Surah Al Imran ayat 13 Tafsir Quran 3:13

﴿قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ آيَةٌ فِي فِئَتَيْنِ الْتَقَتَا ۖ فِئَةٌ تُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَأُخْرَىٰ كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ﴾
[ آل عمران: 13]

3:13 Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met - one fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.

There has already been a sign an example the verb qad kāna ‘there has been’ is used to separate the statement to follow from the previous one for you in two hosts two parties that met one another in battle on the day of Badr; one company fighting in the way of God in obedience to Him namely the Prophet and his Companions who numbered three hundred and thirteen men most of them on foot with two horses six plates of armour and eight swords; and another unbelieving; they the disbelievers numbering almost a thousand saw them the Muslims twice the like of them that is more numerous than themselves as the eye sees in manifest vision witnessing; and God granted them victory despite their fewer number; for God confirms He strengthens with His help whom He will granting him victory. Surely in that which is mentioned is a lesson for people of vision those who are discerning so will you not be warned by this and become believers?

There is an intellectual and spiritual lesson to comprehend. Two forces met, one fighting in favour of Allah and the other against Allah. The pursuit of an end and the unwavering and positive stand merited the Muslims aid at the hands of Allah to the end that the enemy of faith was divinely induced to form witness a mirage of the Muslims portraying them to be twice as the enemy. Allah confirms whom He will and gives them supremacy and superiority and bestows victory. This is indeed an instructive example to those who have opened their minds’ eyes

Threatening the Jews With Defeat and Encouraging Them to Learn a Lesson From the Battle of Badr Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to proclaim to the disbelievers, سَتُغْلَبُونَ ( You will be defeated ) in this life, وَتُحْشَرُونَ ( And gathered together ) on the Day of Resurrection, إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ ( to Hell, and worst indeed is that place of rest ) Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar recorded that `Asim bin `Umar bin Qatadah said that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gained victory in the battle of Badr and went back to Al-Madinah, he gathered the Jews in the marketplace of Bani Qaynuqa`. Therefore, Allah said, قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ ( There has already been a sign for you ) meaning, O Jews, who said what you said! You have an Ayah, meaning proof, that Allah will make His religion prevail, award victory to His Messenger, make His Word apparent and His religion the highest. فِي فِئَتَيْنِ ( In the two armies ) meaning, two camps, الْتَقَتَا ( that met ) in combat ( in Badr ), فِئَةٌ تُقَـتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ( One was fighting in the Cause of Allah ) the Muslims, وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ ( And as for the other, in disbelief ) meaning, the idolators of Quraysh at Badr.
Allah's statement, يَرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ الْعَيْنِ ( They saw them with their own eyes twice their number ) means, the idolators thought that the Muslims were twice as many as they were, for Allah made this illusion a factor in the victory that Islam had over them. It was said that the meaning of Allah's statement, يَرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ الْعَيْنِ ( They saw them with their own eyes twice their number ) is that the Muslims saw twice as many idolators as they were, yet Allah gave them victory over the disbelievers.
`Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "When we looked at the disbelievers' forces, we found that they were twice as many as we were.
When we looked at them again, we thought they did not have one man more than we had.
So Allah's statement, وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلاً وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِهِمْ ( And (remember ) when you met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in their eyes.) 8:44". When the two camps saw each other, the Muslims thought that the idolators were twice as many as they were, so that they would trust in Allah and seek His help.
The idolators thought that the believers were twice as many as they were, so that they would feel fear, horror, fright and despair.
When the two camps stood in lines and met in battle, Allah made each camp look smaller in the eyes of the other camp, so that they would be encouraged to fight each other, لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً ( so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained. ) 8:42 meaning, so that the truth and falsehood are distinguishable, and thus the word of faith prevails over disbelief and deviation, so that the believers prevail and the disbelievers are humiliated.
In a similar statement, Allah said; وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ ( And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force ) 3:123.
In this Ayah 3:13 Allah said, وَاللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لاوْلِى الاٌّبْصَـرِ ( And Allah supports with His victory whom He wills.
Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand. ) meaning, this should be an example for those who have intelligence and sound comprehension.
They should contemplate about Allah's wisdom, decisions and decree, that He gives victory to His believing servants in this life and on the Day the witnesses stand up to testify.

(3:13) You have already come across an instructive sign in the two hosts that encountered each other in battle (at Badr): one host fighting in the way of Allah, and the other that of unbelievers. They saw with their own eyes that one host was twice the number of the other. *9 But (the result of the battle has proved that) Allah succours with His victory whomsoever He wills. In this there is surely a lesson for all who have eyes to see. *10

Already there has been for you a meaning

*9).
The actual disparity between the two armies was roughly three to one, but even a cursory glance was enough to tell the casual observer that the army of unbelievers was about twice as large as that of the believers.

 

Threatening the Jews With Defeat and Encouraging Them to Learn a Lesson From the Battle of Badr Allah commanded the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to proclaim to the disbelievers, سَتُغْلَبُونَ ( You will be defeated ) in this life, وَتُحْشَرُونَ ( And gathered together ) on the Day of Resurrection, إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ ( to Hell, and worst indeed is that place of rest ) Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar recorded that `Asim bin `Umar bin Qatadah said that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gained victory in the battle of Badr and went back to Al-Madinah, he gathered the Jews in the marketplace of Bani Qaynuqa`. Therefore, Allah said, قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ ( There has already been a sign for you ) meaning, O Jews, who said what you said! You have an Ayah, meaning proof, that Allah will make His religion prevail, award victory to His Messenger, make His Word apparent and His religion the highest. فِي فِئَتَيْنِ ( In the two armies ) meaning, two camps, الْتَقَتَا ( that met ) in combat ( in Badr ), فِئَةٌ تُقَـتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ( One was fighting in the Cause of Allah ) the Muslims, وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ ( And as for the other, in disbelief ) meaning, the idolators of Quraysh at Badr.
Allah's statement, يَرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ الْعَيْنِ ( They saw them with their own eyes twice their number ) means, the idolators thought that the Muslims were twice as many as they were, for Allah made this illusion a factor in the victory that Islam had over them. It was said that the meaning of Allah's statement, يَرَوْنَهُمْ مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ الْعَيْنِ ( They saw them with their own eyes twice their number ) is that the Muslims saw twice as many idolators as they were, yet Allah gave them victory over the disbelievers.
`Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "When we looked at the disbelievers' forces, we found that they were twice as many as we were.
When we looked at them again, we thought they did not have one man more than we had.
So Allah's statement, وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلاً وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِى أَعْيُنِهِمْ ( And (remember ) when you met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in their eyes.) 8:44". When the two camps saw each other, the Muslims thought that the idolators were twice as many as they were, so that they would trust in Allah and seek His help.
The idolators thought that the believers were twice as many as they were, so that they would feel fear, horror, fright and despair.
When the two camps stood in lines and met in battle, Allah made each camp look smaller in the eyes of the other camp, so that they would be encouraged to fight each other, لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً ( so that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained. ) 8:42 meaning, so that the truth and falsehood are distinguishable, and thus the word of faith prevails over disbelief and deviation, so that the believers prevail and the disbelievers are humiliated.
In a similar statement, Allah said; وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ ( And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you were a weak little force ) 3:123.
In this Ayah 3:13 Allah said, وَاللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَآءُ إِنَّ فِى ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لاوْلِى الاٌّبْصَـرِ ( And Allah supports with His victory whom He wills.
Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand. ) meaning, this should be an example for those who have intelligence and sound comprehension.
They should contemplate about Allah's wisdom, decisions and decree, that He gives victory to His believing servants in this life and on the Day the witnesses stand up to testify.

( There was a token ) a sign confirming the prophethood of Muhammad ( pbuh ) ( for you ) O people of Mecca ( in two hosts ) in two groups: that of Muhammad and that of Abu Sufyan ( which met ) on the Day of Badr: ( one army fighting in the way of Allah ) in obedience of Allah: Muhammad and his Companions who were 313 men, ( and another disbelieving ) and another group of disbelievers in Allah and the Messenger: Abu Sufyan and his army which consisted of 950 men, ( whom they saw ) they saw themselves ( as twice their number ) as twice the number as that of the Companions of Muhammad ( pbuh ) ( clearly, with their very eyes ). It is also said that this can be understood in this way: Say, O Muhammad, to the unbelievers-the Banu Qurayzah and Banu’l-Nadir-you shall be overcome and killed and expelled, and after you die, you will be mustered in Gehenna, an evil abode and end. Allah informed them of this two years before the Battle of Badr took place. Then He revealed: O Jews! You had a sign for the prophethood of Muhammad ( pbuh ) in the form of two groups-that of Muhammad and that of Abu Sufyan-who met on the Day of Badr. One group ( Muhammad (pbuh ) and his Companions) fought in obedience of Allah, and the other group consisted of unbelievers in Allah and His Messenger ( Abu Sufyan and his group ). You saw with your very eyes, O Jews, that the unbelievers were twice the number of the Companions of Muhammad. ( Thus Allah strengtheneth with His succour whom He will ) i.e. Muhammad. ( Lo! Herein ) in Allah enabling Muhammad to triumph on the Day of Badr ( verily is a lesson for those who have eyes ) concerning Religion, i.e. the believers; it is also said that this means: it was a lesson for those who saw it with their own eyes.

There has already been a sign for you (O Jews) in the two armies that met (in combat i.e. the battle of Badr): One was fighting in the Cause of Allah, and as for the other (they) were disbelievers. They (the believers) saw them (the disbelievers) with their own eyes twice their number (although they were thrice their number). And Allah supports with His Victory whom He pleases. Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand. (See Verse 8:44). (Tafsir At-Tabari)

Page 51 English transliteration