûn (polytheists and
wrong-doers, etc.).
55. Verily, The worst
of moving (living) creatures before Allâh are those who
disbelieve[], - so they shall not believe.
56. They are those
with whom you made a covenant, but they break their covenant every
time and they do not fear Allâh.
57. So if you gain
the mastery over them in war, punish them severely in order to
disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.
58. If you (O Muhammad
SAW) fear treachery from any people
throw back (their covenant) to them (so as to be) on equal terms
(that there will be no more covenant between you and them). Certainly
Allâh likes not the treacherous.
59. And let not those
who disbelieve think that they can outstrip (escape from the punishment).
Verily, they will never be able to save themselves (from Allâh's
Punishment).
60. And make ready
against them all you can of power, including steeds of war (tanks,
planes, missiles, artillery, etc.) to threaten the enemy of Allâh
and your enemy, and others besides whom, you may not know but
whom Allâh does know. And whatever you shall spend in the
Cause of Allâh shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not
be treated unjustly.
61. But if they incline
to peace, you also incline to it, and (put your) trust in Allâh.
Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.
62. And if they intend
to deceive you, then verily, Allâh is All-Sufficient for
you. He it is Who has supported you with His Help and with the
believers.
63. And He has united
their (i.e. believers') hearts. If you had spent all that is in
the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allâh
has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
64. O Prophet (Muhammad
SAW)! Allâh is Sufficient for
you and for the believers who follow you.
65. O Prophet (Muhammad
SAW)! Urge the believers to fight.
If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome
two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they
will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they
(the disbelievers) are people who do not understand.
66. Now Allâh
has lightened your (task), for He knows that there is weakness
in you. So if there are of you a hundred steadfast persons, they
shall overcome two hundred, and if there are a thousand of you,
they shall overcome two thousand with the Leave of Allâh.
And Allâh is with As-Sâbirin (the patient ones,
etc.).
67. It is not for
a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them
with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies)
in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money
of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allâh desires (for
you) the Hereafter. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
68. Were it not a
previous ordainment from Allâh, a severe torment would have
touched you for what you took.
69. So enjoy what
you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and be afraid
of Allâh. Certainly, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.
70. O Prophet! Say
to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allâh knows
any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than
what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allâh
is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
71. But if they intend
to betray you (O Muhammad SAW),
they have already betrayed Allâh before. So He gave (you)
power over them. And Allâh is All-Knower, All-Wise.
72. Verily, those
who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their
property and their lives in the Cause of Allâh as well as
those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies
to one another. And as to those who believed but did not emigrate
(to you O Muhammad SAW),
you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate[],
but if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help
them except against a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual
alliance, and Allâh is the All-Seer of what you do.
73. And those who
disbelieve are allies to one another, (and) if you (Muslims of
the whole world collectively) do not do so (i.e. become allies,
as one united block with one Khalifah - chief Muslim ruler
for the whole Muslim world to make victorious Allâh's Religion
of Islâmic Monotheism), there will be Fitnah (wars,
battles, polytheism, etc.) and oppression on earth, and a great
mischief and corruption (appearance of polytheism).[]
74. And those who
believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the Cause of Allâh
(Al-Jihâd), as well as those who gave (them) asylum
and aid; - these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness
and Rizqun Karîm (a generous provision i.e. Paradise).
75. And those who
believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with
you, (in the Cause of Allâh) they are of you. But kindred
by blood are nearer to one another regarding inheritance in the
decree ordained by Allâh. Verily, Allâh is the All-Knower
of everything.
