8. Al-Anfaal

O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allah 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 Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (70)But if they intend to betray you, they indeed betrayed Allah before. So He gave (you) power over them. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise (71)

Pagan Prisoners at Badr were promised better than what They lost, if They become Righteous in the Future

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas said that before the battle of Badr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

إِنِّي قَدْ عَرَفْتُ أَنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَغَيْرِهِمْ قَدْ أُخْرِجُوا كَرْهًا لَا حَاجَةَ لَهُمْ بِقِتَالِنَا فَمَنْ لَقِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ - أَيْ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ - فَلَا يَقْتُلْهُ، وَمَنْ لَقِيَ أَبَا الْبُخْتَرِي بْنَ هِشَامٍ مُسْتَكرِهًا

(I have come to know that some people from Bani Hashim and others were forced to accompany the pagans, although they had no desire to fight us. Therefore, whoever meets any of them (Bani Hashim), do not kill him. Whoever meets Abu Al-Bukhtari bin Hisham, should not kill him. Whoever meets Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-Muttalib, let him not kill him, for he was forced to come (with the pagan army).)

Abu Hudhayfah bin 'Utbah said, "Shall we kill our fathers, children, brothers and tribesmen (from Quraysh), and leave Al-'Abbas? By Allah! If I meet him, I will kill him with the sword." When this reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he said to 'Umar bin Al-Khattab,

يَا أَبَا حَفْصٍ

(O Abu Hafs!), and 'Umar said, "By Allah that was the first time that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ called me Abu Hafs."

أَيُضْرَبُ وَجْهُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللهِ بِالسَّيْفِ

(Will the face of the Messenger of Allahs's uncle be struck with the sword?) 'Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger! Give me permission to cut off his neck (meaning Abu Hudhayfah) for he has fallen into hypocrisy, by Allah!" Ever since that happened, Abu Hudhayfah used to say, "By Allah! I do not feel safe from this statement coming back to haunt me, and I will continue to fear its repercussions, unless Allah, the Exalted, forgives me for it through martyrdom." Abu Hudhayfah was martyred during the battle of Al-Yamamah, may Allah be pleased with him.

Ibn 'Abbas said, "On the eve after Badr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ spent the first part of the night awake, while the prisoners were bound. His Companions said to him, 'O Allah's Messenger! Why do you not sleep?' Al-'Abbas had been captured by a man from Al-Ansar, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to them,

سَمِعْتُ أَنِينَ عَمِّي الْعَبَّاسِ فِي وِثَاقِهِ فَأَطْلِقُوهُ

(I heard the cries of pain from my uncle Al-'Abbas, because of his shackles, so untie him.)

When his uncle stopped crying from pain, Allah's Messenger ﷺ went to sleep." In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded a Hadith from Musa bin 'Uqbah who said that Ibn Shihab said that Anas bin Malik said that some men from Al-Ansar said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "O Allah's Messenger! Give us permission and we will set free our maternal cousin Al-'Abbas without taking ransom from him." He said,

لَا وَاللهِ! لَا تَذَرُونَ مِنْهُ دِرْهَـمًا

(No, by Allah! Do …

Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the cause of Allah 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, 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 Allah is the All-Seer of what you do (72)

The Muhajirin and Al-Ansar are the Supporters of One Another

Here Allah mentions the types of believers, dividing them into the Muhajirin, who left their homes and estates, emigrating to give support to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ to establish His religion. They gave up their wealth and themselves in this cause. There are also the Ansar, the Muslims of Al-Madinah, who gave asylum to their Muhajirin brethren in their own homes and comforted them with their wealth. They also gave aid to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ by fighting alongside the Muhajirun. Certainly they are,

بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ

(allies to one another), for each one of them has more right to the other than anyone else. This is why Allah's Messenger ﷺ forged ties of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and Ansar, as Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn 'Abbas. They used to inherit from each other, having more right to inheritance than the deceased man's relatives, until Allah abrogated that practice with the fixed share for near relatives. Imam Ahmad recorded that Jarir bin 'Abdullah Al-Bajali said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

الْمُهَاجِرُون وَالْأَنْصَارُ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ، وَالطُّلَقَاءُ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ، وَالْعُتَقَاءُ مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

(The Muhajirun and Al-Ansar are the supporters of each other, while the Tulaqa' of Quraysh (whom the Prophet ﷺ set free after conquering Makkah) and 'Utaqa' from Thaqif (whom the Prophet ﷺ set free from captivity after the battle of Hunayn) are supporters of each other until the Day of Resurrection.)

Only Ahmad collected this Hadith.

Allah praised the Muhajirin and the Ansar in several Ayat of His Book and His Messenger ﷺ (also praised them too). Allah said,

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ

(And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and also those who followed them exactly. Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise).)[9:100],

لَّقَد تَّابَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ الْعُسْرَةِ

(Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the time of distress.)[9:117], and,

لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا وَيَنصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ - وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ …

And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the cause of Allah (Al-Jihad), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid – these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and a generous provision (74)And those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with you, they are of you. But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything (75)

Believers in Truth

After Allah affirmed the ruling of loyalty and protection between the believers in this life, He then mentioned their destination in the Hereafter. Allah also affirmed the faith of the believers, just as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah, and that He will reward them with forgiveness and by erasing their sins, if they have any. He also promised them honorable provisions that are abundant, pure, everlasting and eternal; provisions that never end or run out, nor will they ever cause boredom, for they are delightful and come in great varieties. Allah then mentioned that those who follow the path of the believers in faith and performing good deeds, will be with them in the Hereafter. Just as Allah said,

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ

(And the foremost to embrace Islam...)[9:100], until the end of the Ayah. He also said,

وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ

(And those who came after them ...)[59:10].

A Hadith that is in the Two Sahihs, which is Mutawatir and has several authentic chains of narrations, mentions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

(One will be in the company of those whom he loves.) Another Hadith states,

مَنْ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا فَهُوَ مِنْهُم

(He who loves a people is one of them), and in another narration, he ﷺ said,

حُشِرَ مَعَهُم

(...will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).)

Inheritance is for Designated Degrees of Relatives

Allah said,

وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ

(But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah), meaning, in Allah's decision. This Ayah encompasses all relatives, not only the degrees of relative who do not have a fixed, designated share in the inheritance, as some people claim and use this Ayah to argue. According to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others, this Ayah abrogated inheriting from those with whom one had ties of treaties or brotherhood, as was the case in the beginning of Islam. So it applies to all relatives, and as for those who do not inherit, then this is supported by the Hadith,

إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ فَلَا وَصِيَّةٍ لِوَارِثٍ

(Indeed Allah had alloted every right to the one who deserves it, so there may be no will for an heir.)

Therefore, this Ayah also includes those who have a fixed share of inheritance. Allah knows best.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal, all praise and thanks are for Allah, in Him we trust, and He is sufficient for us, what an excellent supporter He is.

And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the cause of Allah (Al-Jihad), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid – these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and a generous provision (74)And those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with you, they are of you. But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything (75)

Believers in Truth

After Allah affirmed the ruling of loyalty and protection between the believers in this life, He then mentioned their destination in the Hereafter. Allah also affirmed the faith of the believers, just as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah, and that He will reward them with forgiveness and by erasing their sins, if they have any. He also promised them honorable provisions that are abundant, pure, everlasting and eternal; provisions that never end or run out, nor will they ever cause boredom, for they are delightful and come in great varieties. Allah then mentioned that those who follow the path of the believers in faith and performing good deeds, will be with them in the Hereafter. Just as Allah said,

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ

(And the foremost to embrace Islam...)[9:100], until the end of the Ayah. He also said,

وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ

(And those who came after them ...)[59:10].

A Hadith that is in the Two Sahihs, which is Mutawatir and has several authentic chains of narrations, mentions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

(One will be in the company of those whom he loves.) Another Hadith states,

مَنْ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا فَهُوَ مِنْهُم

(He who loves a people is one of them), and in another narration, he ﷺ said,

حُشِرَ مَعَهُم

(...will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).)

Inheritance is for Designated Degrees of Relatives

Allah said,

وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ

(But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah), meaning, in Allah's decision. This Ayah encompasses all relatives, not only the degrees of relative who do not have a fixed, designated share in the inheritance, as some people claim and use this Ayah to argue. According to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others, this Ayah abrogated inheriting from those with whom one had ties of treaties or brotherhood, as was the case in the beginning of Islam. So it applies to all relatives, and as for those who do not inherit, then this is supported by the Hadith,

إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ فَلَا وَصِيَّةٍ لِوَارِثٍ

(Indeed Allah had alloted every right to the one who deserves it, so there may be no will for an heir.)

Therefore, this Ayah also includes those who have a fixed share of inheritance. Allah knows best.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal, all praise and thanks are for Allah, in Him we trust, and He is sufficient for us, what an excellent supporter He is.