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8. Al-Anfaal

The Spoils of War · Medinan · 75 ayahs

سُورَةُ الأَنفَالِ

Reading Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli & Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti

Ayahs 61–70 of 75

61

۞ وَإِن جَنَحُوا۟ لِلسَّلْمِ فَٱجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ

And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing.

And if they incline to peace read silm or salm meaning ‘settlement’ then incline to it and conclude a pact with them Ibn ‘Abbās said ‘This has been abrogated by the “sword verse” Q. 95’; Mujāhid said ‘This stipulation applies exclusively in the context of the People of the Scripture for it was revealed regarding the Banū Qurayza; and rely on God put your trust in Him; truly He is the Hearer of words the Knower of actions.

Al-Anfaal 8:61Listen in Qur'an →
62

وَإِن يُرِيدُوٓا۟ أَن يَخْدَعُوكَ فَإِنَّ حَسْبَكَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهِۦ وَبِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

But if they intend to deceive you - then sufficient for you is Allah. It is He who supported you with His help and with the believers

And if they desire to trick you by making a peace settlement in order to make preparations for war against you then God is sufficient for you. He it is Who strengthened you with His help and with the believers;

Al-Anfaal 8:62Listen in Qur'an →
63

وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًۭا مَّآ أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

And brought together their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together; but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is Exalted in Might and Wise.

and reconciled brought together their hearts after old feuds had divided them. Had you expended all that is in the earth you could not have reconciled their hearts but God reconciled their hearts through His power. Truly He is Mighty His way prevailing Wise nothing being beyond the scope of His wisdom.

Al-Anfaal 8:63Listen in Qur'an →
64

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَسْبُكَ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

O Prophet, sufficient for you is Allah and for whoever follows you of the believers.

O Prophet God suffices you and the believers who follow you suffice you.

Al-Anfaal 8:64Listen in Qur'an →
65

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَٰبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌۭ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ

O Prophet, urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand.

O Prophet urge on exhort the believers to fight the disbelievers. If there be twenty of you steadfast they will overcome two hundred of them. If there be read as yakun or takun a hundred of you they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve for they are a people who do not understand this sentence is predicative but functions as an imperative in other words let the twenty of you fight the two hundred of them and the hundred of you the thousand of them and let them stand firm against them; but when they became numerous this was abrogated by God’s saying

Al-Anfaal 8:65Listen in Qur'an →
66

ٱلْـَٰٔنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًۭا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌۭ صَابِرَةٌۭ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌۭ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

Now, Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is weakness. So if there are from you one hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you a thousand, they will overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast.

Now God has lightened the burden for you for He knows that there is weakness read du‘fan or da‘fan in you making you unable to fight ten times your number. So if there be read as yakun or takun a hundred of you steadfast they will overcome two hundred of them; and if there be a thousand of you they will overcome two thousand by the leave of God by His will this is predicative functioning as an imperative in other words fight twice your number and stand firm against them. And God is with the steadfast by His support of them.

Al-Anfaal 8:66Listen in Qur'an →
67

مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah 's enemies] in the land. Some Muslims desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

The following was revealed when they ransomed those taken captive at Badr It is not for any Prophet to have read as an takūna lahu or an yakūna lahu prisoners until he has made slaughter in the land going all the way in fighting disbelievers. You O believers desire the transient things of this world its ephemeral gains by ransoming while God desires for you the Hereafter that is its reward through your killing them; and God is Mighty Wise this was abrogated by His words and set them free afterward either with grace or by ransom Q. 474.

Al-Anfaal 8:67Listen in Qur'an →
68

لَّوْلَا كِتَٰبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌۭ

If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you would have been touched for what you took by a great punishment.

Had it not been for an ordinance from God which had preceded making spoils and the taking of captives lawful for you an awful chastisement would have afflicted you for what you took as ransom.

Al-Anfaal 8:68Listen in Qur'an →
69

فَكُلُوا۟ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلَٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

So consume what you have taken of war booty [as being] lawful and good, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Now eat of what you have plundered as lawful and good and fear God. Truly God is Forgiving Merciful.

Al-Anfaal 8:69Listen in Qur'an →
70

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ قُل لِّمَن فِىٓ أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَسْرَىٰٓ إِن يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًۭا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًۭا مِّمَّآ أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

O Prophet, say to whoever is in your hands of the captives, "If Allah knows [any] good in your hearts, He will give you [something] better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

O Prophet say to those captives who are in your hands asrā may also be read as asārā ‘If God knows of any good any faith or sincere devotion in your hearts He will give you better than that which has been taken from you by way of ransom by His multiplying it for you in this world and rewarding you in the Hereafter and will forgive you your sins. Truly God is Forgiving Merciful’.

Al-Anfaal 8:70Listen in Qur'an →

Commentary: Tafsir al-Jalalayn by Jalal al-Din al-Mahalli & Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. Qur'an text and translation via AlQuran Cloud.