| Chapter 8 & 9 : Surah Al-Anfal & Al-Taubah |
(Revealed after Hijrah) Title, Date of Revelation and Connection Between the Two Surahs A Collective Note on Both Surahs This interpretation of the Declaration is evidently wrong; because if it was meant as only a notice of the denunciation of the treaties there was no sense in combining the Declaration with the injunction that they should go about the land and see for themselves that God's purpose had prevailed. He who is granted a limited respite naturally makes hasty preparations to depart for a place of safety and does not go about in the land sightseeing. Again, if the verse be understood to give notice of termination of existing treaties and to grant a limited respite to those idolatrous tribes who had treaties of alliance with Muslims, how would the very next verse be explained which says that such people as have entered into treaties with Muslims are not to be expelled till- the termination of their treaties. It is thus clear that the Quranic words Alladhina 'Ahadtum used in the first verse of Chapter Taubah allude to no political treaty or agreement but only to such declarations as Muslims and disbelievers had made against each other about the ultimate triumph of their respective causes. On the side of Islam it was declared in Chapter Anfal that the property and possessions of disbelievers would fall into the hands of Muslims, and the disbelievers, on their side, had declared that Islam would be exterminated and they would capture the belongings of the Muslims. It is these contradictory declarations that have been metaphorically termed as 'Ahd or agreement in the verse referred to above, and the idolaters are told to go about in the country and see for themselves whether or not the declaration which was made in Chapter Anfal about their eventual destruction had proved true. So, truly speaking, Surah Bara'at constitutes only a declaration of the fulfilment of the great prophecy made in Surah Anfal and is thus not a separate Surah. In short, there exists a very real connection between these two Chapters which really constitute one Chapter, for, as stated above, Surah Anfal was revealed at the time of the Battle of Badr and in it a clear prophecy was made about the ultimate destruction of disbelievers. Then after the last encounter with the idolaters of Mecca, Surah Bara'at was revealed to announce the fulfilment of that prophecy and the ushering in of a new era. Subject-Matter of the Surahs The Surah proceeds to say that the enemy is proud of his numbers and military prowess and believes himself to be in the right, and even invokes the wrath of God upon the liar. Such a determined enemy would not easily admit defeat. The Surah exposes their false pretensions. It further says that the discrepancy between the words and deeds of disbelievers shows that their faith is a mere slave of their intellect and has no firm roots in their hearts. The Muslims are buoyed up with the Divine promise that the war in which they are engaged will end in a victory for them and success also will continue to attend their endeavours in future engagements. To achieve this, obedience to authority and endurance of hardships and unity of action are enjoined upon them. The Surah further deals with the sanctity of treaty obligations and Muslims are told that disbelievers will repeatedly violate their agreements but this should not incite them to a breach of their own obligations. They should disabuse their minds of the misconception that their cause would suffer in any way if they did not avenge a breach of agreements on the disbelievers' part by a corresponding violation of an obligation by themselves. On the contrary, they should continue scrupulously to observe treaties; but agreements they have made should cause no mitigation of suitable preparations for war on their part. They are, however, enjoined that if during hostilities disbelievers sue for peace, such an offer should not be rejected, because if disbelievers violate terms of peace and restart hostilities, Muslims will not suffer on account of this fresh breach of trust by them. This injunction implied a reference to the treaty of Hudaibiyah when a breach of treaty obligations by the disbelievers led to the Fall of Mecca. Muslims are further told that captives will fall into their hands and they should treat them with kindness. The promise of victory given to Muslims in Anfal is declared to have been fulfilled in the opening verses of Bara'at where it is stated that Muslims have become masters of the whole of Arabia, so the idolaters should go about in the land and see for themselves whether or not the whole country has come under Muslim domination. In verses that follow disbelievers are reprimanded for their repeated breach of solemn treaties and covenants and Muslims are warned not to enter into any fresh agreement with them and should not fear that the severance of ties with them would, in any way, adversely affect the prosperity of Mecca, because God Himself would provide for them. Next, they are told that they should not think that after they have conquered Arabia war would come to an end and they would have peace. On account of the intrigues and secret plots of Christians a new series of wars would start, and because they are idolatrous people they would not bear to see perfect Unity of God established in the earth. Moreover, they have become morally depraved while Islam seeks to establish true equality and freedom. How could then a Christian government view with equanimity the establishment by its side of another government based on equality and freedom, whose proximity would incline its subjects to rebellion? So having proper regard for the things which God has declared sacred, Muslims are told to make suitable preparations for the impending war with them. As there was an interval between the revelation of the first 37 verses of the Surah Bara'at and those that follow, mention has been made in the latter verses about the fulfilment of the prophecy made in the former. In this connection a brief description is given of the expedition to Tabak and of the circumstances in which the prophecy referred to above was fulfilled. The Hypocrites and those weak of faith who were seized with the fear of the powerful Kingdom of the Kaiser are reprimanded. Their moral weakness is exposed and believers are bidden not to accept their help, for even without their help Godwill grant victory to them over the Kaiser (this subject has been dealt with in fuller detail in Chapters Ram and Fath). In this connection, mention is made of the intrigues of the Hypocrites to injure the cause of Islam. Towards the close of Surah Taubah it is emphasized that in spite of the intrigues and plots of the Hypocrites and the great power and material resources of disbelievers the Holy Prophet will succeed in his mission through the help of God, "the Lord of the Mighty Throne."
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ الأَنْفَالِ قُلْ الأَنْفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آياتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إيماناً وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمْ اللَّهُ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ الشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُحِقَّ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ الْكَافِرِينَ
وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بُشْرَى وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ بِهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلاَّ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً مِنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ بِهِ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ الأَقْدَامَ إِذْ يُوحِي رَبُّكَ إِلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ أَنِّي مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَأُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ فَاضْرِبُوا فَوْقَ الأَعْنَاقِ وَاضْرِبُوا مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَانٍ
وَمَنْ يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ إِلاَّ مُتَحَرِّفًا لِقِتَالٍ أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزًا إِلَى فِئَةٍ فَقَدْ بَاءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِنْ اللَّهِ وَمَأْوَاهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَى وَلِيُبْلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ بَلاَءً حَسَنًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
إِنْ تَسْتَفْتِحُوا فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ الْفَتْحُ وَإِنْ تَنتَهُوا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَإِنْ تَعُودُوا نَعُدْ وَلَنْ تُغْنِيَ عَنكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ أَنْتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ تَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَتَخَطَّفَكُمْ النَّاسُ فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُمْ بِنَصْرِهِ وَرَزَقَكُمْ مِنْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ
وَإِذْ قَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنْ السَّمَاءِ أَوْ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلاَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلاَّ الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَسَيُنفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ لِيَمِيزَ اللَّهُ الْخَبِيثَ مِنْ الطَّيِّبِ وَيَجْعَلَ الْخَبِيثَ بَعْضَهُ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَيَرْكُمَهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْخَاسِرُونَ
وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ فَإِنْ انتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا يَوْمَ الْفُرْقَانِ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَى وَالرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لاَخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ وَلَكِنْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولاً لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَا مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلاً وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الأَمْرِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ سَلَّمَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذْ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِي أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلاً وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولاً وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الأُمُورُ
وَلاَ تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ بَطَرًا وَرِئَاءَ النَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمْ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمْ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَكُمْ فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَى مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ غَرَّ هَؤُلاَءِ دِينُهُمْ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَى قَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ كَدَأْبِ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَكُلٌّ كَانُوا ظَالِمِينَ
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَمِنْ رِبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُهُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ
وَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ لَوْ أَنفَقْتَ مَا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مَا أَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ إِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ مِائَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لاَ يَفْقَهُونَ الآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ مِائَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ وَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الأَرْضِ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ الآخِرَةَ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِمَنْ فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ مِنْ الأَسْرَى إِنْ يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًا مِمَّا أُخِذَ مِنْكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَنَصَرُوا أُوْلَئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يُهَاجَرُوا مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ وَلاَيَتِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى يُهَاجِرُوا وَإِنْ اسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمْ النَّصْرُ إِلاَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَنَصَرُوا أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا مَعَكُمْ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مِنْكُمْ وَأُوْلُوا الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
1092. Anfal are such spoils and gains as come as a Divine gift without the Muslims having labored for them (Mufradat). The verse does not relate to the division of spoils for which see 8:42. It relates only to the attainment of gains and spoils which fell into the hands of Muslims after the victory at Badr. 1093. The particle kama ordinarily meaning ':just as'' or "like unto" is also sometimes used in the sense of "as" or "since" or "because" (Muhit). If, the particle is taken in its ordinary sense of "just as," then the verse could be rendered as: "God grants victories and spoils to His servants and bestows on them honorable provision just as He did when He brought thee forth from thy house, etc." 1094. Bi 'l Haqqi means; for a righteous purpose. The verse relates to the Battle of Badr. 1095. When Muslims marched out from Medina, as they did not know that they would have to fight a well-equipped Meccan army, they did not come fully prepared for fighting. So when on the way they learnt that they would have to fight the Meccan army they anxiously asked the Holy Prophet why he had not informed them of the real state of affairs so that they should have come fully prepared to meet the enemy. Thus their anxiety was not for their own sake but for the safety of the Holy Prophet. In their unpreparedness they were averse to exposing him to danger. This is clear from the verse " brought thee forth and not "brought you forth," which signifies that God, in pursuance of Whose command the Holy Prophet had not informed the believers of the encounter with the Meccan army, would not leave him 1096. The verse does not refer to Muslims as wrongly understood by some Commentators, but to disbelievers. There is absolutely no evidence in history to show that the Holy Prophet's Companions ever disputed with him with regard to fighting the enemy. On the contrary, it is related that when before the Battle of Badr he consulted them, they all expressed their complete readiness and even eagerness to accompany him and fight the enemy wherever he might take them (Hisham). Even the disbelievers who came out to fight the Muslims admitted that the latter looked like so many "seekers after death" on the field of battle (Tabari). The verse only signifies that as the enemies of Islam abhorred the truth as one abhors death, so, as a result of this, they were going to be punished with death. 1097. The "two parties'' refer to (1) the well-equipped Meccan army that had come fully prepared to fight the Muslims, and (2) the Meccan caravan which was returning from the north and proceeding to Mecca and was lightly armed. 1098. The Muslims naturally wanted to meet the caravan which was lightly armed but God's design was to bring about an encounter with the fully equipped Meccan army. His object in doing so was to establish the Truth by His words and to cut off the root of the disbelievers. See also 3:14 and 8:42-45. 1101. The reference in the verse is to the Battle of Badr. 1102. The word Shaitan may also signify pangs of thirst and is called Shaitan al-Falat, i.e., devil of the desert. See 2535. The enemy had taken possession of water and the Muslimsnaturally feared that lack of it might prove a source of great hardship for them. The word mayalso signify the friends and associates of Satan. 1103. The Muslims had encamped at a sandy place and the Meccan army on hard ground. Timely rain made the former place firm and the latter slippery. 1104. The upper part of the neck which is just below the head and is considered to be most vulnerable for dealing an effective blow with the sword. 1105. The Muslims must fight to the bitter end. They must win or die; there is no third course open to them. 1106. The verse defines and describes the circumstances in which an apparent retreat or withdrawal of a Muslim force against the enemy is permitted: (a) As war strategy or battle maneuver when a fighting force shifts its position to beguile the enemy or to occupy a better position; (b) when a part of the army decides to fall back to join the main body or another Muslim force before giving battle to the enemy. 1107. The victory at Badr really was not due to any skill or prowess on the part of the Muslims. They were too few, too weak and too ill-equipped to win a victory against a numerically vastly superior and much better equipped and trained army. The throwing of a handful of pebbles and sand by the Holy Prophet bears a remarkable resemblance to the striking of the waters of the sea by Moses with the rod. Just as in the latter case the act of Moses was, as it were, a signal for the wind to blow and the tide to return which led to the drowning of Pharaoh and his hosts in the sea, so was the throwing of a handful of pebbles by the Holy Prophet a signal for a strong wind to blow, which led to the destruction of Abu Jahl (to whom the Holy Prophet had referred as the Pharaoh of his people) and his host in the desert. In both cases the operation of the forces of nature coincided with the acts of the two Prophets under special Divine decree. 1108. The disbelievers demanded from the Holy Prophet Divine judgment in the form of victory. They are told that Divine judgment has indeed come in the form they had demanded. 1109. The expression "makes them hear" means that if in their present condition God should force them to accept the truth. they would in their heart of hearts remain unconverted and would never become true Muslims. 1109A. The pronoun "he" refers to the Messenger, for it is the Messenger who actually calls. Calling by God is also through His Messenger. Or, "he" may be taken to refer to both Allah and the Messenger separately. i.e.. when Allah calls you or when the Messenger calls you. 1110. The giving of life to the dead when ascribed to a Prophet of God should be taken in its metaphorical or spiritual sense. 1110A. The words "Allah comes in between a man and his heart" signify that man (or his ego) has no control over his heart, so he cannot make it obey his dictates. The words may also mean that one should hasten to listen and respond to Divine Call because if one delays doing so. unforeseen circumstances may intervene to make one's heart hard or rusty and then one may refuse to listen to it. 1111. It is not enough to make ourselves good. We are not safe unless we also reform our environment. A house surrounded by a raging fire is likely to fall a victim to it any moment. 1112. Muslims are here told that as God had saved them when they were weak in the land and were surrounded by strong and mischievous people, so they should strive to protect the weak when they are in power. The verse implies a prophecy that Muslims will soon attain political power. 1113. The verse speaks of man's two loyalties-his loyalty to God (and his Messenger) which is absolute and eternal because God is our Creator and Nourisher; and his loyalty to his fellow-beings which springs from the obligations he owes to them. 1114. Furqan means, (1) that which distinguishes between right and wrong; (2) proof or evidence or argument; (3) aid or victory, and (4) dawn (Lane). 1115. Reference in the verse is to the secret conference which was held in Dar al-Nadwah (House of Consultation) in Mecca. Seeing that all their efforts to arrest the progress of the newFaith had failed and that most of those Muslims who could afford to leave Mecca hademigrated to Medina and were out of harm's way, the Elders of the town assembled in Dar al-Nadwah to devise plans to make a last attempt to finish Islam. After deep deliberation they hitupon a plan that a number of young men from various Quraish tribes should, in a joint attack,swoop down upon the Holy Prophet and kill him. The Holy Prophet left the house unnoticed atdead of night, when the watchers were overpowered by sleep, and took refuge in Cave Thauralong with Abu Bakr, his ever faithful Companion, and finally reached Medina in safety. 1116. The disbelievers boasted that they could produce a composition like that of the Qur'an. It was, however, an empty boast, which they dared not translate into fact. The challenge that they would never be able to produce even a short chapter like unto a Chapter of the Qur'an, has ever remained unaccepted. 1117. It was almost in these words that Abu Jahl prayed in the battlefield of Badr (Bukhari, ch. on Tafsir). The prayer was literally fulfilled. Abu Jahl along with many other leaders of the Quraish was killed and their bodies were thrown into a pit. 1118. The Meccans were punished after the Holy Prophet left Mecca. The Divine Messengers serve as a kind of shield against heavenly visitations. 1119. These words embody a prophecy that the wealth which the disbelievers were spending in wars against Islam would prove a source of great sorrow and grief for them in that their efforts to destroy it would come to naught and their sons by accepting Islam would spend it to further its cause. 1120. Muslims were enjoined to fight till religious persecution had ceased and men were free to practice the religion of their choice. Islam undoubtedly is the greatest upholder of freedom of conscience (2:194). 1121. The words mean, "If they refuse to accept the offer of peace made to them and start hostilities again." 1122. The verse relates to the division of the spoils (see also 8:2), one-fifth of which is to be placed at the disposal of the Imam or the Khalifah, as the case may be, to be divided as he deems fit among the five parties mentioned. The Holy Prophet's share was spent for the benefit of the poor Muslims, he himself having lived a life of austere simplicity. According to Imam Malik, the division need not necessarily be made into equal portions, but is to be left to the discretion of the Imam, who is to divide it as circumstances and need of the hour demand. Such was also the practice of the Holy Prophet and his four Rightly-Guided Successors. The remaining four-fifths were divided among the soldiers who were paid no salaries and generally had even to incur the expenses of wars themselves. This was an exigency measure adopted to meet the conditions then obtaining, as there was then no regular army and no State treasury. "The kindred" included all the descendants of Hashim and 'Abd al-Muttalib who could not benefit from the Zakat. 1124. The verse gives a graphic picture of the position of the three parties at Badr. The Muslims were on the side nearer to Medina, the Meccan army was in a place farther away from the town and the Meccan caravan which was coming from Syria was towards the seacoast. The verse says that if it had been left to the Muslims to appoint the time of the encounter, they would certainly have differed with regard to it and would have preferred to postpone the date of the first clash, for at that time they did not feel strong enough to meet their much more powerful and far better equipped enemy in the field of battle. But God's object being to show a powerful Sign; He brought about the encounter. 1125. God had decreed that the Meccans should suffer defeat. 1126. On his way to Badr the Holy Prophet in a vision saw the Meccan army to be less in number than they actually were (Jarir, x.9). This meant that in spite of their superior numbers and equipment they would be defeated. 1127. Whereas the preceding verse referred to the appearance of the enemy in a vision to the Holy Prophet, the present verse refers to its actual disposition on the battlefield. The enemy had kept one-third of their number hidden behind the mounds so that, when both parties came face to face; the Muslims saw only two-thirds of their actual number. This naturally gave heart to them. The enemy on their part did so, as they thought, lest the Muslims being overawed might flee from battlefield and refuse to give battle. Both these impressions helped to encourage either party to come to grips with their opponents with the result that "the thing decreed" was brought about, i.e., the Meccans suffered an ignominious and crushing defeat. 1128. Rih among other things means, predominance, strength; victory (Lane). 1129. The person referred to in the verse is reported to be Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju'sham who incited the Meccans against the Muslims, but who afterwards embraced Islam. The Meccan army was still at Mecca when some of the Quraishite leaders gave expression to the fear that Banu Bakr, a branch of Banu Kananah, who were hostile to the Quraish, might surprise Mecca during their absence or attack the Meccan army from the rear. Their fears were allayed by Suraqah , a chief of Banu Kananah, who assured them that his tribesmen would do them no harm (Jarir. x. 1 3). 1130. When Suraqah saw the grim determination of the Muslims, fear took hold of him; for on seeing them he was convinced that they would win or die. This was exactly how 'Utbah and 'Umair felt on the day of Badr and told the Meccans that the Muslims looked like so many "seekers after death" (Tabari). 1131. Dhalika refers to the punishment spoken of in the preceding verse. 1132. The verse states a general Divine law that God never deprives a people of a favor which He had conferred upon them until there is first a change for the worse in their own condition. 1133. Ayah means, a message; a commandment; a Sign, a verse of the Qur'an (Lane). 1134. They repeatedly break their plighted word and dishonor agreements solemnly entered into. 1135. The believers are enjoined never to take up arms without a valid cause. But once they do, they should fight so valiantly and deal such deadly blows as should strike terror in the hearts of their enemies. A feebly pursued and lingering war is never a wise policy. If there is to be fighting it should be swift and deadly. 1136. If a people with whom Muslims have entered into a covenant dishonor it, they should be plainly told that the covenant has come to an end and Muslims, if attacked, would fight back with all the force at their command. But under no circumstances are Muslims permitted to make a surprise attack, without giving a prior notice. 'Ala Sawa'in means, on terms of equality, i.e., in such a manner that each party should know that it is free of its obligations. 1137. Quwwah signifies all the forces at the command of Muslims, including all sorts of implements of war; etc. 1139. The verse tells Muslims that efficient preparation is the best means of preventing war and enjoins them that they should not only keep sufficient force inside the country but should also station adequate troops on the frontiers and should conduct themselves with such wisdom, faith and energy that the enemy in areas far away from the site of fighting should be so impressed as to give up all idea of fighting them. The verse also points to the necessity of spending freely in war. It seems to contain also a warning and a prophecy for believers. The prophecy is that the pagan Arabs are not their only enemies. There are other people who would attack them in the near future. The prophecy referred to the Byzantine and the Persian Empires with whom Muslims had to fight soon after the death of the Holy Prophet. 1140. The verse, besides embodying an important principle about making of peace treaties, throws interesting light on the character of the wars undertaken by Islam. Muslims did not resort to war to force men to embrace Islam but to establish and maintain peace. If any people after having made war upon Muslims sued for peace the latter were enjoined not to reject the offer, even if the enemy might be suing for peace only to deceive them and gain time. This shows to what lengths Islam goes to establish peace among nations. 1141. The verse seems to give 20 as the minimum number that makes a fighting party. 1142. Because they are mercenaries, and do not realize the righteousness of the cause they fight for, they feel no real interest for it. Or the meaning may be that they have no higher ideals which they seek to pursue and serve. 1143. The verse should not be understood to abrogate the preceding one. The two verses refer to two different states of the Muslim Community. In the beginning they were weak, ill equipped and ill-trained in the art of war. In that state of weakness they could successfully fight against only their double number. But as with the passage of time their all-round condition, fighting experience and military resources had very much improved they could defeat an enemy ten times their number. In the battles of Badr, Uhud and of the Trench, the disparity between the number of forces of both sides progressively increased, yet the Muslims quite successfully held their own, till at the Battle of Yarmuk, mere 60,000 Muslims defeated an army of more than a million strong. 1144. The verse lays down the general rule that captives should not be taken unless there is regular fighting and the enemy is completely overpowered. It cuts at the root of slavery. Only those, who take part in war in order to destroy Islam and are defeated, can be made prisoner. See also 2739. 1145. The words refer to the Divine promise of help (8:8-10). 1145A. Ransoming of captives was already in vogue. What is emphasized here is that prisoners could only be taken in regular fighting in the course of war. 1146. 'Abbas, the Prophet's uncle was taken prisoner at Badr. When subsequently he embraced Islam and came over to the Holy Prophet, he requested, on the authority of the verse under comment, that as God had promised to give the prisoners more than was taken from them as ransom, the promise may be fulfilled in his case. The Holy Prophet granted his request (Jarir, x. 3 1). 1147. The verse lays down the principle that those Muslims who live in the same country and under the same administration, whether as immigrants or as original citizens; are bound to help one another in the hour of each other's need. But those Muslims who do not emigrate to a Muslim country have no claim on the help of the former in worldly matters. But if they are persecuted for the sake of their religion, then they must be helped. If, however, they are living under a non-Muslim government, with whom Muslims have entered into a treaty of peace, then no help should be rendered them even in matters of religion; and in this case the only way open to Muslims is to emigrate from the non-Muslim country. 1148. If this principle is not observed by Muslims, there will be oppression, tyranny and disturbance in the land. 1149. As all Muslims are declared to be brothers, one to another, in verse 73 and the Holy Prophet had established at Medina a sort of brotherhood between the Refugees and the Helpers, the misunderstanding might have arisen that they could inherit one another's property; so it is enjoined here that blood relations alone are entitled to inheritance and other Muslims are only brothers in Faith and not heirs.
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