8-49 And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease said: Their religion has deluded them. And whoever trusts in Allah, then surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.a
إِذْ يَقُولُ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ غَرَّ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ دِينُهُمْ ۗ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ (٤٩)
8-49a: The central focus of this section is on the treachery and the repeated breach of agreements by the disbelievers, and the mention of Pharoah is probably for the same reason because he repeatedly breached his agreements with Moses: فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ ٱلرِّجْزَ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ هُم بَـٰلِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمْ يَنكُثُونَ (But when We removed the plague from them till a term which they should attain, lo! They broke (their promise)) (7-135). A number of these treacherous breaches also occurred in the last few years of the Holy Prophet’s life, as is mentioned in the beginning of Surah Al Baraat. However, things were not much different in the earlier part as well. Even before the conflicts with the Quraish started, the Holy Prophet had made agreements with several non-Muslim tribes in order to protect the Muslims. Whenever these tribes sensed some weakness in the Muslims, they would break the agreements. Their ethical code was like that of the Europeans, namely that there is no need to abide by an agreement made with a weaker nation.
Seeing the weakness of the Muslims, and the enemies that surrounded them, the hypocrites and the weak of heart said that by relying on the agreements that the Holy Prophet had made, the Muslims were committing suicide. The reply is given that those who rely on Allah are not deceived and they will overcome their enemies because Allah has power over everything.
8-50 And if thou couldst see when the angels cause to die those who disbelieve, smiting their faces and their backs, and (saying): Taste the punishment of burning.
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۙ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَـٰرَهُمْ وَذُوقُوا۟ عَذَابَ ٱلْحَرِيقِ (۵۰)
8-51 This is for that which your own hands have sent on before, and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the servants—
ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّـٰمٍۢ لِّلْعَبِيدِ (۵۱)
8-52 In the manner of the people of Pharaoh and those before them, they disbelieved in Allah’s messages, so Allah punished them for their sins. Surely Allah is Strong, Severe in requiting.
كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ ۙ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِىٌّۭ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ (۵۲)
8-53 This is because Allah never changes a favor which He has conferred upon a people until they change their own condition — and because Allah is Hearing, Knowing —
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًۭا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ (۵۳)
8-53a: When is a favor taken away from a nation: Despite their disbelief, Allah would not have taken away His blessings from the disbelievers if they had not sunk further into disbelief. A poet has expressed this beautifully:
اے کریمی کہ از خانۂ غیب
گبرو ترسا وظیفہ خورداری
دوستاں را کجا کنی محروم
تو کہ بردشمنان نظر داری
When a nation loses its fitness to rule, then Allah removes this nation and brings another in its place. Allah does not deprive people of His blessings unless the people themselves throw them away. The Muslims lost the blessing of their kingdoms and wealth when their condition deteriorated. The primary need for the Muslims is to correct their condition, but the Muslims are unmindful of this.
8-54 In the manner of the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They rejected the messages of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins. And We drowned Pharaoh’s people and they were all wrongdoers.
كَدَأْبِ ءَالِ فِرْعَوْنَ ۙ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَـٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَغْرَقْنَآ ءَالَ فِرْعَوْنَ ۚ وَكُلٌّۭ كَانُوا۟ ظَـٰلِمِينَ (۵۴)
8-55 Surely the vilest of beasts in Allah’s sight are those who disbelieve, then they would not believe.
إِنَّ شَرَّ ٱلدَّوَآبِّ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ (۵۵)
8-55a: The reference is to those disbelievers who had made up their mind that they would never believe. Hence, they were determined to oppose the truth as is apparent from their breach of agreements. More details are provided in the next verse.
8-56 Those with whom thou makest an agreement, then they break their agreement every time, and they keep not their duty.
ٱلَّذِينَ عَـٰهَدتَّ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ يَنقُضُونَ عَهْدَهُمْ فِى كُلِّ مَرَّةٍۢ وَهُمْ لَا يَتَّقُونَ (۵۶)
8-56a: This was frequently happening at that time. The Holy Prophet did not want to wage war with the tribes and so, as far as possible, he had entered into agreements with them, but keeping their promise was not a trait in most of them. Even the Jews who are the People of the Book did not care to abide by their agreements and the weakness of the Muslims further encouraged them to breach their promises at will. Commentators have mentioned under this verse the names of Banu Qurayza and some other Jewish tribes, but historical analysis shows that, apart from rare exceptions, the parties who had entered into agreements with the Holy Prophet had no qualms about breaking their agreements.
8-57 So if thou overtake them in war, scatter by them those who are behind them, that they may be mindful.a
فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْحَرْبِ فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ (۵۷)
8-57a: شَرِّدْ – The meaning of شَرَدَ is to run away, flee, escape (R). Accordingly, طرید – شرید is a person who is left alone, and تَشۡرِید means evict, disperse, and scatter. It is stated in Mufradat that the meaning of شَرّدت به is that he acted with him in a way that made him run away, that is he was given an exemplary punishment that will keep him from being a repeat offender.
The purport is that if the Muslims find in a battle those who repeatedly breach their agreement, they should give them an exemplary punishment so that it may be a lesson for others who may be thinking of breaching their agreements.
8-58 And if thou fear treachery on the part of a people, throw back to them (their treaty) on terms of equality. Surely Allah loves not the treacherous.a
وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِن قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةًۭ فَٱنۢبِذْ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْخَآئِنِينَ (۵۸)
8-58a: تَخَافَن – اَلۡخَوۡفُ means the expectation of some impending danger based upon conjecture and known information, just as the words رِجاء and طَمع are spoken for the expectation of some benefit based on conjecture and known information. In وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا (And if you fear a breach between the two) (4:35), the meaning of خِفْتُمْ (if you fear) are taken to be عَرَفۡتُم (if you recognize). So, the implied meaning is if based on the objective conditions you recognize (R). This is the meaning of تَخَافَنَّ here, that is if you are afraid, based upon your knowledge of the conditions that a particular nation is going to breach the agreement, then withdraw from it.
عَلَىٰ سَوَآءٍ – It means keeping in view equality, that is it should not be the case that the Muslims dump their agreement partner just because the partner is facing adversities or that they leave the agreement when the other party thinks that the agreement is in force. The two parties should be similarly situated when the agreement is terminated, and the objective should not be to harm the other party.
This is the perfection of the teachings of Islam that it does not permit unfaithfulness even with a faithless partner. It is stated that if a breach of agreement is reasonably assured based on evidence, then it is allowed to withdraw from an agreement on equal terms.
Bayan-ul-Quran 