8-1 They ask thee about voluntary gifts. Say: Voluntary gifts are for Allah and the Messenger. So keep your duty to Allah and set aright your differences, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers.a
يَسأَلونَكَ عَنِ الأَنفالِ ۖ قُلِ الأَنفالُ لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسولِ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَصلِحوا ذاتَ بَينِكُم ۖ وَأَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ إِن كُنتُم مُؤمِنينَ (۱)
8-1a: The difference between spoils of war and voluntary gifts: الأَنفالُ is the plural of نَفَل which literally means excess or something extra, that is more than what is due. It is in the same sense that the extra prayer offered is called نَفَل and for the same reason, the spoils of war are also called نَفَل . There is difference of opinion however about what kind of spoils of war can be appropriately called نَفَل . Some have said that all spoils of war are نَفَل so that there is no difference between نَفَل and غنیمت. The two names are given to the same thing from two different perspectives. Because the spoils are obtained as the result of a victory, it is called غنیمت and from the perspective that it is a blessing from Allah, it is called نَفَل . Some have distinguished between غنیمت and نَفَل based on general and specific. Thus, غنیمت is general and includes spoils that may be obtained by effort or without effort either before victory or after victory, and نَفَل is that which is obtained from the spoils of war just before distribution, or that which is obtained without a fight. However, spoils obtained without a fight are called فۓ but for spoils to be called فۓ, it is necessary that preparation for fighting had been made but the enemy surrendered before the battle۔ For نَفَل this is not necessary.
لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسولِ – By لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسولِ is meant the national treasury known as: بیت المال where assets were stored for general and common use.
This surah deals particularly with the Battle of Badr and its relationship with the previous surah is that in the last surah there is a narration of the destruction of the enemies of previous prophets and in this surah, there is a mention of the destruction of the Holy Prophet’s enemies and the punishment that was meted out to them. Accordingly, this surah is started with a description of how the spoils of war obtained from the enemy are to be used. The order given is that it should be used for the common needs of the Muslims. However, to bring home the point that war is not a necessity but an occasional accidental affair, the topic of fighting is left and immediately attention is drawn to becoming righteous and moral humans and to make peace with each other.
8-2 They only are believers whose hearts are full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His messages are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust,a
إِنَّمَا المُؤمِنونَ الَّذينَ إِذا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَت قُلوبُهُم وَإِذا تُلِيَت عَلَيهِم آياتُهُ زادَتهُم إيمانًا وَعَلىٰ رَبِّهِم يَتَوَكَّلونَ (۲)
8-2a: وجل – It means to feel fear in one’s heart (R), as in: إِنّا مِنكُم وَجِلونَ (We are afraid of you) (15:52); وَقُلوبُهُم وَجِلَةٌ (their hearts are full of fear) (23:60).
زادَتهُم إيمانًا (increase them in faith) – This shows that faith increases and decreases. Thus, evil actions decrease faith and good actions increase faith. There is a hadith in Bukhari that there are more than sixty branches of faith out of which there is no god but Allah is the highest and removing objects from the path that are likely to be injurious is the lowest. Modesty is also a branch of faith. The present-day Muslim’s claim of faith and their practical condition belies these verses and hadith.
8-3 Those who keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them.
الَّذينَ يُقيمونَ الصَّلاةَ وَمِمّا رَزَقناهُم يُنفِقونَ (۳)
8-4 These are the believers in truth. For them are with their Lord exalted grades and protection and an honorable sustenance.a
أُولٰئِكَ هُمُ المُؤمِنونَ حَقًّا ۚ لَهُم دَرَجاتٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِم وَمَغفِرَةٌ وَرِزقٌ كَريمٌ (۴)
8-4a: The attributes of a believer are described in the last three verses so that the real purpose of life may be understood. The preparation of the Muslims for war was not done by teaching them about how to excel in the art of warfare but by giving them a lesson in keeping their prayer, spending in the way of Allah, and by telling them that the fear of God should be in their hearts and that they should avoid pride. It was the result of this lesson that the wars of the Companions were bereft of needless bloodshed and were followed after great victories by scenes of forgiveness, gentle treatment and sympathy with God’s creation.
8-5 Even as thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy house with truth, though a party of the believers were surely averse,a
كَما أَخرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَيتِكَ بِالحَقِّ وَإِنَّ فَريقًا مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ لَكارِهونَ (۵)
8-5a: كَما – The indication in كَما is to the previous verses, namely that the real work of a believer is what has been explained afore in the verses, that is keeping up prayer, and spending one’s wealth and strength in the way of Allah. It is by walking on this path that one achieves a high spiritual status and honorable sustenance. Thus, the Lord caused the believers to go forth from their houses with truth so that they may be elevated to high ranks and be given honorable sustenance. The obvious reference is to the setting forth of the believers from Madinah for Badr. In other words, Allah commanded the believers to go forth when the necessity to safeguard the truth had become imperative.
The Quran itself provides the best testimony about the conditions in which the Battle of Badr took place. We find a short but succinct description of all the initial stages of the battle in these verses. It is established that when the Holy Prophet set out from Madinah a strong force of disbelievers under the command of Abu Jahal had set forth from Makkah and information about their departure had reached the Holy Prophet. Badr, where the two forces met, is at a distance of eight- or nine-days march from Makkah and three days march from Madinah. It is also true that a trading caravan from Syria under the leadership of Abu Sufyan was on its way to Makkah and the Muslims had information about it. The question that arises is whether the Holy Prophet had set out to plunder the caravan or to repel the Makkan force.
Some scholars of hadith have erred based on unreliable narrations that the Holy Prophet had proceeded from Madinah to plunder the caravan. The reality is that the Holy Prophet had set out to oppose the oncoming host of Abu Jahal which was on its way to attack Madinah. The first testimony that the second statement is correct is found in the words أَخرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَيتِكَ (thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy house). It is obvious that the Holy Prophet’s house was in Madinah and the Holy Prophet’s setting forth is ascribed to the command of Allah. So, it is established that the Holy Prophet did not set forth from Madinah on his own volition or on the recommendation of people but under the command of Allah. If it is argued that maybe Allah’s command was to attack the caravan, then this is belied by the fact that such an incident did not take place which it should have if this was the command of Allah. The second testimony is provided by the word بِالحَقِّ (with truth). As Raghib has written, for any action or statement to be the truth, it must have the following components at the time of its occurrence: بِحَسَب ما یَجِبُ و بقَدَرِ ما یَجِبُ و فی الوقت الذی یجب (that is, it must be in accordance with what is appropriate, and done in a manner that is appropriate and at a time that is appropriate). If the Muslims had come out to attack the trading caravan, then the expedition fails to meet the criteria on all three counts. First, because attacking a peaceful caravan is not بِحَسَب ما یَجِبُ (what is appropriate). Leave alone its appropriateness, there was no need for such an action. Second, It was not بقَدَرِ ما یَجِبُ (in a manner that is appropriate) because the Holy Prophet set out as fully prepared as was possible at the time whereas only about fifty armed men were sufficient for the caravan. Third, it was not و فی الوقت الذی یجب (at a time that is appropriate) because the caravan was well past Madinah and after the battle at Badr the caravan was out of attacking reach. So بِالحَقِّ أَخرَجَ can only be if the Muslims had come out to oppose the army that was marching towards Madinah to crush the Muslims. This situation demanded action to save the truth and the Muslims prepared for it accordingly and it was the right time for this contest. Further, going out to attack the caravan cannot be called بِالحَقِّ because the Quran commands: وَقاتِلوا في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذينَ يُقاتِلونَكُم (And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you) (2:190). The caravan had not made any hostile move and the Quraish too had not waged war till then. This is the reason that on the day of Badr, the Holy Prophet waited for the enemy to initiate aggressive action and it was only when they attacked that the Holy Prophet ordered the defensive actions to begin. The third definitive testimony that the Holy Prophet marched out to meet the attacking army is provided by the unhappiness of some of the believers. The reason for this unhappiness is explained in the next verse, but it is obvious that if the objective was to attack the caravan, no one in the Muslim army would have been unhappy and considered the campaign to be an infliction. Even fifty men were sufficient to loot a caravan, leave alone three hundred. So, the unhappiness of a section of the army shows clearly that the Muslim force had set out to oppose the army making its way to attack Madinah.
8-6 Disputing with thee about the truth after it had become clear — as if they were being driven to death while they saw (it).a
يُجادِلونَكَ فِي الحَقِّ بَعدَما تَبَيَّنَ كَأَنَّما يُساقونَ إِلَى المَوتِ وَهُم يَنظُرونَ (۶)
8-6a: The fourth testimony is present in the words من بعد ما تبین لھم الحق (after the truth had become clear). Those who were unhappy at going forth did not consider this expedition was needed to save the truth, although Allah says that the need had become manifest. The need to defend the truth could only be called existential for Muslims if the Muslim existence was threatened by the enemy on its way to attack them. Permission to fight is only with people who have initiated hostilities as stated in أُذِنَ لِلَّذينَ يُقاتَلونَ (Permission (to fight) is given to those on whom war is made) (22:39); وَقاتِلوا في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذينَ يُقاتِلونَكُم (And fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you) (2:190) and the intention of the disbelievers had become clear and that made it imperative for the Muslims to go out to meet them. The trading caravan was not coming to attack the Muslims and the Quranic statement about the truth becoming clear cannot apply to it. The fifth and very strong testimony is furnished by the statement كَأَنَّما يُساقونَ إِلَى المَوتِ (as if they were being driven to death). Who would say that attacking a trading caravan is going into the jaws of death. However, the going out to confront the strong force heading to attack Madinah was certainly going into the jaws of death.
8-7 And when Allah promised you one of the two parties that it should be yours, and you loved that the one not armed should be yours, and Allah desired to establish the Truth by His words, and to cut off the root of the disbelievers —a
وَإِذ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّهُ إِحدَى الطّائِفَتَينِ أَنَّها لَكُم وَتَوَدّونَ أَنَّ غَيرَ ذاتِ الشَّوكَةِ تَكونُ لَكُم وَيُريدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ الحَقَّ بِكَلِماتِهِ وَيَقطَعَ دابِرَ الكافِرينَ (۷)
8-7a: غَيرَ ذاتِ الشَّوكَةِ – The literal meaning of شَّوكَ is thorns and it also has secondary meanings of vehemence and armament (R).
يُحِقَّ – It is derived from احقاق and the meaning here is demonstration of truth as manifested by arguments and signs.
The mention of two groups and God’s intent: This verse throws further light on the causes of the Battle of Badr. It has clearly been indicated that there were two groups, one armed and the other unarmed, that is the trading caravan and those Muslims mentioned in the previous verse who were fearful. The fearful Muslims wanted to waylay the caravan, but Allah desired the opposite, that is a confrontation with the armed group. As it was Allah at whose behest the Muslims had gone forth from their homes, that is the setting out was at the command of Allah, it follows that the going forth was to oppose the armed group, that is to confront Abu Jahal and not to attack the caravan which was the wish of some weak hearted Muslims. This is the sixth argument that proves the claim. The narrations that allege that the objective of going forth from Madinah was to attack the caravan stand discredited on these grounds. The seventh argument is in the words: وَيُريدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ الحَقَّ بِكَلِماتِهِ (and Allah desired to establish the Truth by His words). It is obvious that by His word is meant some statement by Allah. What connection can there be between Allah’s word and a battle except that there were some prophecies about this battle. Now, there are several prophecies about the Battle of Badr and a confrontation between the Muslims and the disbelievers in which the Muslims will be victorious. There is a clear indication to these prophecies in the term Allah’s word. This battle was not just a battle but a proof, and a very clear proof, about the truth of Islam. On the contrary, there was no prophecy about an attack on a caravan and none took place. The eighth testimony is in the words: يَقطَعَ دابِرَ الكافِرينَ (to cut off the roots of the disbelievers). Thus, Allah’s intent in commanding the Muslims to go forth was to cut off the roots of the disbelievers, that is to crush their strength, and it is obvious that the power of the disbelievers would not be crushed by looting a caravan. For this to happen, it was necessary for the disbelievers to use all their might and yet be destroyed.
8-8 That He might cause the Truth to triumph and bring the falsehood to naught, though the guilty disliked.
لِيُحِقَّ الحَقَّ وَيُبطِلَ الباطِلَ وَلَو كَرِهَ المُجرِمونَ (۸)
8-9 When you sought the aid of your Lord, so He answered you: I will assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another.a
إِذ تَستَغيثونَ رَبَّكُم فَاستَجابَ لَكُم أَنّي مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلفٍ مِنَ المَلائِكَةِ مُردِفينَ (۹)
8-9a: تَستَغيثونَ –غَوۡث means succor, relief, aid or help and غَیۡث means rain. استغاثة is used both for seeking help and seeking rain (R). The meaning here is seeking help as the context shows. Other uses of the word in the Quran are: فَاستَغاثَهُ الَّذي مِن شيعَتِهِ (he who was of his party cried out to him for help) (28:15); وَإِن يَستَغيثوا يُغاثوا بِماءٍ كَالمُهلِ (and if they cry out for water, they are given water like molten brass) (18:29).
مُردِفينَ – ردف means تَبِع that is to follow, succeed or come after, and اَرۡدَفۡته means mounted him on the horse behind the rider. رَادِفۡ is to ride behind someone and مُرۡدِف is the rider in the front who has someone mounted behind him (R). Thus, رَدِفَ and اَرۡدَف have different meanings. Those who have taken the meaning of مُردِفينَ to be the ones coming after have taken رَدِفَ and اَرۡدَف to mean the same.
What remains to be seen is what is meant by the angels going in the front and who are behind them. It is obvious that the angels made the Muslims steadfast and put awe into the hearts of the disbelievers as stated later: إِذ يوحي رَبُّكَ إِلَى المَلائِكَةِ أَنّي مَعَكُم فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذينَ آمَنوا ۚ سَأُلقي في قُلوبِ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعبَ (When thy Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, so make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve) (8:12). Hence, the angels were preceding the Muslim army and behind them was the Muslim force. Raghib has given the following meaning: قیل المراد المتقد مین لِلۡعَسۡکَرِ یلقون فی قلب الِعدَی الرُّعۡبَ
The statement in this verse was revealed at the time the Holy Prophet set out from Madinah as is shown by the use of the word إِذ . Muslims realized their own weakness and the strength of the enemy and asked for help from Allah. If the objective had been to plunder the caravan, then it would not be an occasion to ask for help. It is equally obvious that when a group is afraid and feels that they are being pushed into the jaws of death, that they would ask for help. This is the ninth testimony that the Muslim force had set out to oppose the army of the disbelievers and not to attack a caravan.
Why were one thousand angels specified: One thousand is a whole number and the other thing is that the enemy numbered around one thousand and so Allah promised a like number of angels to assist. See 124a.
8-10 And Allah gave it only as good news, and that your hearts might be at ease thereby. And victory is only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.a
وَما جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلّا بُشرىٰ وَلِتَطمَئِنَّ بِهِ قُلوبُكُم ۚ وَمَا النَّصرُ إِلّا مِن عِندِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزيزٌ حَكيمٌ (۱۰)
8-10a: Two things are mentioned here regarding the promised assistance by angels. The first is that this is good news for the Muslims because their small force of three hundred was no match for the enemy one thousand strong. The promise of assistance by the angels communicated the good news of a victory and conveyed that the Hand of Allah was supporting them. The Muslims had been told earlier that there would be a confrontation between them and the disbelievers in which they would triumph and be victorious and the disbelievers would turn their back and run away: سَيُهزَمُ الجَمعُ وَيُوَلّونَ الدُّبُرَ (Soon shall the hosts be routed, and they will show (their) back) (54:45). It is also mentioned how this assistance will take place and the angels are mentioned because three hundred men could not overcome one thousand unless some other factors came into play. These factors had to be such that they favored the Muslims and were unfavorable for the disbelievers. Assistance by angels fits this premise and further shows that such assistance was beyond human endeavor and was purely created by Allah. The angels are the agency through whom Allah’s commands are carried out, hence they are mentioned because they are the intermediaries.
The second thing that is stated is that your hearts may be at ease thereby. Creating peace in the heart is also the work of angels, and it is common experience that a person can accomplish great tasks when his heart is at ease, but the same person is unable to benefit from his strength and resources when his heart is uneasy.
The third thing that is stated about the angels in 8:12 is سَأُلقي في قُلوبِ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعبَ (I will cast terror in the hearts of those who disbelieve). It is true that if the disbelievers had been equally steadfast as the believers, the believers would not have gained victory. It is for this reason that it is stated that the disbelievers will be terror stricken. This is indicated using the word مُردِفينَ for the angels in the previous verse, that is they will precede the Muslim troops putting terror into the hearts of the disbelievers so that the disbelievers will not be able to stand their ground.
Given that these were the three purposes for the coming of the angels and the fact that all three purposes were accomplished shows clearly that the angels did in fact come and their coming strengthened the hearts of the Muslims and overawed the disbelievers.
The angels did not fight in the Battle of Badr: The question that remains is whether the angels in the garb of men or in some other fashion participated in fighting the disbelievers. There are different opinions about this. In one narration there is a mention that a Helper in pursuit of of a disbeliever in the battle heard the crackle of a whip and the disbeliever went down. He mentioned this to the Holy Prophet, who said that this happened with the help of the angels. In another narration Abu Jahal enquired from Ibn Masud how was it that they heard voices but did not see any faces. He replied that they were angels. Both these narrations indicate that no one saw the angels, but they did participate in the fighting. Some have said that the angels in the shape of men were wearing white clothes and fighting alongside the believers. The Quran clearly contradicts the two reports, and the words of this verse are definitive in solving this controversy. Accordingly, Imam Razi writes in Kabir: والذی یدل علیٰ صحة ان الملائکة ما نزلوا للقتال قالہ تعالیٰ و ما جعله اللّٰه الا بشری الخ (This verse provides testimony to the truth of the fact that the angels did not come down to fight) and in support of this he quotes a narration from Ibn Abbas in which it is stated that after the Holy Prophet had finished praying under the canopy, he told Caliph Abu Bakr البشر بنصر اللّٰه و لقدرایت فی منامی جبرائیل یقدم الخیل (Rejoice at the assistance of Allah. I saw in my vision that Gabriel was walking ahead of the army). Imam Razi then writes that this shows that the purpose of the coming of the angels was only as good news and this negates their taking any steps in the fighting. Similarly Ruh Al Maani states under this verse: فی الایة اشعاربان الملائکة لم یباشر وا قتالاً و ھو مذھب لبعضہم (It appears from this verse that the angels did not fight but this is the belief of some).
It is clear from note 3-126a that there is near unanimous consent that in no battle except Badr did the angels participate in the fighting. Further, it is shown in the discussion above that the angels did not fight in the Battle of Badr either. A little reflection shows that out of the three battles in which the coming of angels is mentioned, there is agreement that in two of those, the angels did not participate in the fighting. The reason why the angels came in two of the battles must be the same as why they came in the third battle. Hence making the Battle of Badr as an exception is erroneous. Apart from this, the Quran itself has given a verdict on this: فَأَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم ريحًا وَجُنودًا لَم تَرَوها (so We sent against them a strong wind and hosts that you saw not) (33:9). This revelation is about the Battle of Khandaq. The angels are referred to as hosts that the Muslims did not see. This provides definitive testimony that the help of angels was not in the form of fighting but of a different kind. Their coming was not in a form that one thousand angels joined the three hundred believers to make a fighting force of thirteen hundred. However, the overcoming of one thousand by the three hundred is certain testimony that the Muslims received aid from an unseen source.
Bayan-ul-Quran 