Al-Anfal 8:46
The Spoils of War · Juz 10 · Page 183
وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَٰزَعُواْ فَتَفۡشَلُواْ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِيحُكُمۡۖ وَٱصۡبِرُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ٤٦
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.
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 8:45–47
Success ensues with the help of God. But God’s help always arrives in this world in the garb of the cause and effect process, and not otherwise. If Muslims prepare themselves as far as possible, fulfilling all the conditions laid down by God for success, then God grants them success after compensating for any shortcomings that they might have. But if they do not exert themselves to the full as commanded by God, He never sends His help in such circumstances. What are these factors which will lead to success? Firstly Muslims should not initiate aggression. Then they should set about strengthening their roots until the enemy comes to attack them. When things reach the stage of a clash, they should prove to be staunch and unflinching, keeping in mind the remembrance of God—in other words, the real goal,—so that their morale may remain intact; they should keep themselves fully organised under the command of their chief, ignoring mutual differences instead of enlarging upon them and becoming divided; they should impress the enemy with their unity; they should exercise patience, i.e., they should adopt a sensible approach instead of being emotional; they should not take any immature step in the hope of quick success; their eyes should be on the final goal and not on immediate gain. Receiving God’s succour is thus a matter of cause and effect. If we are willing to surrender our will wholeheartedly to the will of God, then alone are we held deserving to receive divine succour. The present world is one of trial. Here, God achieves His will from behind the veil of the ‘unseen.’ That is why when He helps the believers, it is done from behind the screen of ‘cause and effect.’ If the Muslims go on taking steps without making preliminary preparations and suffer from differences and dissension, they should never hope that God will appear all of a sudden and solve all their problems on the spot. Even if the Muslims find themselves in better conditions than those of their opponents, it should not happen that, like those who deny the truth they become boastful of their power; fall a prey to haughtiness and ostentation and, in claiming superiority, go to the extent of opposing the call of Truth because it does not suit their whims and fancies.
Page 183
8:46
وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَٰزَعُواْ فَتَفۡشَلُواْ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِيحُكُمۡۖ وَٱصۡبِرُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ ٤٦
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.
8:47
وَلَا تَكُونُواْ كَٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَٰرِهِم بَطَرٗا وَرِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعۡمَلُونَ مُحِيطٞ ٤٧
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 encompassing1 of what they do.
1 translator’s note
- In knowledge. See footnote to 2:19. ↩
8:48
وَإِذۡ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٞ لَّكُمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَتِ ٱلۡفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيۡهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيٓءٞ مِّنكُمۡ إِنِّيٓ أَرَىٰ مَا لَا تَرَوۡنَ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَۚ وَٱللَّهُ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ ٤٨
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."
8:49
إِذۡ يَقُولُ ٱلۡمُنَٰفِقُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ غَرَّ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ دِينُهُمۡۗ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ ٤٩
[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.
8:50
وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذۡ يَتَوَفَّى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَضۡرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمۡ وَأَدۡبَٰرَهُمۡ وَذُوقُواْ عَذَابَ ٱلۡحَرِيقِ ٥٠
And if you could but see when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieved...1 They are striking their faces and their backs and [saying], "Taste the punishment of the Burning Fire.
1 translator’s note
- This sentence is left incomplete for additional effect. Its conclusion is left to the imagination of the reader or listener and estimated as "...you would see a dreadful sight." ↩
8:51
ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَيۡسَ بِظَلَّٰمٖ لِّلۡعَبِيدِ ٥١
That is for what your hands have put forth [of evil] and because Allāh is not ever unjust to [His] servants."
8:52
كَدَأۡبِ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَخَذَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِذُنُوبِهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَوِيّٞ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ ٥٢
[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.