Surah 8. Al-Anfal

THEY WILL ASK thee about the spoils of war. Say: "All spoils of war belong to God and the Apostle."¹ Remain, then, conscious of God, and keep alive the bonds of brotherhood among yourselves,² and pay heed unto God and His Apostle, if you are [truly] believers!

  - Mohammad Asad

The term nafl (of which anfal is the plural) denotes, in its purely linguistic sense, "an accretion or addition received beyond one's due" or "something given in excess of one's obligation" (from which latter meaning the term salat an-nafl - i.e., a "supererogatory prayer" - is derived). In its plural form anfal, which occurs in the Qur'an only in the above verse, this word signifies "spoils of war", inasmuch as such spoils are an incidental accession above and beyond anything that a mujahid ("a fighter in God's cause") is entitled to expect. The statement that "all spoils of war belong to God and the Apostle" implies that no individual warrior has a claim to any war booty: it is public property, to be utilized or distributed by the government of an Islamic state in accordance with the principles laid down in the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet. For further details relating to the division of spoils of war, see verse {41} of this surah. - The immediate occasion of this revelation was the question of the booty acquired by the Muslims in the battle of Badr (an account of which is given in the introductory note to this surah); but the principle enunciated above is valid for all times and circumstances.

Lit., "set to rights the relationship between yourselves" - i e., "remain conscious of your brotherhood in faith and banish all discord among yourselves".

They ask you about booty (spoils of war). Tell them: "The Booty belongs to Allah and His Rasool: so fear Allah, end your disputes, and correct the relations between yourselves: obey Allah and His Rasool if you are true believers."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They ask you 'O Prophet' regarding the spoils of war. Say, 'Their distribution is decided by Allah and His Messenger. So be mindful of Allah, settle your affairs, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are 'true' believers.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

They ask thee (O Muhammad) of the spoils of war. Say: The spoils of war belong to Allah and the messenger, so keep your duty to Allah, and adjust the matter of your difference, and obey Allah and His messenger, if ye are (true) believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

They ask thee concerning (things taken as) spoils of war. Say: "(Such) spoils are at the disposal of Allah and the apostle: so fear Allah and keep straight the relations between yourselves: obey Allah and His apostle if ye do believe." ^{1178 1179}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The occasion was the question of the division of the booty after the battle of Badr. See Introduction to this Sura.

Booty taken in a lawful and just war. It belongs to the Cause, in this case the Cause of Allah, as administered by His Messenger. The chief thing is to remain staunch to the Cause of Allah, and have no differences among those who stand for the Cause. Our internal relations must be kept straight: they must not be disturbed by cupidity or worldly considerations of gain, for any windfalls of this kind should be outside our calculations.

Believers are only they whose hearts tremble with awe whenever God is mentioned, and whose faith is strengthened whenever His messages are conveyed unto them,³ and who in their Sustainer place their trust -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "and whenever His messages are conveyed to them, they increase them in faith".

The true believers are those whose hearts tremble with fear, when the name of Allah is mentioned, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations and they put their trust in their Rabb,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

The 'true' believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.

  - Mustafa Khattab

They only are the (true) believers whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned, and when the revelations of Allah are recited unto them they increase their faith, and who trust in their Lord;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For believers are those who when Allah is mentioned feel a tremor in their hearts and when they hear His signs rehearsed find their faith strengthened and put (all) their trust in their Lord.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

those who are constant in prayer and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance:⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {2}, note [4].

who establish Salah and spend in charity out of the sustenance which We have given them.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'They are' those who establish prayer and donate from what We have provided for them.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Who establish worship and spend of that We have bestowed on them.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Who establish regular prayers and spend (freely) out of the gifts We have given them for sustenance: ¹¹⁸⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Sustenance: The object is to warn off from the love of booty. To all true Believers Allah gives generous sustenance in any case.

it is they, they who are truly believers! Theirs shall be great dignity in their Sustainer's sight, and forgiveness of sins, and a most excellent sustenance.⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., in paradise. According to Razi, however, the "most excellent sustenance" is a metonym for "the spiritual raptures arising from the knowledge of God, the love of Him, and the self-immersion (istighraq) in worshipping Him". In Razi's interpretation, this expression refers to the spiritual reward of faith in this world. Some commentators (cf. Manar IX, 597) regard the above definition of true believers as the most important passage of this surah. - The phrase rendered by me as "theirs shall be great dignity" reads, literally, "they shall have degrees", namely, of excellence and dignity.

They are the ones who are the true believers; they will have exalted ranks with their Rabb, forgiveness for their sins, and honorable sustenance.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is they who are the true believers. They will have elevated ranks, forgiveness, and an honourable provision from their Lord.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Those are they who are in truth believers. For them are grades (of honor) with their Lord, and pardon, and a bountiful provision.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Such in truth are the believers: they have grades of dignity with their Lord and forgiveness and generous sustenance.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

EVEN AS thy Sustainer brought thee forth from thy home [to fight] in the cause of the truth, although some of the believers were averse to it,

  - Mohammad Asad

Your Rabb ordered you to leave your home to fight for justice, but some of the believers were reluctant.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Similarly, when your Lord brought you 'O Prophet' out of your home for a just cause, a group of believers was totally against it.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Even as thy Lord caused thee (Muhammad) to go forth from thy home with the Truth, and lo! a party of the believers were averse (to it),

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Just as thy Lord ordered thee out of thy house in truth even though a party among the believers disliked it. ¹¹⁸¹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Just as: the comparison takes us back to the first clause in verse 4: "such in truth are the Believers"-just as thy Lord also is just and true in ordering thee out to fight against heavy odds, when the alternative was to fight against the unarmed caravan which would have given thee abundant booty almost without a fight. To appreciate the full meaning, remember that the word haqq, translated "truth" means also "right," "just", "what is becoming." The true Believers believe in truth and do right in obedience to Allah's command. So Allah also, in asking them to fight against odds, is not asking them to rush to destruction, but is providing them with an opportunity of vindicating the truth in scorn of worldly advantage. And He made good His promise by giving them victory.

[so, too,] they would argue with thee about the truth [itself] after it had become manifest⁶ - just as if they were being driven towards death and beheld it with their very eyes.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., after it had become clear that it was indeed God's will that the Muslims should give open battle to the Quraysh army. This reference to the antecedents of the battle of Badr (see the introductory note to this surah) connects with the admonition given in verse {1}, "pay heed unto God and His Apostle", as well as with the reminder, in verse {2}, that true believers place all their trust in God. A few of the followers of the Prophet disliked the idea of giving battle to the main army of the Quraysh, instead of attacking the Meccan caravan returning from Syria and thus of acquiring easy booty; but the majority of them immediately declared that they would follow God's Apostle wherever he might lead them. - Some of the commentators are inclined to relate the adverbial particle kama ("just as" or "even as"), introducing this sentence, to the preceding passage and, thus, to their duty to follow God's commands. Others, however, regard this interpretation as somewhat laboured, and relate the comparison implied in kama to the first clause of verse {6}, explaining the passage thus: "Just as some of the believers were averse to going forth from Medina to give battle to the Quraysh, so, too, they would argue with thee as to whether it was really willed by God." This, in particular, was the view of Mujahid, whom Tabari quotes with approval in his commentary on this verse.

They argued with you about the truth which had been made clear, as if they were being driven to death with their eyes wide open.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

They disputed with you about the truth after it had been made clear, as if they were being driven to death with their eyes wide open.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Disputing with thee of the Truth after it had been made manifest, as if they were being driven to death visible.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Disputing with thee concerning the truth after it was made manifest as if they were being driven to death and they (actually) saw it. ¹¹⁸²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In verse 6 we have again the word "truth": some of the Believers disputed concerning "the truth": they did not feel sure that the course recommended was the right course. They thought it would be certain destruction: they saw death almost staring them in the face.

And, lo, God gave you the promise that one of the two [enemy] hosts would fall to you: and you would have liked to seize the less powerful one,⁷ whereas it was God's will to prove the truth to be true in accordance with His words, and to wipe out the last remnant of those who denied the truth⁸ -

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "while you would have liked the one which was not powerful to be yours" - i.e., the caravan coming from Syria, which was accompanied by only forty armed men and could, therefore, be attacked without great danger.

The destruction of the Meccan army at Badr was the prelude to the elimination, in the course of the next few years, of all opposition to Islam in its homeland: and it is to this future fulfilment of God's promise that the above words refer. See also surah {11}, note [103].

Remember, Allah promised you victory over one of the two enemy parties and you wished for the one which was unarmed but Allah intended to prove the truth to be true according to His words and to cut off the roots of the unbelievers,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Remember, O believers,' when Allah promised 'to give' you the upper hand over either target, you wished to capture the unarmed party.¹ But it was Allah's Will to establish the truth by His Words and uproot the disbelievers;

  - Mustafa Khattab

 After many years of persecution in Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) and many of his early followers decided to emigrate secretly to Medina, about 250 miles to the north, leaving behind their homes and valuables, which were soon taken over by the pagans of Mecca. To avenge  this financial loss, the Prophet (ﷺ) decided to capture an unarmed Meccan trade caravan headed by Abu Sufyân, a Meccan chief. Eventually, the caravan escaped, but the Meccans mobilized an army of over 1000 well-armed soldiers, more than three times the size of the Muslim force. Many Muslims had hoped to capture the caravan without having to meet the Meccan army in battle. Although the Muslims were vastly outnumbered and lightly-armed, they still won this decisive battle.

And when Allah promised you one of the two bands (of the enemy) that it should be yours, and ye longed that other than the armed one might be yours. And Allah willed that He should cause the Truth to triumph by His words, and cut the root of the disbelievers;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold! Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties that it should be yours: ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours but Allah willed to justify the truth according to His words and to cut off the roots of the unbelievers. ¹¹⁸³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Just before Badr there were two alternatives before the Muslims in Madinah to save themselves from being overwhelmed by the Makkan Quraish with all their resources from the rich Syrian trade. One, which had least danger for the time being, and also promised much booty, was to fall upon the Quraish caravan returning from Syria to Makkah richly laden, and led by Aba Sufyan with only 40 men unarmed. From a wordly point of view this was the safest and most lucrative course. The other alternative, was to leave the booty out boldly against the well-armed and well-equipped Quraish army of 1,000 men coming from Makkah. The Muslims had no more than 300 men, ill-armed, to oppose this force. But if they could defeat it, it would shake the selfish autocracy which was in possession of Makkah. By Allah's help they won a splendid victory, and the standard of Truth was established, never to be lowered again.

so that He might prove the truth to be true and the false to be false, however hateful this might be to those who were lost in sin.⁹

  - Mohammad Asad

The implication is that the truth of the Prophet's cause could not have been vindicated by the Muslims' overcoming and plundering the rich caravan which was approaching from the north. Although such an action would have benefited the Muslims materially, it would not have lessened the strength of the pagan Quraysh: while, on the other hand, the encounter at Badr with the main, heavily-armed Quraysh force, resulting as it did in a decisive victory of the Muslims, was destined to shatter the self-confidence of the enemy and thus to pave the way for the ultimate triumph of Islam in Arabia.

so that truth should come out as truth and falsehood should be proved as false, even though the criminals wished otherwise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

to firmly establish the truth and wipe out falsehood- even to the dismay of the wicked.

  - Mustafa Khattab

That He might cause the Truth to triumph and bring vanity to naught, however much the guilty might oppose;

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

That He might justify and prove falsehood false distasteful though it be to those in guilt.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Lo! You were praying unto your Sustainer for aid, whereupon He thus responded to you: "I shall, verily, aid you with a thousand angels following one upon another!"

  - Mohammad Asad

When you prayed to your Rabb for help, He answered: "I will assist you with one thousand angels, one after another."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Remember' when you cried out to your Lord for help, He answered, 'I will reinforce you with a thousand angels- followed by many others.'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Five thousand angels in total, as mentioned in 3:125.

When ye sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): I will help you with a thousand of the angels, rank on rank.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Remember ye implored the assistance of your Lord and He answered you: "I will assist you with a thousand of the angels ranks on ranks." ¹¹⁸⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. iii. 123, 125, 126. The number of angels, a thousand at Badr and three thousand and five thousand at Uhud, is equal to the strength of the enemy.

And God ordained this only as a glad tiding, and that your hearts should thereby be set at rest - since no succour can come from any save God: verily, God is almighty, wise!¹⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

"On the day of the battle of Badr, the Prophet looked at his followers, who were three hundred-odd men, and he looked at those who were ascribing divinity to beings other than God: and lo, they were more than one thousand. Thereupon God's Prophet turned towards the qiblah, raised his hands and thus implored his Sustainer: 'O God! Fulfil what Thou hast promised me! O God! If this little band of those who have surrendered themselves unto Thee is destroyed, Thou wilt not be worshipped on earth...'." This authentic Tradition, quoted by Muslim, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, etc., appears also in a very similar version in Bukhari's Sahih. It is said that the above Our'an-verse was revealed in response to the Prophet's prayer - whereupon he recited another, much earlier verse ( 54:45 ): "The hosts shall be routed, and shall turn their backs [in flight]" (Bukhari). - As regards the promise of aid through thousands of angels, see {3:124-125}, where a similar promise - made on the occasion of the battle of Uhud - is said to have been uttered by the Prophet and thus, by implication, confirmed by God. The spiritual nature of this angelic aid is clearly expressed by the words, "and God ordained this only as a glad tiding...", etc. (See also surah {3}, notes [93] and [94].)

By this good news, Allah sought to comfort your heart, for victory comes only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And Allah made this a sign of victory and reassurance to your hearts. Victory comes only from Allah. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Allah appointed it only as good tidings, and that your hearts thereby might be at rest. Victory cometh only by the help of Allah. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Allah made it but a message of hope and an assurance to your heart: (in any case) there is no help except from Allah: and Allah is exalted in power wise. ¹¹⁸⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

All help comes ultimately from Allah. In special cases it may take special forms to put heart into us, and to fit in with our feelings and our psychology.