Surah 8. Al-Anfal

But if they incline to peace, incline thou to it as well, and place thy trust in God: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing!

  - Mohammad Asad

If the enemy is inclined towards peace, do make peace with them, and put your trust in Allah. He is the One Who hears all , knows all.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah. Lo! He is the Hearer, the Knower.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And should they seek but to deceive thee [by their show of peace] - behold, God is enough for thee!⁶⁷ He it is who has strengthened thee with His succour, and by giving thee believing followers⁶⁸

  - Mohammad Asad

The implication is that "even if they offer peace only with a view to deceiving thee, this [offer of] peace must be accepted, since all judgment [of their intentions] must be based on outward evidence alone" (Razi): in other words, mere suspicion cannot be made an excuse for rejecting an offer of peace.

Lit., "and by the believers": thus signifying the visible means (wasitah) by which God succoured the Prophet.

Should they intend to deceive you, verily Allah is All-Sufficient for you. He is the One Who has strengthened you and the believers with His help ,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if they would deceive thee, then lo! Allah is sufficient for thee. He it is Who supporteth thee with His help and with the believers,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

whose hearts He has brought together: [for,] if thou hadst expended all that is on earth, thou couldst not have brought their hearts together [by thyself]: but God did bring them together. Verily, He is almighty, wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

through putting affection in their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have so united their hearts; but Allah has united them. He is Mighty, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And (as for the believers) hath attuned their hearts. If thou hadst spent all that is in the earth thou couldst not have attuned their hearts, but Allah hath attuned them. Lo! He is Mighty, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

0 Prophet! God is enough for thee and those of the believers who follow thee!

  - Mohammad Asad

O Prophet! Allah is all-sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for thee and those who follow thee of the believers.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

0 Prophet! Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death when fighting,⁶⁹ [so that,] if there be twenty of you who are patient in adversity, they might overcome two hundred; and [that,] if there be one hundred of you, they might overcome one thousand of those who are bent on denying the truth, because they are people who cannot grasp it.⁷⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

For an explanation of the phrase harrid al-mu'minin, see surah {4}, note [102]. Consistently with my interpretation, the words 'ala 'l-qital can be rendered here in either of two ways: "[with a view] to fighting" or "when fighting". On the basis of the conventional interpretation of the verb harrid as "urge" or "rouse", the phrase could be translated as "urge the believers to fight": but this, as I have pointed out in the earlier note referred to above, does not convey the true sense of this injunction.

Some of the commentators see in this verse a divine prediction, thus: "If there be twenty of you..., they shall overcome two hundred...", etc. Since, however, history shows that the believers, even at the time of the Prophet, were not always victorious against such odds, the above view is not tenable. In order to understand this passage correctly, we must read it in close conjunction with the opening sentence, "Inspire the believers to conquer all fear of death", whereupon we arrive at the meaning given in my rendering: namely, an exhortation to the believers to conquer all fear of death and to be so patient in adversity that they might be able to overcome an enemy many times their number (Razi; see also Manar X, 87). The concluding words of this verse - "because they are people who cannot grasp it [i.e., the truth]" - can be understood in either of two ways: (a) as giving an additional reason of the true believers' superiority over "those who are bent on denying the truth" (alladhina kafaru), inasmuch as the latter, not believing in the eternal verities and in life after death, cannot rise to that enthusiasm and readiness for self-sacrifice which distinguishes the true believers; or (b) as explaining that "those who are bent on denying the truth" deny it simply because their spiritual deafness and blindness prevents them from grasping it. To my mind, the second of these two interpretations is preferable, and particularly so in view of the fact that the Qur'an often explains in these terms the attitude of "those who deny the truth" (e.g., in 6:25 , 7:179 , 9:87 , etc.).

O Prophet! Rouse the believers to prepare for combat. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they shall vanquish two hundred: if there are one hundred they shall overcome one thousand of the unbelievers, for they are a people who lack understanding.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred steadfast they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

For the time being, [however,] God has lightened your burden, for He knows that you are weak: and so, if there be one hundred of you who are patient in adversity, they should [be able to] overcome two hundred; and if there be one thousand of you, they should [be able to] overcome two thousand by God's leave: for God is with those who are patient in adversity.⁷¹

  - Mohammad Asad

This relates to the time at which the above verse was revealed, namely, immediately after the battle of Badr (2 H.), when the Muslims were extremely weak both in numbers and in equipment, and their community had not yet attained to any significant degree of political organization. Under those circumstances, the Qur'an says, they could not - nor could any Muslim community of later times, in similar circumstances - be expected to bring forth the effort and the efficiency required of a fully developed community of believers; but even so they should be able to stand up to an enemy twice their number. (The proportions one to two, or - as in the preceding verse, one to ten - are not, of course, to be taken literally; as a matter of fact, the Muslims defeated at Badr a much better armed army more than thrice their own number.) The reference to God's having "lightened the burden" imposed on the believers in this respect makes it clear that both this and the preceding verse imply a divine command couched in terms of exhortation, and not a prediction of events to come (Razi).

For now Allah is lightening your burden, because He knows that there are still some weak individuals among you, so if there are one hundred steadfast among you, they shall vanquish two hundred and if there be one thousand, they will overcome two thousand with the leave of Allah, for Allah is with those who are steadfast.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Now hath Allah lightened your burden, for He knoweth that there is weakness in you. So if there be of you a steadfast hundred they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a thousand (steadfast) they shall overcome two thousand by permission of Allah. Allah is with the steadfast.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

IT DOES NOT behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has battled strenuously on earth.⁷² You may desire the fleeting gains of this world - but God desires [for you the good of] the life to come: and God is almighty, wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., as an aftermath of a war in a just cause. As almost always in the Qur'an, an injunction addressed to the Prophet is, by implication, binding on his followers as well. Consequently, the above verse lays down that no person may be taken, or for any time retained, in captivity unless he was taken prisoner in a jihad - that is, a holy war in defence of the Faith or of freedom (regarding which see surah {2}, note [167]) - and that, therefore, the acquisition of a slave by "peaceful" means, and the keeping of a slave thus acquired, is entirely prohibited: which, to all practical purposes, amounts to a prohibition of slavery as a "social institution". But even with regard to captives taken in war, the Qur'an ordains (in 47:4 ) that they should be freed after the war is over.

It is not fit for a Prophet that he should take prisoners of war until he has thoroughly subdued the land. Do you, O followers of Muhammad, desire the temporal goods of this world? While Allah desires for you the hereafter? Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

It is not for any Prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, there would indeed have befallen you a tremendous chastisement on account of all [the captives] that you took.⁷³

  - Mohammad Asad

This is apparently a reference to the captives taken by the Muslims at Badr, and the discussions among the Prophet's followers as to what should be done with them. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab was of the opinion that they should be killed in revenge for their past misdeeds, and in particular for their persecution of the Muslims before the latters' exodus to Medina; Abu Bakr, on the other hand, pleaded for forgiveness and a release of the prisoners against ransom, supporting his plea with the argument that such an act of mercy might induce some of them to realize the truth of Islam. The Prophet adopted the course of action advocated by Abu Bakr, and released the captives. (The relevant Traditions are quoted by most of the commentators, and especially - with full indication of the sources - by Tabari and Ibn Kathir.) The reference in the above verse to the "tremendous chastisement" that might have befallen the Muslims "but for a decree (kitab) from God that had already gone forth" - i.e., a course of action fore-ordained in God's knowledge - makes it clear that the killing of the captives would have been an awesome sin.

Had there not been a previous sanction from Allah to take ransom, you should have been sternly punished for what you have taken.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Had it not been for an ordinance of Allah which had gone before, an awful doom had come upon you on account of what ye took.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Enjoy, then, all that is lawful and good among the things which you have gained in war, and remain conscious of God: verily, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.

  - Mohammad Asad

Very well, enjoy the booty which you have taken, for it is lawful and pure, but in the future fear Allah. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Now enjoy what ye have won, as lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

[Hence,] O Prophet, say unto the captives who are in your hands: "If God finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than all that has been taken from you, and will forgive you your sins: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."⁷⁴

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "If God finds in your hearts a disposition to realize the truth of His message, He will bestow on you faith and, thus, the good of the life to come: and this will outweigh by far your defeat in war and the loss of so many of your friends and companions." Although these words relate primarily to the pagan Quraysh taken prisoner in the battle of Badr, they circumscribe the Islamic attitude towards all unbelieving enemies who might fall into the believers' hands in the course of war. For a further discussion of the problem of prisoners of war, see 47:4 .

O Prophet! Tell the captives in your custody: "If Allah finds goodness in your hearts He will give you even better than what has been taken from you, as well as forgive you. Allah Is Forgiving, Merciful."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

O Prophet, Say unto those captives who are in your hands: If Allah knoweth any good in your hearts He will give you better than that which hath been taken from you, and will forgive you. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And should they but seek to play false with thee⁷⁵ - well, they were false to God [Himself] ere this: but He gave [the believers] mastery over them.⁷⁶ And God is all-knowing, wise.

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by falsely pretending to a change of heart and an acceptance of Islam in order to be freed from the obligation of paying ransom.

Sc., "and He can, if He so wills, do it again". Thus, the Muslims are enjoined, by implication, to accept the declarations of the captives at their face value, and not to be swayed by mere suspicion of their motives. The possibility of treachery on the part of those captives, and even a later discovery that some of them had indeed played false, should not induce the Muslims to deviate from the course ordained by God.

But if they have treacherous designs against you, O Prophet, they have already shown treason against Allah. That is why He made them your captives. Allah is Knowledgeable, Wise.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And if they would betray thee, they betrayed Allah before, and He gave (thee) power over them. Allah is knower, Wise.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

BEHOLD, as for those who have attained to faith, and who have forsaken the domain of evil⁷⁷ and are striving hard, with their possessions and their lives, in God's cause, as well as those who shelter and succour [them]⁷⁸ - these are [truly] the friends and protectors of one another. But as for those who have come to believe without having migrated [to your country]⁷⁹ - you are in no wise responsible for their protection until such a time as they migrate [to you]. Yet, if they ask you for succour against religious persecution,⁸⁰ it is your duty to give [them] this succour - except against a people between whom and yourselves there is a covenant:⁸¹ for God sees all that you do.

  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {2}, note [203]. Historically, this expression relates to the Meccan Muslims who migrated with the Prophet to Medina; but the sequence makes it clear that the definitions and injunctions provided by this verse are in the nature of a general law, valid for all times. With all this, it should be noted that the hijrah referred to here has a preponderantly physical connotation, implying an emigration from a non-Muslim country to a country ruled by the Law of Islam.

This refers, in the first instance, to the ansar at Medina - that is, to the newly-converted Muslims of that town, who gave shelter and whole-hearted aid to the muhajirin ("emigrants") from Mecca before and after the Prophet's own migration thither: but, similar to the spiritual meaning attaching to the terms hijrah and muhajir, the expression ansar transcends its purely historical connotation and applies to all believers who aid and give comfort to "those who flee from evil unto God".

I.e., those Muslims who, for some reason or other, remain outside the political jurisdiction of the Islamic state. Since not every non-Muslim country is necessarily a "domain of evil", I am rendering the phrase wa-lam yuhajiru as "without having migrated [to your country]".

Lit., "to succour them in religion": implying that they are exposed to persecution on account of their religious beliefs.

I.e., a treaty of alliance or of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. Since in such cases an armed intervention of the Islamic state in behalf of the Muslim citizens of a non-Muslim state would constitute a breach of treaty obligations, the Islamic state is not allowed to seek redress by force. A solution of the problem could conceivably be brought about by negotiations between the two states or, alternatively, by an emigration of the persecuted Muslims.

Those who believed (embraced Islam), migrated and made Jihad (exerted their utmost struggle) with their wealth and their persons in the cause of Allah; as well as those who gave them asylum and help, are indeed the protecting friends of one another. As to those who believed (embraced Islam) but did not emigrate (to Dar-ul-Islam, the Islamic State), you are under no obligation to protect them until they emigrate; yet it is your obligation to help them in the matters of faith if they ask for your help, except against a people with whom you have a treaty. Allah is observant of all your actions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Lo! those who believed and left their homes and strove with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them; these are protecting friends one of another. And those who believed but did not leave their homes, ye have no duty to protect them till they leave their homes; but if they seek help from you in the matter of religion then it is your duty to help (them) except against a folk between whom and you there is a treaty. Allah is Seer of what ye do.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

With all this, [remember that] those who are bent on denying the truth are allies of one another;⁸² and unless you act likewise [among yourselves], oppression will reign on earth, and great corruption.

  - Mohammad Asad

The fact of their being bent on denying the truth of the divine message constitutes, as it were, a common denominator between them, and precludes the possibility of their ever being real friends to the believers. This refers, of course, to relations between communities, and not necessarily between individuals: hence my rendering of the term awliya', in this context, as "allies".

The unbelievers are protectors of one of another. If you fail to do likewise, there will be disorder in the land and great corruption.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those who disbelieve are protectors one of another--If ye do not so, there will be confusion in the land, and great corruption.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And they who have attained to faith, and who have forsaken the domain of evil and are striving hard in God's cause, as well as those who shelter and succour [them] - it is they, they who are truly believers! Forgiveness of sins awaits them, and a most excellent sustenance.⁸³

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [5] on verse {4} of this surah.

Those who believed (embraced Islam), migrated and made Jihad (exerted their utmost struggle) in the cause of Allah, and those who gave them asylum and help - they are the true believers. They shall have forgiveness and honorable provisions.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Those who believed and left their homes and strove for the cause of Allah, and those who took them in and helped them--these are the believers in truth. For them is pardon, and a bountiful provision.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And as for those who henceforth come to believe,⁸⁴ and who forsake the domain of evil and strive hard [in God's cause] together with you - these [too] shall belong to you;⁸⁵ and they who are [thus] closely related have the highest claim on one another in [accordance with] God's decree.⁸⁶ Verily. God has full knowledge of everything.

  - Mohammad Asad

Although the expression alladhina amanu (lit., "those who have come to believe") is in the past tense, the words min ba'd ("afterwards" or "henceforth") indicate a future time in relation to the time at which this verse was revealed: hence, the whole sentence beginning with alladhina amanu must be understood as referring to the future (Manar X, 134f.; see also Razi's commentary on this verse).

I.e., they, too, shall belong to the brotherhood of Islam, in which the faith held in common supplies the decisive bond between believer and believer.

The classical commentators are of the opinion that this last clause refers to actual family relations, as distinct from the spiritual brotherhood based on a community of faith. According to these commentators, the above sentence abolished the custom which was prevalent among the early Muslims, whereby the ansar ("the helpers" - i.e., the newly-converted Muslims of Medina) concluded, individually, symbolic ties of brotherhood with the muhajirin ("the emigrants" from Mecca), who, almost without exception, arrived at Medina in a state of complete destitution: ties of brotherhood, that is, which entitled every muhajir to a share in the property of his "brother" from among the ansar, and, in the event of the latter's death, to a share in the inheritance left by him. The above verse is said to have prohibited such arrangements by stipulating that only actual close relations should henceforth have a claim to inheritance. To my mind, however, this interpretation is not convincing. Although the expression ulu 'l-arham is derived from the noun rahm (also spelt rihm and rahim), which literally signifies "womb", one should not forget that it is tropically used in the sense of "kinship", "relationship" or "close relationship" in general (i.e., not merely blood-relationship). Thus, "in the classical language, ulu 'l-arham means any relations: and in law, any relations that have no portion [of the inheritances termed fara'id]" (Lane III, 1056, citing, among other authorities, the Taj al-'Arus). In the present instance, the reference to "close relations" comes at the end of a passage which centres on the injunction that the believers must be "the friends and protectors (awliya') of one another", and that all later believers shall, similarly, be regarded as members of the Islamic brotherhood. If the reference to "close relations" were meant to be taken in its literal sense and conceived as alluding to laws of inheritance, it would be quite out of tune with the rest of the passage, which stresses the bonds of faith among true believers, as well as the moral obligations arising from these bonds. In my opinion, therefore, the above verse has no bearing on laws of inheritance, but is meant to summarize, as it were, the lesson of the preceding verses: All true believers, of all times, form one single community in the deepest sense of this word; and all who are thus closely related in spirit have the highest claim on one another in accordance with God's decree that "all believers are brethren" ( 49:10 ).

Those who believed (embraced Islam) afterwards, migrated and joined you in Jihad - they too are your brothers, although according to the Book of Allah the blood relatives have greater rights on one other. Indeed Allah knows everything.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And those who afterwards believed and left their homes and strove along with you, they are of you; and those who are akin are nearer one to another in the ordinance of Allah. Lo! Allah is Knower of all things.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall