الأنفال
The Spoils of War
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
wa-iʿ'lamū annamā ghanim'tum min shayin fa-anna lillahi khumusahu walilrrasūli walidhī l-qur'bā wal-yatāmā wal-masākīni wa-ib'ni l-sabīli in kuntum āmantum bil-lahi wamā anzalnā ʿalā ʿabdinā yawma l-fur'qāni yawma l-taqā l-jamʿāni wal-lahu ʿalā kulli shayin qadīrun
And know that anything you obtain of war booty - then indeed, for Allāh is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have believed in Allāh and in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of criterion [i.e., decisive encounter] - the day when the two armies met [at Badr]. And Allāh, over all things, is competent.
idh antum bil-ʿud'wati l-dun'yā wahum bil-ʿud'wati l-quṣ'wā wal-rakbu asfala minkum walaw tawāʿadttum la-ikh'talaftum fī l-mīʿādi walākin liyaqḍiya l-lahu amran kāna mafʿūlan liyahlika man halaka ʿan bayyinatin wayaḥyā man ḥayya ʿan bayyinatin wa-inna l-laha lasamīʿun ʿalīmun
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it was] so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
idh yurīkahumu l-lahu fī manāmika qalīlan walaw arākahum kathīran lafashil'tum walatanāzaʿtum fī l-amri walākinna l-laha sallama innahu ʿalīmun bidhāti l-ṣudūri
[Remember, O Muḥammad], when Allāh showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to fight], but Allāh saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
wa-idh yurīkumūhum idhi l-taqaytum fī aʿyunikum qalīlan wayuqallilukum fī aʿyunihim liyaqḍiya l-lahu amran kāna mafʿūlan wa-ilā l-lahi tur'jaʿu l-umūru
And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allāh are [all] matters returned.
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū idhā laqītum fi-atan fa-uth'butū wa-udh'kurū l-laha kathīran laʿallakum tuf'liḥūna
O you who have believed, when you encounter a company [from the enemy forces], stand firm and remember Allāh much that you may be successful.
wa-aṭīʿū l-laha warasūlahu walā tanāzaʿū fatafshalū watadhhaba rīḥukum wa-iṣ'birū inna l-laha maʿa l-ṣābirīna
And obey Allāh and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allāh is with the patient.
walā takūnū ka-alladhīna kharajū min diyārihim baṭaran wariāa l-nāsi wayaṣuddūna ʿan sabīli l-lahi wal-lahu bimā yaʿmalūna muḥīṭun
And do not be like those who came forth from their homes insolently and to be seen by people and avert [them] from the way of Allāh. And Allāh is encompassing of what they do.
wa-idh zayyana lahumu l-shayṭānu aʿmālahum waqāla lā ghāliba lakumu l-yawma mina l-nāsi wa-innī jārun lakum falammā tarāati l-fi-atāni nakaṣa ʿalā ʿaqibayhi waqāla innī barīon minkum innī arā mā lā tarawna innī akhāfu l-laha wal-lahu shadīdu l-ʿiqābi
And [remember] when Satan made their deeds pleasing to them and said, "No one can overcome you today from among the people, and indeed, I am your protector." But when the two armies sighted each other, he turned on his heels and said, "Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I see what you do not see; indeed, I fear Allāh. And Allāh is severe in penalty."
idh yaqūlu l-munāfiqūna wa-alladhīna fī qulūbihim maraḍun gharra hāulāi dīnuhum waman yatawakkal ʿalā l-lahi fa-inna l-laha ʿazīzun ḥakīmun
[Remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease [i.e., arrogance and disbelief] said, "Their religion has deluded those [Muslims]." But whoever relies upon Allāh - then indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
walaw tarā idh yatawaffā alladhīna kafarū l-malāikatu yaḍribūna wujūhahum wa-adbārahum wadhūqū ʿadhāba l-ḥarīqi
And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved... They are striking their faces and their backs and [saying], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.
dhālika bimā qaddamat aydīkum wa-anna l-laha laysa biẓallāmin lil'ʿabīdi
That is for what your hands have put forth [of evil] and because Allāh is not ever unjust to [His] servants."
kadabi āli fir'ʿawna wa-alladhīna min qablihim kafarū biāyāti l-lahi fa-akhadhahumu l-lahu bidhunūbihim inna l-laha qawiyyun shadīdu l-ʿiqābi
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They disbelieved in the signs of Allāh, so Allāh seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allāh is Powerful and severe in penalty.
dhālika bi-anna l-laha lam yaku mughayyiran niʿ'matan anʿamahā ʿalā qawmin ḥattā yughayyirū mā bi-anfusihim wa-anna l-laha samīʿun ʿalīmun
That is because Allāh would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. And indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
kadabi āli fir'ʿawna wa-alladhīna min qablihim kadhabū biāyāti rabbihim fa-ahlaknāhum bidhunūbihim wa-aghraqnā āla fir'ʿawna wakullun kānū ẓālimīna
[Theirs is] like the custom of the people of Pharaoh and of those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh. And all [of them] were wrongdoers.
inna sharra l-dawābi ʿinda l-lahi alladhīna kafarū fahum lā yu'minūna
Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allāh are those who have disbelieved, and they will not [ever] believe-
alladhīna ʿāhadtta min'hum thumma yanquḍūna ʿahdahum fī kulli marratin wahum lā yattaqūna
The ones with whom you made a treaty but then they break their pledge every time, and they do not fear Allāh.
fa-immā tathqafannahum fī l-ḥarbi fasharrid bihim man khalfahum laʿallahum yadhakkarūna
So if you, [O Muḥammad], gain dominance over them in war, disperse by [means of] them those behind them that perhaps they will be reminded.
wa-immā takhāfanna min qawmin khiyānatan fa-inbidh ilayhim ʿalā sawāin inna l-laha lā yuḥibbu l-khāinīna
If you [have reason to] fear from a people betrayal, throw [their treaty] back to them, [putting you] on equal terms. Indeed, Allāh does not like traitors.
walā yaḥsabanna alladhīna kafarū sabaqū innahum lā yuʿ'jizūna
And let not those who disbelieve think they will escape. Indeed, they will not cause failure [to Allāh].
wa-aʿiddū lahum mā is'taṭaʿtum min quwwatin wamin ribāṭi l-khayli tur'hibūna bihi ʿaduwwa l-lahi waʿaduwwakum waākharīna min dūnihim lā taʿlamūnahumu l-lahu yaʿlamuhum wamā tunfiqū min shayin fī sabīli l-lahi yuwaffa ilaykum wa-antum lā tuẓ'lamūna
And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allāh and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allāh knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allāh will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.