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(1)
O Rasool, they ask you what is
to be done with Anf’al. Tell them, “the Anf’al will remain with the
Divine Order so you should resolve your differences about it according to
the laws of Allah. You should
obey the Divine Order which will be an indication of your being (show that
you are) believers.”
(2-4)
They alone are Momineen whose
hearts are deeply moved when they hear the teachings of the Quran
and whose faith is strengthened when its laws are communicated to them.
They obey these laws with complete trust in what Allah
has revealed. They are those who establish the Niz’am-us-Sal’at and keep open for
the use of all, the means of nurture provided to them. They are indeed, Momineen.
They have their places of honour with their Rabb
as well as His protection and respectable means of sustenance, (8/62, 64,
74, 9/100, 48/29, 57/10).
(5)
(The following verses relate to the Battle of Badar.) The Rasool was of
the opinion that the battle should be fought outside the city. Some of his
followers were averse to this and believed that going outside the city to
fight meant being led towards death.
(6-8)
A caravan of the Quraish was passing close to Madina and was unarmed. Some of the Momineen were of the opinion that the caravan should be attacked to
secure enormous spoils. However, it was Allah’s
plan that the Momineen should
have an open confrontation with their enemies so that the truth of the
Divine system should be established and made manifest and the K’afireen should be
uprooted no matter how much they dislike it.
(9-10)
At that stage you sought succour from your Rabb. He answered saying: “Surely I will aid you with a thousand Malaika
coming rank in rank.” By this, Allah
meant to offer you glad tidings and to put your hearts at rest. Succour
comes only from Allah who is Mighty and Wise. (9/26, 40, 33/9, 41/30).
(11)
Thus you secured peace of mind. In addition, there was rainfall which
refreshed you and relieved you of the anxiety that the enemy might cause
scarcity of water. All this strengthened your hearts and let your feet
rest firmly on the ground.
(12-13)
On that occasion Allah said to
the Malaika: “I have promised
My succour to the Momineen. I
will be with you. You steady the hearts of the faithful and I will cast
dread into the hearts of their enemies.” Therefore, O Jama’at-ul-Momineen
smite your enemies and crush them completely because they oppose the
Divine Order - and those who do so should be completely devastated.
(14)
It will be said to them: “This is the recompense for your evil deeds.
Taste it then.”
(15-16)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen
meet the marshalled host of your enemies. Do not turn your backs on them.
He who shall turn his back on them in the battle field, unless he turns
aside to fight or to rally some other troops, shall face severe
chastisement. Jahannam shall be
his abode - a wretched destination!
(17-18)
You had slain your enemies but indeed it was Allah who slew them because you were fighting in His cause. When you
sent forth a shaft of arrows it was not you who did it but Allah
(Allah’s programme in the world of human beings is carried out
through them (9/14, 22/40).) By this success Allah meant to bestow a special favour upon the Momineen,
He hears and knows all. By His strategy He also weakened the opposing K’afireen.
(19)
O Rasool tell the Meccans:
“You had sought to force a decision and that decision has now come to
you. If you desist in the future, it will be better for you. But if you
return to warfare we shall also return to it and your forces though they
may be greater in number, shall not be of any avail to you because Allah
will be on the side of the Momineen.”
(20-21)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen
obey the Divine Order and do not turn away from it. Now that you have
heard the truth and seen its results you should not be like those who say
“We are listening” and yet do not listen.
(22-23)
Worst of the creatures in the sight of Allah are those human beings who do not utilise the capabilities of
hearing and speaking and refuse to understand (7/179, 2/18). If they had
made use of their faculties it would have been better for them. If Allah
had compelled people who do not use their faculties to follow the right
path it would have been futile. They would have turned aside whenever they
found an opportunity to do so.
(24)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen
respond to the call of the Divine Order when it beckons you to that which
will give you life. Remember that it requires great courage and strength
to respond to the call and you must be wary of those emotions which weaken
your resolve. Bear in mind that the results of all your actions which are
based upon emotions will be determined according to the law of Mukaf’at.
(25)
You should be particularly careful that your enemies’ devices are not
successful because when destruction comes to a nation, it is not confined
only to the wrong-doers, it envelopes the entire nation, because Allah’s
Laws are very severe in retribution!
(26)
You have witnessed the life-giving consequences of adhering to Allah’s
laws. You should remember the time when you were but few in number and
were considered to be of little account in the land and constantly in
dread of those who could forcibly expel you. It was under these
circumstances that Allah found
for you a place of refuge (Madina)
and strengthened you with His help and provided you good things so that
your efforts may bring forth rich results.
(27)
Do not betray the Divine Order or the trusts reposed in you. You know what
the result of such betrayal would be. (4/58).
(28)
Such betrayal is motivated by love of wealth and children but remember
that in such a case these things become a fitna whereas the recompense
bestowed by Allah is generous
and more valuable (9/23-24, 25/74, 64/14-15).
(29)
If you adhere to the laws of Allah,
He will grant you a life of distinction, wipe out the ill-effects of your
short-comings and grant you protection. Allah
is the Giver of great blessings.
(30)
O Rasool call to mind the
occasion when the K’afireen
of Makkah plotted against you to detain you as a prisoner or to kill or
banish you. They plotted thus but in His turn Allah made His own plans. Allah’s
plans are the best.
(31)
When our revelation is rehearsed to them, they say “We have heard it,
and if we choose to do so we can recite verses like them. After all they
are mere tales of ancient times.”
(32)
They also say: “O Allah if
this revelation is really from you, rain down upon us stones from above,
or inflict on us some other grievous chastisement.”
(33)
But O Rasool, Allah
chose not to chastise them while you were in their midst, nor while they
sought forgiveness.
(34)
But now what plea can they advance why Allah should not chastise them when they have debarred the Momineen
from entering the K’aba?
They are not fit to be the guardians of the K’aba
which can be administered only by the Muttaqeen.
But most of them do not realise this.
(35)
Leave aside the question of guardianship, the prayer of these Mushrikeen
at the K’aba is nothing more
than whistling and clapping of hands. Therefore let them taste the
chastisement for their Kufr.
(36-37)
These K’afireen
expend their wealth to turn people aside from Allah’s
path. Let them continue to do so. But when they are eventually overcome,
they will be full of woe at the loss of their wealth. They will all be
driven towards Jahannam in order
that Allah might separate the
worthless from the worthy; and of the worthless join everyone with his
like, then collecting them all turn them towards Jahannam.
These are the who will be the losers (3/178, 36/59, 55/41).
(38)
O Rasool say to these opponents
that if they desist from their ways that which is past will be forgiven.
But if they return to fighting, they will meet the same fate which befell
those who had acted thus in the past.
(39-40)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen,
if they do not desist, you will have no alternative but to fight till
fitna ceases and there is complete freedom of belief for all. (2/193). If
they desist, Allah will take
note of what they do thereafter. (Therefore, you should seek no recourse
against them.) If they violate their commitment then rest assured that Allah will protect you. He is indeed an excellent Protector and
Helper.
(41)
(Since ancient times, Arabs lived mainly on spoils of war. The booty
seized by an individual soldier belonged to him. The Quran brought about a fundamental change by declaring that the
spoils of war belonged to the Divine system and stated that a fifth part
of the booty will be reserved by the state for administrative purposes and
the remaining will go to those in need e.g. the dependants of those slain
in war, orphans, those who have been incapacitated to earn or whose
running business has come to a stand still, and stranded wayfarers (2/83,
2/177, 2/215, 4/8, 4/36).) It is not so simple to part with money which
comes in hand so easily, but if you have implicit faith in Allah
and in the laws revealed to his devotee (the Rasool), on the day when truth was distinguished from the falsehood
- the day when the two forces clashed on the battlefield of Badar,
then it would not be difficult for you to accept the situation) and Allah
has devised measures for all the things.
(42)
On that day you were encamped on the near side of the valley and the enemy
on the far side (8/4-5). The caravan was on lower ground than you. If it
was up to you to decide what to do you would certainly have differed
amongst yourselves. But Allah
wanted that His plan should be accomplished so He led you to action. This
was necessary in order that it might become manifest that those who have
the capacity to live should survive, whilst those who lack this capacity
may perish after clear demonstration. Allah
is the Hearer and the Knowing.
(43)
Since you had full confidence in Allah’s Laws and thus assured of your victory, in your sight the
enemy’s numbers seemed fewer than they were. If they had seemed greater
you would have faltered and disputed amongst yourselves whether to fight
or not. Allah saved you from
this quandary since He was fully aware of what troubled your heart.
(44)
When you confronted the enemy, its numbers appeared to you to be fewer
than they actually were (3/12). You also appeared to the enemy to be fewer
than you were because their overconfidence made them misjudge the
situation. Thus Allah’s plans
succeeded since everything is eventually decided according to His laws.
(3/172).
(45-47)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen
when you confront the enemy, stand firm and focus upon Allah’s
Directives so that you might be successful. You should obey your order
firmly and do not quarrel among yourselves lest you become disheartened
and your strength fail you. You should endure the trial steadfastly for Allah
is with those who endure steadfastly (S’abireen).
Be not like those who come to the battle-field to exhibit their false
pride to people and to turn them away from Allah’s
path. But you need not be anxious for Allah
has hold over what they do.
(48)
And then a leader of the opponents made their actions seem fair to them
assuring them that none could vanquish them and that he would be their
protector. When the two armies stood face to face, he turned on his heels
and said: “I am clear of you since I see what you do not see and I am
fearful of Allah’s army. I can
see what a severe chastisement is about to come to you.”
(49)
The Mun’afiqeen
whose hearts were diseased said about the Momineen
that their Deen had deluded
them. They did not realise that it was not delusion but complete
confidence in the validity of Allah’s
Law which had emboldened the Momineen
to fight.
(50-51)
If you could only see what Malaika
do when they cause the Mun’afiqeen
to die! They smite their faces and their backs saying: “You taste this
chastisement which will reduce you to ashes” and Allah
will say to them: “This is what your hands have sent before you,
otherwise Allah does no Zulm to His
servants. (6/94).”
(52)
This is what was meted out to the people of the Pharaoh and to those
before them who rejected Allah’s
laws. Allah seized them for
their crimes. Allah is Mighty
and very severe in chastisement.
(53)
This is because Allah will not
withdraw the favours bestowed upon a people until they bring about a
change in their inner-selves (13/11). Allah
hears and knows.
(54)
This is what happened to the people of the Pharaoh and to those before
them. They denied the truth of Allah’s
Laws. They were destroyed for their crimes. The people of the Pharaoh were
drowned. They were all Z’alimeen.
(55)
Mark this! the worst of creatures in Allah’ sight are those who will never believe in His laws. (8/22,
7/179).
(56)
(Your opponents are similar to these people O Rasool.) You had made a treaty with them which they have violated
repeatedly without realizing what the result of this would be.
(57)
If you come upon them in the war, deal with them in such a way that not
only they but also those who back them, are scattered and learn a lesson
for the future.
(58)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen
if you fear treachery at the hands of those with whom you have a treaty,
do not break the treaty unilaterally but tell the other side that the
treaty will not be binding on you any more. In this way, both parties will
be on equal ground. Mind it! Allah
does not like the treacherous.
(59)
Let not your enemies fancy that they will escape from the grip of Allah’s
Laws. They will never make powerless those who adhere to Allah’s
Laws. (4/141).
(60)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen,
keep ready what force you can muster to meet your enemy together with
strong cavalry with which you can strike terror in the hearts of those who
are enemy to Allah and to you; and those besides them whom you do not know but
whom Allah knows. (To do so,
huge expenses are involved) hence financial help must be given. Remember,
whatever you expend in the cause of Allah
shall be repaid to you justly.
(61)
If the enemy inclines towards peace, you should do likewise and repose
your trust in the laws of Allah
Who is the Hearing and the Knowing.
(62-64)
If your enemy seeks to dope you, do not be anxious for Allah
is All-Sufficient for you. O Rasool;
it is He Who has strengthened you with His help and with the help of the Momineen.
(6/52, 18/28, 48/29). Allah has
instilled the feeling of oneness amongst themselves in the hearts of the Momineen.
You could not achieve such unity of heart even if you had spent all the
riches of the earth. It has become possible only through unity of faith
and obedience to the laws of Allah
Who is Mighty and Wise. Allah
and Jama’at-ul-Momineen who
follow you are sufficient for you.
(65)
O Nabi! prepare your followers
for battle by proper training and tell them that twenty of them who are
firm and steadfast should be able to overcome two hundred of the enemy and
if there be a hundred of them they should be able to overcome a thousand
for the latter are those who do not use their intellect in war.
(66)
The ratio of one to ten would work if all other things are equal except
numbers. But in the present situation there is inequality also in arms and
equipment. Therefore, Allah made
the burden lighter and reduced the ratio to one to two instead of one to
ten. This is again subject to the condition that you are S’abireen.
(67)
O Jama’at-ul-Momineen!
you wanted as many prisoners of war as you could have in order to secure
their ransom. It does not behove your Rasool
to do this since he is waging war in order to accomplish the Divine
purpose and not for the fleeting gains of the world - Allah
looks to your future as well as your present for He is not only Mighty but
also Wise.
(68)
Had it not been for the provision of forgiveness in Allah’s
laws, you would have received a mighty chastisement for taking prisoners
of war for the purpose of worldly gains.
(69)
The spoils of war are lawful and good for you so make use of them as you
like and adhere to the laws of Allah
who is Protector and Raheem.
(70-71)
O Rasool, the captives you
already have are to be set free either by securing ransom or by an act of
grace if the ransom cannot be paid by them (47/4). Tell these captives
that if Allah finds anything
good in their hearts, He will give them more than they have lost, and will
forgive them. But if there is some treachery on their part, they have seen
the result of such treachery - they have been subdued by the Momineen.
Allah knows and is Wise.
(72)
Those who have believed, have left their homes and have struggled hard
with their lives and their wealth in the cause of Allah, and those who have given shelter and help to them - they
shall be friends to each other. But those who have believed, yet not left
their homes to join the Divine Order, though they had the possibility to
do so - they shall have no right of protection from you until they too
leave their homes. However, if they seek aid from you in the matter of Deen, it will be obligatory for you to provide it except if the aid
goes against those with whom you have a treaty. Remember that Allah
watches your actions.
(73)
Those who reject the Divine Order are friends to one another. If you do
not act against them as directed by Allah,
there will be fitna and Fas’ad
in the land.
(74)
Those who have believed, have left their homes and struggled in the cause
of Allah and those who have
given shelter and help to them - both these groups are the true Momineen.
For them there is protection from Allah
as well as respectable means of nurture.
(75)
Those who believe thereafter, who leave their homes and join you in your
struggle - they are also of you. But Allah’s
Laws which relate to blood-relationships do not apply to them. Allah
knows all things.
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