Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 1–8

8. Al-Anfaal · The Spoils of War

Madinan75 verses

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَنفَالِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلْأَنفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا۟ ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ ۖ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

8:1They ask you concerning the anfaal. Say, ‘The anfaal belong to Allah and the Apostle.’ So be wary of Allah and settle your differences, and obey Allah and His Apostle, should you be faithful.1

إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَٰتُهُۥ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَٰنًۭا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

8:2The faithful are only those whose hearts tremble [with awe] when Allah is mentioned, and when His signs are recited to them, they increase their faith, and who put their trust in their Lord,2

ٱلَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ

8:3maintain the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them.

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّۭا ۚ لَّهُمْ دَرَجَٰتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ وَرِزْقٌۭ كَرِيمٌۭ

8:4It is they who are truly the faithful. They shall have ranks near their Lord, forgiveness and a noble provision.

كَمَآ أَخْرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَيْتِكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَكَٰرِهُونَ

8:5As your Lord brought you out from your home with a just cause, a part of the faithful were indeed reluctant.

يُجَٰدِلُونَكَ فِى ٱلْحَقِّ بَعْدَمَا تَبَيَّنَ كَأَنَّمَا يُسَاقُونَ إِلَى ٱلْمَوْتِ وَهُمْ يَنظُرُونَ

8:6They disputed with you concerning the truth after it had become clear, as if they were being driven towards death as they looked on.

وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ إِحْدَى ٱلطَّآئِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ ٱلشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ ٱلْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَٰتِهِۦ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ

8:7When Allah promised you [victory over] one of the two companies, [saying], ‘It is for you,’ you were eager that it should be the one that was unarmed. But Allah desires to confirm the truth with His words, and to root out the faithless,3

لِيُحِقَّ ٱلْحَقَّ وَيُبْطِلَ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ

8:8so that He may confirm the truth and bring falsehood to naught, though the guilty should be averse.

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 1

1.There was disagreement among Muslims regarding the booty that whether it is only the share of warriors or also the share of those who are collecting the booty. Allah clarified that this problem is connected with Jehad. The windfalls (Anfal) are only for Allah and the Prophet and they can give to anyone they like and no one has a right to interfere.

Verse 5

2.From here the account of the Battle of Badr starts. After suffering hardships for thirteen years in Mecca when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) came to Medina the infidels started giving trouble again. To instill the Islamic awe the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.s.) started expanding the strength of Muslims in all directions. During this time Abu Sufyan was returning from Syria with his goods along with the property that the Muhajireen had left in Mecca. The Prophet (s.a.) ordered his followers to intercept him and take away their goods back from him. Some followers showed weakness and at last prepared themselves to set out. Here the Jews of Medina spied on the Muslims and informed the infidels and Abu Sufyan called for reinforcements from Mecca and himself escaped by the coastal route. The reinforcement was about 1000 strong which had 400 horses. The Muslims made excuses that it was impossible to fight against this force. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) explained to them that either they would get booty or victory in the war. People said it was better to get the booty. The Prophet (s.a.) said victory was better. At last the war started. Utba, Shaiba and Walid stepped forward from the enemy side. Ubaidah, Hamza and Ali (a.s.) faced them. Ali (a.s.) killed Walid and fighting continued between Hamza and Shaiba. Ali (a.s.) killed Shaiba too. The confrontation of Ubaidah and Utba was very severe. Ali (a.s.) killed Utba too and in this way 70 infidels were killed and 70 were arrested. From the Muslims, only 14 were killed and no one was taken captive. The argument of the companions was against faith, but all are not equal in this matter.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. 1

    Anfal is the plural of Nafal. Nafal means abundance or favour. There is difference of opinion among the commentators whether this refers to the war booty in general or it specifically refer to the booty obtained during the Battle of Badr. However, according to the traditions Anfal refers to things obtained without anyone’s intervention. Like the territories or lands whose owners are no more, mountainous heights, plateaus, desolate places, mineral deposits and specific properties of rulers.

  2. 2

    Tawakkul does not denote unemployment and expectation of Divine mercy. Tawakkul (reliance) denotes that one struggles and tries and then relies on Allah for the consequence of his labour because He has the results of all our deeds. If He wins all our toils shall remain useless.

  3. 3

    The previous ayat mentions the divine promise of help and in this ayat truth denotes Islam and falsehood stands for disbelief. Mujremeen (criminals) is the title of the enemies of Islam.

    Benefit: In the 7th ayat a trade caravan is called an unarmed party, which means that an army is the armed party. It is on the basis that ‘Shok’ means to cut. This word is used for the tips of the spear and for other weapons as well.