Surah 8. Al-Anfal

---

Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-19 [2], 20-28 [3], 29-37 [4], 38-44 [5], 45-48 [6], 49-58 [7], 59-64 [8], 65-69 [9], 70-75 [10]

---

Quran Text of Verse 59-64وَ لَاAnd (let) notیَحْسَبَنَّthinkالَّذِیْنَthose whoكَفَرُوْاdisbelieveسَبَقُوْا ؕthey can outstripاِنَّهُمْIndeed theyلَا(can) notیُعْجِزُوْنَ escape وَ اَعِدُّوْاAnd prepareلَهُمْfor themمَّاwhateverاسْتَطَعْتُمْyou able (to)مِّنْofقُوَّةٍforceوَّ مِنْand ofرِّبَاطِtetheredالْخَیْلِhorsesتُرْهِبُوْنَ(to) terrifyبِهٖtherewithعَدُوَّ(the) enemyاللّٰهِ(the) enemyوَ عَدُوَّكُمْand your enemyوَ اٰخَرِیْنَand othersمِنْfromدُوْنِهِمْ ۚbesides themلَاnotتَعْلَمُوْنَهُمْ ۚ(do) you know themاَللّٰهُ(but) Allahیَعْلَمُهُمْ ؕknows themوَ مَاAnd whateverتُنْفِقُوْاyou spendمِنْfromشَیْءٍ(any) thingفِیْinسَبِیْلِ(the) wayاللّٰهِ(of) Allahیُوَفَّit will be fully repaidاِلَیْكُمْto youوَ اَنْتُمْand youلَا(will) notتُظْلَمُوْنَ be wronged وَ اِنْAnd ifجَنَحُوْاthey inclineلِلسَّلْمِto peaceفَاجْنَحْthen you (also) inclineلَهَاto itوَ تَوَكَّلْand put (your) trustعَلَیinاللّٰهِ ؕAllahاِنَّهٗIndeedهُوَHeالسَّمِیْعُ(is) All-Hearerالْعَلِیْمُ All-Knower 8. Al-Anfal Page 185وَ اِنْBut ifیُّرِیْدُوْۤاthey intendاَنْtoیَّخْدَعُوْكَdeceive youفَاِنَّthen indeedحَسْبَكَis sufficient for youاللّٰهُ ؕAllahهُوَHeالَّذِیْۤ(is) the One Whoاَیَّدَكَsupported youبِنَصْرِهٖwith His helpوَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَۙand with the believers وَ اَلَّفَAnd He (has) put affectionبَیْنَbetweenقُلُوْبِهِمْ ؕtheir heartsلَوْIfاَنْفَقْتَyou (had) spentمَاwhateverفِی(is) inالْاَرْضِthe earthجَمِیْعًاallمَّاۤnotاَلَّفْتَ(could) you (have) put affectionبَیْنَbetweenقُلُوْبِهِمْtheir heartsوَ لٰكِنَّbutاللّٰهَAllahاَلَّفَ(has) put affectionبَیْنَهُمْ ؕbetween themاِنَّهٗIndeed, Heعَزِیْزٌ(is) All-Mightyحَكِیْمٌ All-Wise یٰۤاَیُّهَاOالنَّبِیُّProphetحَسْبُكَSufficient for youاللّٰهُ(is) Allahوَ مَنِand whoeverاتَّبَعَكَfollows youمِنَofالْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ۠the believers

---

Translation of Verse 59-64

59. Let not the disbelievers think that they will outpace (Us)⁸⁶. They are powerless (to escape Us).

60. Muster against them⁸⁷ all the strength⁸⁸ that you can and keep ready the tethered steeds,⁸⁹ so that you may strike terror into the enemies of Allah and your enemies and others besides them whom you do not know (but) Allah knows.⁹⁰ Whatever you will spend⁹¹ in the way of Allah will be repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.⁹²

61. And if they incline to peace, you also incline to it ⁹³, and put your trust in Allah. Verily, He hears all, knows all.

62. And (O Prophet!) if they intend to deceive you, then surely Allah is sufficient for you.⁹⁴ It is He who supported you with His help, and with the believers;

63. And joined their hearts with love. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have joined their hearts with love, but Allah has joined them in love.⁹⁵ Verily, He is Mighty, Wise.⁹⁶

64. O Prophet Allah is sufficient for you, and for those who follow you among the believers.

---

Commentary

86. Let the infidels not be under the wrong impression that they would escape the Divine judgment and would achieve their goal. The decision taken by God to disgrace them will surely be enforced.

87. Means for fighting against the infidels.

88. Mustering strength would include all kinds of strength, manpower, weaponry, etc.

For this battle Muslims were very poorly armed and very ill-equipped, because they were neither in a position physically nor were mentally prepared for giving a fight, but they are being directed for future eventuality that as far as possible they should have a trained army fully prepared, and should also keep their war material handy in order that they might join the battle instantly.

89. The importance of horses in the battle is acknowledged. In those days there was no vehicle or animal as swift and speedy as a horse, therefore, specific command to keep the horses ready has been given.

In the present day tanks, submarines, aircrafts, missiles, rockets, etc. are the important and necessary weapons of war, therefore, to meet the requirements of this command these weapons would have to be kept ready.

90. Refers to those forces. hostile to Islam. that had not yet appeared. but they were to be encountered in future. Accordingly, in later years Muslims had not only to fight against the Jews and the Arabian tribes, but also the world’s mighty empires of the time, Persia and Rome.

91. Spending in the way of Allah means spending for jihad. In the command given in the earlier verse the weapons and equipment for war were asked to be kept ready. For all this, great financial resources were required. For this purpose, Muslims are exhorted to spend their wealth in the way of Allah.

92. That is: In the Hereafter full compensation will be given, and nobody will be given less than what he deserved.

And if they incline to peace, you also incline to it, and put your trust in Allah. Verily, He hears all, knows all. And (O Prophet!) if they intend to deceive you, then surely Allah is sufficient for you. It is He who supported you with His help, and with the believers; (Al-Quran)

93. In Verse No.39, the command was given to continue fighting against the polytheists till the sacred land of Haram is cleared of their presence. and here it is ordained that if they are inclined to peace, you also make peace with them. This is not a contradictory command, on the contrary it clarifies that the final goal is to fight against the polytheists till the end of polytheism from the land of Haram, but in between there may come stages to accept the offer of peace, for such a peace might pave the way for the eradication of polytheism, and it is also possible that when warring passions are cooled some people might think of embracing the true religion, and the gates of hearts of a number of people might open for the right Guidance. Therefore, what can be achieved by persuasion, why should any blood be shed for that.

94. It would not be proper to spurn the offer of peace for fear of unfounded risks, but putting your trust in Allah, the offer should be accepted. If your intentions are good and you have trust in Allah, then the enemy would not be able to harm you. To counter the enemy’s trickery, Allah is sufficient.

95. That is: To abolish the intense hostility and enmity the Arab tribes had against each other and to create love and feelings of brotherhood among them was not an easy task, and this grand purpose could not be achieved even by spending the world ‘s resources in this behalf. But Allah caused this impossible feat to be achieved, whereby those who were thirsty for each other’s blood became brethren among themselves after embracing Islam and becoming members of one Ummah.

96. That is: He is Mighty, therefore, whatever He has planned will be enforced, and He is Wise, therefore, all His decisions are full of wisdom.