8-11 When He made slumber fall on you as a security from Him,a and sent down upon you water from the clouds that He might thereby purify you, and take away from you the uncleanness of the devil, and that He might fortify your hearts and make firm (your) feet thereby.b
إِذ يُغَشّيكُمُ النُّعاسَ أَمَنَةً مِنهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيكُم مِنَ السَّماءِ ماءً لِيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِ وَيُذهِبَ عَنكُم رِجزَ الشَّيطانِ وَلِيَربِطَ عَلىٰ قُلوبِكُم وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ الأَقدامَ (۱۱)
8-11a: نعاس – It means light sleep or drowsiness, but Raghib has accepted the meaning of نعاس as tranquility because sleep brings tranquility.,
After narrating some of the early stages of the Badar expedition, the narration turns to describing the actual battlefield conditions, and the first thing that is mentioned is that Allah caused a light slumber to fall on the Muslims. The ordinary meaning of نعاس approximates drowsiness or sleep but it is not established from any authentic hadith that the Muslims fell into a slumber on the day of the battle. However, the slumber of the Muslim army after the battle of Uhad is a well-known event. There is one possibility though that this may refer to sleep during the night prior to the battle because the actual hostilities took place in the morning. So, the meaning here is either that the Muslims had the peace of mind to fall asleep during the night preceding the battle, an indication that they no longer feared the enemy. According to a narration by Mujahid, a rain shower had preceded the slumber (IK) which supports this interpretation. However, a more appropriate word for night sleep is نوم and so another interpretation is that by نعاس is meant tranquility, and the purport is that the state of fear that prevailed earlier among a section of the army that they were being driven into the jaws of death was replaced with tranquility on reaching the battlefield. This change of state may well have been brought about by the words of the Holy Prophet because when he emerged from the canopy under which he had been making long supplications to Allah, the following words were on his blessed tongue: سَيُهزَمُ الجَمعُ وَيُوَلّونَ الدُّبُرَ (Soon shall the hosts be routed and they will show (their) back) (54:45). This was a Quranic prophecy about the Battle of Badr.
8-11b: يَربِطَ عَلىٰ قُلوبِكُم – The meaning of رَبۡط is to bind or tie and the meaning of يَربِطَ عَلىٰ قُلوبِكُم is the same as granting tranquility and assistance by the Holy Spirit (R).
The second blessing bestowed on the Muslims by Allah was a downpour that benefited Muslims in several ways. First, the ground that Muslims occupied did not have sufficient water. Second, the ground was low lying and sandy causing the feet to sink into the ground. The rainwater was collected and provided sufficient water for the Muslim force for ablution and bathing, and the rain made the ground firm, thus making it possible for the soldiers to have a firm footing. By purification is either meant water for ablution or eliminating weak heartedness. By uncleanness of the devil is meant either removing the suggestions of the devil from the hearts of the weak hearted that their disadvantage in numbers was further being compounded by a disadvantageous position on the battlefield or the meaning is to quench their thirst because thirst is called شیطان الفلا (the devil of the desert). The strengthening of the heart and the steadfastness of the steps was a natural consequence of this. By firmness of steps is not only meant that the ground had become firm under their feet but that their position became stronger vis a vis the enemy.
8-12 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. So smite above the necks and smite every finger-tip of them.a
إِذ يوحي رَبُّكَ إِلَى المَلائِكَةِ أَنّي مَعَكُم فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذينَ آمَنوا ۚ سَأُلقي في قُلوبِ الَّذينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعبَ فَاضرِبوا فَوقَ الأَعناقِ وَاضرِبوا مِنهُم كُلَّ بَنانٍ (۱۲)
8-12a: This is the second scene from the battlefield. The first scene is the one that is reported in the previous verse. This scene is now from the battle itself. The Quran has explained here clearly what the role of the angels was. When there is a difference of opinion in the narrations, the correct way is to keep the wording of the Quran in view. The angels were commanded to keep the believers steadfast and because the relationship of the angels is with the human heart, hence their keeping the Muslims steadfast was through this connection. As Zajjaj writes this was done by inspiring their hearts to be resolute and their efforts to be potent. The statement starting from سَأُلقي في قُلوبِ is separate and directed to the Muslims to smite the enemy, and is not part of the revelation to the angels. Some have taken فَوقَ الأَعناقِ to mean behead them while others have taken فَوقَ to mean علےٰ that is to smite them above the neck.
بَنانٍ – It is the plural of بنانة and means fingertips. The fingertips is what the hands use for their work and it contains the hidden strength of a person. The purport here is to cut the hand that holds the sword to strike you.
8-13 This is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger — then surely Allah is Severe in requiting.a
ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُم شاقُّوا اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ ۚ وَمَن يُشاقِقِ اللَّهَ وَرَسولَهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَديدُ العِقابِ (۱۳)
8-13a: شاقُّوا – The meaning of شق is a fissure or crack as in: ثُمَّ شَقَقنَا الأَرضَ شَقًّا (Then cleave the earth, cleaving (it) asunder (80:26). The meaning of شِقّ is to toil, as in: إِلّا بِشِقِّ الأَنفُسِ (but with distress to yourselves) (16:7), and شُقَّة is that side which is arduous to reach, as in بَعُدَت عَلَيهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ (the hard journey was too long for them) (9:42). شقاق is opposition, dissension, discord, disunity as in: وَإِن خِفتُم شِقاقَ بَينِهِما (And if you fear a breach between the two) (4:35) and وَمَن يُشاقِقِ الرَّسولَ (And whoever acts hostilely to the Messenger) (4:115).
8-14 This — taste it, and (know) that for the disbelievers is the chastisement of the Fire.a
ذٰلِكُم فَذوقوهُ وَأَنَّ لِلكافِرينَ عَذابَ النّارِ (۱۴)
8-14a: The punishment of this world is clearly said to be a forerunner of the punishment in the Hereafter. This is because both the punishments were promised to the disbelievers, as in: وَلَنُذيقَنَّهُم مِنَ العَذابِ الأَدنىٰ دونَ العَذابِ الأَكبَرِ (And certainly We will make them taste the nearer punishment before the greater chastisement) (32:21). So, the infliction of the first punishment was a proof that the promise of a second chastisement is also true.
8-15 O you who believe, when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, turn not your backs to them.a
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا إِذا لَقيتُمُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا زَحفًا فَلا تُوَلّوهُمُ الأَدبارَ (۱۵)
8-15a: زَحفً – It means to walk while dragging your feet, similar to how a child walks, and the word is also used to describe the movement of an army on the march because it moves slowly as it is weighed down with equipment, provisions and the like (R). For this reason, زَحفً has also been used to describe combat between the armies, as in a hadith: و ان فرّ من الزحف .
It is stated in the context of a battle that a Muslim soldier must never show his back to the enemy, the exception is mentioned in the next verse. Because the rules of war for a Muslim are the commands of Allah, hence the Muslims adhere to this code till now. It is particularly well-known about the Turkish soldiers that the bullet wounds were always on their chest or their front and never on their back.a
8-16 And whoso turns his back to them on that day — unless maneuvering for battle or turning to join a company — he, indeed, incurs Allah’s wrath and his refuge is hell. And an evil destination it is.
وَمَن يُوَلِّهِم يَومَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ إِلّا مُتَحَرِّفًا لِقِتالٍ أَو مُتَحَيِّزًا إِلىٰ فِئَةٍ فَقَد باءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَأواهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئسَ المَصيرُ (۱۶)
8-16a: مُتَحَرِّفًا – It is derived from حرف which means edge or side. So, تحرّف is to withdraw or retire.
مُتَحَيِّزًا – Its root is حَوز and it means the addition of something with another thing. So, the meaning of مُتَحَيِّزًا is صائرالی حَیِّزٍ (R).
There are two conditions in which it is permissible to turn one’s back to the enemy. The first is as a strategy in the war and the second is that if one gets separated from the main body of the army, then one may do so to join the main army.
8-17 So you slew them not but Allah slew them, and thou smotest not when thou didst smite (the enemy), but Allah smote (him), and that He might confer upon the believers a benefit from Himself. Surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing.a
فَلَم تَقتُلوهُم وَلٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ قَتَلَهُم ۚ وَما رَمَيتَ إِذ رَمَيتَ وَلٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمىٰ ۚ وَلِيُبلِيَ المُؤمِنينَ مِنهُ بَلاءً حَسَنًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَميعٌ عَليمٌ (۱۷)
8-17a: Two things are mentioned here, that is the slaying of the disbelievers by the Muslims and the second is رمی that is, the throwing by the Holy Prophet. رمی by the Holy Prophet in the Battle of Hunain is well documented but there is also a mention in some narrations that this happened in the Battle of Badr as well, although Tayyabi has not accepted these narrations to be authentic. The رمی took the following form that the Holy Prophet threw a fistful of pebbles towards the enemy which became the cause of the enemy’s route. Allah has attributed both these things to Himself because both had a miraculous coloring. How could three hundred Muslims face one thousand disbelievers and kill them and how could a handful of pebbles make the enemy flee. It was only Allah that made this miracle possible. The meaning of Allah slaying and throwing is only that Allah gave the Muslims this miraculous strength to bring this about.
8-18 This — and (know) that Allah will weaken the struggle of the disbelievers.a
ذٰلِكُم وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ موهِنُ كَيدِ الكافِرينَ (۱۸)
8-18a: ذٰلِكُم – The indication in ذٰلِكُم is to the outcome of the present battle, and what is communicated in: وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ موهِنُ كَيدِ الكافِرينَ is that the disbelievers will continue with their aggressive designs, but Allah will weaken their efforts and slowly all aggressive actions will come to an end.
8-19 If you sought a judgment, the judgment has indeed come to you;a and if you desist, it is better for you. And if you return (to fight), We (too) shall return and your forces will avail you nothing, though they may be many; and (know) that Allah is with the believers.b
إِن تَستَفتِحوا فَقَد جاءَكُمُ الفَتحُ ۖ وَإِن تَنتَهوا فَهُوَ خَيرٌ لَكُم ۖ وَإِن تَعودوا نَعُد وَلَن تُغنِيَ عَنكُم فِئَتُكُم شَيئًا وَلَو كَثُرَت وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ المُؤمِنينَ (۱۹)
8-19a: When the disbelievers set out from Makkah, they caught the covering of the Kabah and made the following prayer: اللّٰھم انصرا علی الجُندین و اَھۡدی الفِئَتین و اکرم الحِزبین (O Allah help the greater of the two hosts and the more guided of the two parties and the more honorable of the two groups. According to some narrations, Abu Jahal prayed in the battlefield that out of the two, the one who is the perpetrator of mischief and severer of the ties of kinship may be destroyed. It is with reference to these supplications that Allah states that you sought a judgment and Allah has given the judgment. So, now accept this judgment.
8-19b: The disbelievers are advised to cease their hostilities because that is in their best interest but if they persist in waging wars, the result will be that they will suffer more punishment. It is also prophesied that whatever the size of the army they bring, they will not be successful. This prophecy was made when the Muslims could hardly muster three or four hundred men. Addressing such a prophecy to the whole of Arabia is a manifestation of Allah’s strength. The truth of this prophecy shines with such brightness that no opponent of Islam can deny it.
Bayan-ul-Quran 