Verses 17–25
8. Al-Anfaal · The Spoils of War
Madinan75 verses
فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَمَىٰ ۚ وَلِيُبْلِىَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ بَلَآءً حَسَنًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
8:17You did not kill them; rather, it was Allah who killed them; and you did not throw when you threw, rather, it was Allah who threw, that He might test the faithful with a good test from Himself. Indeed Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.1
ذَٰلِكُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُوهِنُ كَيْدِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
8:18Such is the case, and [know] that Allah undermines the stratagems of the faithless.
إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُوا۟ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْفَتْحُ ۖ وَإِن تَنتَهُوا۟ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَعُودُوا۟ نَعُدْ وَلَن تُغْنِىَ عَنكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
8:19If you sought a verdict, the verdict has certainly come to you; and if you cease [your belligerence against the Prophet and his followers], it is better for you, but if you resume, We [too] shall return and your troops will never avail you though they should be ever so many, and [know] that Allah is with the faithful.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَوَلَّوْا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَنتُمْ تَسْمَعُونَ
8:20O you who have faith! Obey Allah and His Apostle, and do not turn away from him while you hear [him].
وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ
8:21Do not be like those who say, ‘We hear,’ though they do not hear.
۞ إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلصُّمُّ ٱلْبُكْمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
8:22Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are the deaf and dumb who do not exercise their reason.2
وَلَوْ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًۭا لَّأَسْمَعَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّوا۟ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ
8:23Had Allah known any good in them, He would have surely made them hear, and were He to make them hear, surely they would turn away, being disregardful.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ ٱلْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِۦ وَأَنَّهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
8:24O you who have faith! Answer Allah and the Apostle when he summons you to that which will give you life. Know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that toward Him you will be mustered.3
وَٱتَّقُوا۟ فِتْنَةًۭ لَّا تُصِيبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنكُمْ خَآصَّةًۭ ۖ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
8:25And beware of a punishment, which shall not visit the wrongdoers among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in retribution.4
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 17
1.This sentence contains advice for Muslims and the next expresses the greatness of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). Muslims have been told not to be proud of their victory. It is not your deed; it is the result of divine help. The Prophet (s.a.) has been told that his deed is actually Allah’s deed and in this way Allah wants to complete His favour on his followers.
Verse 19
2.Before going for the battle of Battle of Badr the polytheists prayed holding the curtain of Holy Ka’ba for victory to the group which was more elevated. Al1ah said: We accepted your supplication. We made victorious the group which was elevated in Our view.
Verse 24
3.The fact is that Allah and His Prophet invite for the deed that has life of heart and sight and the man gets an everlasting life. Even if the Prophet (s.a.) invites the people to martyrdom, that martyrdom is not a message of destruction. On the contrary it also has the message of eternal life as man becomes eternal.
Verse 25
4.According to Tafseer Tahari and Tafseer Razi, Zubair was conversing with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) when Ali (a.s.) passed by. The Prophet (s.a.) asked him about Ali (a.s.). Zubair replied: I hold Ali (a.s.) dearer to me than my children. The Prophet (s.a.) said: Beware of the time when you go to fight against him. Zubair himself says: I did not realize this for a long time that the Prophet (s.a.) was talking about us and none else.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
Benefit
Regarding the 19th ayat some people believe that it is about the polytheists and they are warned therein. However some people have construed it to apply to Muslims having weak faith who have achieved their hope of victory and in spite of it they are arguing with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) regarding the war booty. and they are not trusting the Prophet (s.a.).
- 1
‘Balaa’ is used to denote test or examination and also stands for favour. Here, the latter meaning is applicable that Allah wants to complete His favours.
- 2
It is revealed for Bani Abdullah bin Qusayy, who used to say that they are deaf and dumb regarding the message of Muhammad (s.a.w,s.). The Almighty destroyed all but two of them on the day of Badr.
- 3
That is, man desires something else and what actually happens is different.
- 4
Everyone is affected when a natural calamity occurs (whether heavenly or earthly) though its cause may be anything.