Al-Anfal 8:8–14

Commentary

The verses cited above describe the event of Badr and point out to blessings which descended upon Muslims in the form of Divine help and support during the Battle.

In the first (7) and the second (8) verses, it has bees% stated that at the time the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the noble Companions ؓ got the information that a virtual army of the Quraysh has already left Makkah to give a security cover to their trade caravan, Muslims found that they now have two groups to deal with. One of the two was the trade caravan which has been called: عِیر (` ir) in relevant narrations. The other one was this very armed group which had dashed out from Makkah and which has been called: نفیر (nafir). According to the statement given in the verse, that was the time when Allah Ta` ala had made a promise to His Messenger ﷺ - and to all Muslims through him - to the effect that they will totally overcome one of the two groups so much so that they would be able to deal with it as they wished.

Now, it is obvious that overcoming a trade caravan was easy and danger-free while dealing with an armed force was fraught with all sorts of difficulties and dangers. Therefore, after hearing this seemingly ambiguous promise, it occurred to many Companions, that it would be convenient if the Divine promise, made to Muslims that they would overcome one of the two groups, were to be about the group which was simply an unarmed trading caravan. But, the Holy Prophet ﷺ and many of his leading Companions intended otherwise as Divinely guided and settled for overcoming an armed force as the better choice.

In this verse, Muslims seeking to overcome an unarmed group have been warned that they, on their part, preferred to overcome an unarmed trading caravan in view of their tilt towards personal convenience and a danger-free option. But, Allah Ta` ala intended it to be otherwise so that the real objective of Islam stands achieved, that is, truth gets to be established as the ultimate truth and the very root of disbelievers is cut off. It is obvious that this objective could be achieved only when the confrontation is against an armed force and Muslims overwhelm and overpower them.

In substance, what Muslims are being chastised for is their choice of an option which was laced with timidity, desire to relax, and was a thing of temporal benefit. Contrary to that, the intention made by Allah Ta` ala was based on high determination, great objectives and benefits which were perfect and eternal. Then, in the second verse (8), it was further clarified by saying that there was nothing outside the power and control of Allah Ta` ala. If He had so willed, Muslims would have triumphed over the trading caravan, but He deemed it compatible with the station and majesty of the Messenger of Allah, and his noble Companions ؓ that the confrontation should be against the armed force which should result in their conquest, so that it becomes all too clear that truth is, after all, the truth and that falsehood is, after all, nothing but falsehood.

Noteworthy at this point is the question that Allah Ta` ala is All-Knowing, All-Aware and certainly cognizant of the beginning and the end of everything. What then was the expedient consideration behind this ambiguous promise - that Muslims will overcome anyone of the two groups? It seems possible that He could have pinpointed one group precisely and said that such and such group will be overtaken.

The reason for this ambiguity - and Allah knows best - seems to be that this was designed to be a test of the noble Companions ؓ to determine whether they opt for the easy, or the difficult. Then, this was part of their moral training as well - through which they were taught a lesson in high determination, in the struggle for great objectives and in how not to be scared of impending dangers.

Described in the third (9) and fourth (10) verses is what happened after Muslims stood combat ready against their armed opponents. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ saw that he has only three hundred and thirteen Companions ؓ by his side - and that too being mostly unarmed - and arrayed against them there was an armed force composed of one thousand strong men, then, he raised his hands of prayer before Allah Jalla thana'uh seeking his help and support. As he prayed, the noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, said: آمِین 'Amin' (Amen : So be it). Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ has reported the words of this du` a (prayer) made by the Holy Prophet ﷺ as given below in its translation:

"0 Allah! let the promise You have made to me comes true now. 0 Allah, if this modest group of Muslims were to perish, then, on Your earth, there shall remain no one to worship You. (Because, the earth is full of kufr and shirk and left here are these few Muslims who worship Allah as due)."

The Holy Prophet ﷺ kept busy with his du'a, beseeching earnestly and plaintively so much so that the sheet wrap around his shoulders slided down. Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ stepped forward and put the sheet back on his blessed body and said to him: 'Ya Rasul Allah, please worry no more. Allah Ta` ala will surely respond to your prayer and fulfill His promise.'

This is the event referred to in the opening statement: إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَ‌بَّكُمْ (when you were calling your Lord for help) of verse 9. It means that 'worth remembering is the time when you were calling your Lord and appealing for His help and support.' This appeal for help was though from the Holy Prophet ﷺ in fact but, since all Companions ؓ by his side were saying 'Amin' (So be it), therefore, the statement was attributed to the whole group.

Immediately after, there appears the statement which describes how this prayer has been answered. The words are: فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُرْ‌دِفِين (so he responded to you [ saying ]: 'I am going to support you with one thousand of the angels, one following the other' - 9)

The unmatched power with which Allah Ta` ala has blessed angels can be gauged from the event which transpired at the time the part of earth on which the people of Sayyidna Lut (علیہ السلام) lived was overturned upside down. This was done by Angel Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) with just one flick of his feather. So, there was no need to send such a large number of angels to participate in the combat - even one would have been more than enough. But, Allah Ta` ala knows the nature of His servants as they also get impressed with numbers. Therefore, the promise of sending angels was kept synchronized with the numbers of the adversary in the combat, so that their hearts are put at rest fully and comprehensively.

The fourth verse (10) restates this aspect explicitly by saying: وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَ‌ىٰ وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ بِهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ. It means: 'Allah has done it only to give you glad tidings and so that your hearts might be at rest thereby.'

The number of angels sent to support Muslims in the battle of Badr has been given as one thousand at this place, while in Surah 'Al-` Imran (3:124) the number mentioned is three thousand and five thousand. The reason for this lies in three different promises made under different circumstances. The first promise was that of one thousand angels, the reason for which was the prayer of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the supporting plaint of common Muslims with him. The second promise of three thousand angels which appears first in Surah 'Al-` Imran was made at a time when Muslims heard about the additional forces coming to join the Quraysh army. It has been reported in Ruh al-Ma'ani as based on a narration of Al-Sha'bi from Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn al-Mundhir and others that on the day of the battle of Badr when Muslims heard that Kurz ibn Jabir Muharibi was coming with additional armed support for the disbelievers, they were disturbed and agitated. Thereupon, the verse of 'Al-` Imran: أَلَن يَكْفِيَكُمْ أَن يُمِدَّكُمْ رَ‌بُّكُم بِثَلَاثَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُنزَلِينَ : "Shall it not suffice you that your Lord should help you with three thousand of the angels sent down (for you)?" - 3:124) was revealed and referred to wherein is the promise of sending a force of three thousand angels from the heavens in order to support believers.

As for the third promise of five thousand, it was made subject to the condition that should the enemy launch a sudden offensive, a supporting force of five thousand angels will be sent down. That promise appears in the verse which follows verse 124 of Surah 'Al-` Imran (3) cited immediately above. Given here are the words in which it has been mentioned:

بَلَىٰ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُ‌وا وَتَتَّقُوا وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِ‌هِمْ هَٰذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَ‌بُّكُم بِخَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ ﴿125﴾

"Why not? If you stay patient and fear Allah and they come upon you even in this heat of theirs, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand of the angels having distinct marks" (3:125).

Some Commentators have said that this promise had three conditions: (1) Fortitude, (2) Taqwa or fear of Allah and (3) Sudden and all-out attack by the opposing forces. Out of these, the first two conditions were already fulfilled by the noble Companions ؓ for no departure from these was witnessed in this battlefield from the beginning to the end.

But, what did not take place was the third condition of a sudden attack. Therefore, things did not reach the point where the army of five thousand angels was to be inducted.

So, this matter remained revolving between one and three thousand which also lends to the probability that the figure of three thousand may mean the one thousand sent earlier to which an additional force of two thousand was added and made to be three thousand - and it is also probable that these three thousand were in addition to the first one thousand.

At this stage, it is also interesting to note that the promise of sending three groups of angels in these three verses (8:9; 3:124; 3:125) mentions a quality particular to each group. In the present verse, verse 9 of Surah Al-Anfal, where the promise is for one thousand, the word used to describe the quality of these angels is مُرْ‌دِفِينَ (murdifin: translated here as 'one following the other' ). Perhaps, the indication already given within the text is that there are others too coming behind these angels. Then, in the first verse of Surah 'Al-` Imran (3:124) quoted above, the quality of the angels has been given as: مُنزَلِينَ (munzalin : translated as 'sent down [ for you ] ' ). The sense is that these angels will be made to descend from the heavens. In this, there is a hint towards the special arrangement made in this connection - that the angels already present on the earth will not be employed for this mission, instead of which, it will be by special appointment and dispatch that these angels will be sent down from the heavens to fulfill the assignment they have been sent to carry out. After that, we have the second verse (3:125) of Surah 'Al-` Imran where the figure of five thousand has been mentioned. There, the quality of the angels has been stated to be: مُسَوِّمِينَ (musawwimin: translated as 'having distinct marks' ) that is, they shall be appearing in a particular dress and distinctive signs and marks. This is corroborated by Hadith narrations which report that the headgear of angels that descended during the battle of Badr was white and that of the angels who were sent down to help believers in the battle of Hunayn was red.

Finally, towards the end of the verse (10), it was said: وَمَا النَّصْرُ‌ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ (And the help is from none but Allah. Surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise). Here, Muslims have been warned that all help, whatever and from wherever it may be, open or secret, is from Allah Ta` ala alone and issues forth through His power and control only. The help and support of angels is also subject to nothing but His command. Therefore, all believers must look up to none but the most pristine Being of Allah who is One and with Whom there is no partner or associate - because, He is the possessor of Power and Wisdom at its greatest.

Commentary

Being enumerated from the very beginning are blessings of Allah Ta` ala which descended upon His obedient servants. The events of the battle of Badr are parts of the same chain. Out of the many blessings bestowed by Allah Ta` ala during the battle of Badr, the very first blessing is the bringing out of Muslims for this Jihad, which finds mention in: كَمَا أَخْرَ‌جَكَ رَ‌بُّكَ (When your Lord made you leave your home - 5). The second blessing is the promise of providing the support of angels which has been made وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّهُ (And when Allah was promising you - 7). The third blessing is the answer to the prayer made and the fulfill-ment of the promise of support given, which has been mentioned in: إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَ‌بَّكُمْ (When you were calling your Lord for help - 9). The fourth blessing finds its description in the first of the set of four verses cited immediately above (11). Mentioned here are two blessings for the believers: (1) The removal of anxiety and fatigue through a mass descension of drowsiness; and (2) the provision of water for them through rains which also made the battlefield smooth for them and muddy for the enemy.

According to the details of what happened there, when this first ever confrontation between kufr (disbelief, infidelity) and Islam turned into a certain battle, the army of the disbelievers of Makkah had already reached and set up camp at a place which was located on high grounds with water close to them. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ and the Companions ؓ arrived at that place, the lower part of valley fell to their lot. The Holy Qur'an has portrayed the layout of this battlefield in verse 42 of this very Surah by saying: إِذْ أَنتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَىٰ (When you were on the nearest cliff, and they were on the farthest one - 8:42) a detailed description of which shall appear later.

The spot reaching where the Holy Prophet ﷺ had first camped was considered strategically inappropriate by Sayyidna Hubab ibn al-Mundhir ؓ who knew this territory well. Keeping this in view, he respectfully inquired: 'Ya Rasulallah! Does this place you have selected happen to be in compliance to a command from Allah Ta` ala in which we have no say, or it has been taken to as simply based on opinion and expedience?' He said: No, this is not something Divinely ordained. This can be changed or relocated.' After that, Sayyidna Hubab ibn al-Mundhir ؓ submitted: 'If so, it is better to move forward from this spot, reach a water source close to the armed force of Makkan chiefs and take it over. We are sure to have an abundant supply of water there.' The Holy Prophet ﷺ accepted his proposal, marched ahead, took over the spot with water, had a water tank built there and saw to it that an ample supply of water has been stored in it.

After he had taken care of this strategic need, Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Mu` adh ؓ said: "Ya Rasulallah! We would like to put up a shaded structure for you at a secure place where you could stay and where your riding animals could be nearby you. The plan behind this arrangement is that we shall wage our Jihad against the enemy and if Allah were to bless us with victory, then, our plan is well-served for this is what we like for you. But, God forbid, should things turn out otherwise, then, you would be in a position to ride your camel and go back to join the rest of your Companions left behind in Madinah - because, I am strongly inclined to believe that they are no less than us in terms of sacrifice for the cause and love for you. In fact, if they had any idea of the eventuality that you will have to fight against this armed force, then, none of them would have chosen to stay behind. I am sure when you are back in Madinah, they will continue to be your companions in the mission.' On this gallant and noble offer, the Holy Prophet ﷺ prayed for them. So, a ragtag awning of some modest sort was set up for him in which there was no one but he himself and Sayyidna Abu Bakr ؓ . Sayyidna Mu` adh ؓ sword in hand, stood on the door, guarding.

This was the first night of confrontation. A bunch of three hundred and thirteen mostly unarmed souls stood against a thousand strong armed forces, being three times more in numbers. They had already occupied the better spot of the battlefield. The lower part of the valley which was sandy and difficult to move around had fallen to the lot of Muslims. Everyone was concerned. Anxiety was natural also started instigating some people: Here you are, claiming to be on the path of truth and at a time so crucial you are busy making Tahajjud prayers rather than go and take some rest. But, cast a look at the ground reality - you will see your enemy casting his heavy shadows on you being far superior to you from all angles. Under these conditions, Allah Ta` ala cast a unique kind of drowsiness on Muslims which made every Muslim, whether or not he intended to sleep, go to sleep compulsively.

Hafiz al-Hadith, Abu Ya` la reports that Sayyidna Ali al-Murtada ؓ said: On that night of the battle of Badr, there remained no one from among us who did not go to sleep. Only the Holy Prophet ﷺ remained awake throughout the night and kept busy with the Salah of Tahajjud right through dawn.

Quoting the Sahih, Ibn Kathir reports that, on that night, when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was busy with the Salah of Tahajjud in his ` Arish, the twig-roofed hutment set up for him, he too was somewhat affected by drowsiness. But, immediately coming out of it with a smile, he said: "0 Abu Bakr, here comes good news for you. This is Jibra'il (علیہ السلام) standing near the cliff' and saying this, he walked out of the hutment reciting the verse which follows: سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَيُوَلُّونَ الدُّبُرَ‌ ﴿45﴾ (Soon the gathered group of the enemy will be defeated and they will turn [ their ] backs - 54:45). According to some narrations, when he came out, he pointed towards various spots and said: 'This is the spot where Abu Jahl will be killed, and this is for so and so, and this is for so and so.' Then, events turned out to be precisely as he had indicated. (Tafsir Mazhari)

And as it happened during the battle of Badr where Allah Ta'ala cast a particular kind of drowsiness on all Companions ؓ of the Prophet ﷺ in order to remove their fatigue and tension, so it did during the battle of 'Uhud.

Sufyan al-Thawri (رح) reports ‘Abdullah ibn Masud ؓ that sleep during the state of war is a sign of peace and tranquility from Allah Ta` ala - and sleep during the state of Salah is from the Satan. (Ibn Kathir)

The second blessing Muslims received that night was that rains came and totally overturned all battle plans. The spot occupied by the Quraysh army was hit by heavy rains which made it muddy and difficult to walk through. Then, the spot where the Holy Prophet ﷺ and his Companions ؓ were camped was sandy and difficult to walk through at the very outset. When rains came, this spot received the lighter part of it which helped firm up the sandy surface making the ground nice and easy to walk on.

The first of the four verses appearing above (11) mentions these very two blessings - sleep and rain - which, by upturning the blueprint of the battlefield, washed off the Satanic scruples which were bothering some weak combatants, scruples like: 'Here we are, on the side of truth, yet appear to be all subdued and overshadowed while there stands our enemy who is, despite being on the side of falsehood, basking in the sunshine of power, majesty and confidence!'

So, Muslims are being told in this verse to remember the time when Allah was covering them up with drowsiness to make tranquility from Him descend upon them, and He was sending down rains upon them so that He purifies them with that water - and removes from them the impurity of Satanic instigations and scruples, and strengthens their hearts, and makes their feet firm.

Mentioned in the second verse (12) is the fifth blessing which was beamed at Muslims in this battlefield of Badr. That came through the command addressed to the angels sent by Allah Ta` ala to help Muslims, in which He said: 'I am with you. So, you make believers firm. I am going to cast terror into the hearts of disbelievers. So, strike over their necks, and smite them [ so as to even reach ] every finger-joint of theirs.'

Here, the angels have been charged with two duties: (1) That they should encourage, exhort and empower Muslims with steadfastness which can be done either by appearing on the battlefield, increase their group strength and participate with them in fighting, or also by using their unobserved ability to dispose matters تَصَرُّف (tasarruf) they would make the hearts of Muslims firm and empower them to operate more effectively. (2) The second duty entrusted with them was that the angels should themselves engage in fighting and attack disbelievers. From this verse (at least for the purpose on hand), it is apparent that the angels did both. They acted upon the hearts of Muslims, increased their courage and strength, and took part in the actual fighting as well. This is also confirmed by some Hadith narrations which have been reported in details in Tafsir Al-Durr Al-Manthur and Mazhari and where eye witnesses to the participation of angels in actual fighting have been documented on the authority of the noble Sahabah.

In the third verse (13), it was said that the reason for whatever happened during this confrontation between kufr and Islam was that those disbelievers were hostile to Allah and His Messenger and whoever becomes hostile to Allah and His Messenger, then, for him the punishment of Allah is customarily severe. This tells us that, on the one hand, Muslims were the blessed ones in the battle of Badr for victory became theirs. On the other hand, by sending punishment on disbelievers through Muslims, they were chastised a little for their evil doings - while, the much heavier punishment awaits them in the Hereafter - both of which have been described in the fourth verse (14) by saying: ذَٰلِكُمْ فَذُوقُوهُ وَأَنَّ لِلْكَافِرِ‌ينَ عَذَابَ النَّارِ‌ ﴿14﴾ (That is what you have to taste, and for the disbelievers there is the punishment of the Fire).

In other words, what is being said here is: This is a little punishment from Us. So, taste it and better realize that, after this, the punishment of the fire of Jahannam is due to come for disbelievers, a punishment which is severe, lasting and unimaginable.