Surah Anfal ayat 7 Tafsir Quran 8:7

﴿وَإِذْ يَعِدُكُمُ اللَّهُ إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ أَنَّهَا لَكُمْ وَتَوَدُّونَ أَنَّ غَيْرَ ذَاتِ الشَّوْكَةِ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَقْطَعَ دَابِرَ الْكَافِرِينَ﴾
[ الأنفال: 7]

8:7 [Remember, O believers], when Allah promised you one of the two groups - that it would be yours - and you wished that the unarmed one would be yours. But Allah intended to establish the truth by His words and to eliminate the disbelievers

And remember when God promised you one of the two parties either the caravan or the band of Meccan fighters that it should be yours and you longed you were wishing that other than the armed one that is other than the fighting one with the weapons in other words you longed that the caravan should be yours because it had fewer men and less reinforcements than the band of Mecca fighters; but God willed that the truth be realised He willed to manifest it by His preceding words that Islam should triumph; and to cut the root of the disbelievers to the very last man by extirpating them and so He commanded you to fight against the band.

Allah has promised you victory over one of the two organized parties. Some of your people chose to seize the unarmed caravan for easy gains, whereas Allah has willed that you go at the organized well armed troops which came to their aid, so that truth should triumph over falsehood and His words be verified as He uproots the infidels

Following the Messenger is Better for the Believers Allah said, كَمَآ أَخْرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ ( As your Lord caused you to go out... ) After Allah described the believers as fearing their Lord, resolving matters of dispute between themselves and obeying Allah and His Messenger , He then said here, "since you disputed about dividing war spoils and differed with each other about them, Allah took them away from you.
He and His Messenger then divided them in truth and justice, thus ensuring continued benefit for all of you.
Similarly, you disliked meeting the armed enemy in battle, who marched in support of their religion and to protect their caravan.
You disliked fighting, so Allah decided that battle should occur and made you meet your enemy, without planning to do so on your part.' This incident carried guidance, light, victory and triumph.
Allah said; كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ( Jihad is ordained for you though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you like a thing which is bad for you.
Allah knows but you do not know. ) 2:216 As-Suddi commented, وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَكَـِّرِهُونَ ( And verily, a party among the believers disliked ) to meet the armed idolators.
" يُجَـدِلُونَكَ فِي الْحَقِّ بَعْدَمَا تَبَيَّنَ ( Disputing with you concerning the truth after it was made manifest, ) Some have commented, "( Allah says: ) they ask and argue with you about Al-Anfal just as they argued with you when you went out for the battle of Badr, saying, `You marched with us to confiscate the caravan.
You did not inform us that there will be fighting and that we should prepare for it."' وَيُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ الحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـتِهِ ( but Allah willed to justify the truth by His Words ) Allah says, `He willed for you to meet the armed enemy rather than the caravan so that He makes you prevail above them and gain victory over them, making His religion apparent and Islam victorious and dominant above all religions.
He has perfect knowledge of the consequences of all things, you are surrounded by His wise planning, although people only like what appears favorable to them,' كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ( Jihad (fighting in Allah's cause ) is ordained for you ( Muslims ) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you) 2:216. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard that Abu Sufyan had left the Sham area ( headed towards Makkah with Quraysh's caravan ), he encouraged the Muslims to march forth to intercept them, saying,
«هَذِهِ عِيرُ قُرَيْشٍ فِيهَا أَمْوَالُهُمْ، فَاخْرُجُوا إِلَيْهَا لَعَلَّ اللهَ أَن يُّنَفِّلَكُمُوهَا»
( This is the caravan of Quraysh carrying their property, so march forth to intercept it, Allah might make it as war spoils for you. ) The people started mobilizing Muslims, although some of them did not mobilize, thinking that the Prophet would not have to fight.
Abu Sufyan was cautiously gathering information on the latest news spying on travelers he met, out of fear for the caravan, especially upon entering the area of Hijaz ( Western Arabia ).
Some travelers told him that Muhammad ﷺ had mobilized his companions for his caravan.
He was anxious and hired Damdam bin `Amr Al-Ghifari to go to Makkah and mobilize the Quraysh to protect their caravan, informing them that Muhammad ﷺ had mobilized his Companions to intercept the caravan.
Damdam bin `Amr went in a hurry to Makkah.
Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ marched with his companions until he reached a valley called Dhafiran.
When he left the valley, he camped and was informed that the Quraysh had marched to protect their caravan.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ consulted the people for advice and conveyed the news about Quraysh to them.
Abu Bakr stood up and said something good, and so did `Umar.
Al-Miqdad bin `Amr stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! March to what Allah has commanded you, for we are with you.
By Allah! We will not say to you what the Children of Israel said to Musa, فَاذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلا إِنَّا هَـهُنَا قَـعِدُونَ ( "So go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here" ) 5:24.
Rather, go you and Your Lord and fight, we will be fighting along with you both.
By He Who has sent you with Truth! If you decide to take us to Birk-ul-Ghimad, we will fight along with you until you reach it.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said good words to Al-Miqdad and invoked Allah for his benefit.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ again said,
«أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ أَيُّهَا النَّاس»
( Give me your opinion, O people! wanting to hear from the Ansar.
This is because the majority of the people with him then were the Ansar.
When the Ansar gave the Prophet their pledge of obedience at Al-`Aqabah, they proclaimed, `O Allah's Messenger! We are not bound by this pledge unless, and until, you arrive in our land.
When you have arrived in our area, you are under our protection, and we shall protect you in the same manner we protect our children and wives.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ feared that the Ansar might think that they are not obliged to support him except from his enemies who attack Al-Madinah, not to march with him to an enemy in other areas.
When the Prophet said this, Sa`d bin Mu`adh asked him, `O Allah's Messenger! Is it us whom you meant' The Prophet answered in the positive.
Sa`d said, `We have faith and believed in you, testified that what you brought is the truth, and gave you our pledges and promises of allegiance and obedience.
Therefore, march, O Allah's Messenger, for what Allah has commanded you.
Verily, by He Who has sent you in Truth, if you decided to cross this sea (the Red Sea ), we will follow you in it, and none among us would stay behind.
We do not dislike that we meet our enemy tomorrow.
Verily, we are patient in war, fierce in battle.
May Allah make you witness what makes your eyes pleased with us.
Therefore, march with us with the blessing of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased with what Sa`d said and was encouraged by it.
He proclaimed,
«سِيرُوا عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللهِ وَأَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ وَعَدَنِي إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ وَاللهِ لَكَأَنِّي الْآنَ أَنْظُرُ إِلَى مَصَارِعِ الْقَوم»
( March with the blessing of Allah and receive the good news.
For Allah has indeed promised me one of the two camps (confiscating the caravan or defeating the Quraysh army ).
By Allah! It is as if I am now looking at the demise of the people ( the Quraysh ).)" Al-`Awfi reported similar from Ibn `Abbas.
As-Suddi, Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam; and several others among the Salaf and later generations mentioned similarly, We have just summarized the story as Muhammad bin Ishaq briefed it.

(8:7) And recall when Allah promised you that one of the two hosts would fall to you, *5 and you wished that the one without arms should fall into your hands. *6 But Allah sought to prove by His words the truth to be true and to annihilate the unbelievers to the last remnant

[Remember, O believers], when Allah promised you meaning

*5).
God's promise was that the Muslims would be able to overcome whichever of the two parties they wished to attack - the trading caravan or the Quraysh army.

*6).
This refers to the trading caravan which had some 30 to 40 armed guards for protection.

 

Following the Messenger is Better for the Believers Allah said, كَمَآ أَخْرَجَكَ رَبُّكَ ( As your Lord caused you to go out... ) After Allah described the believers as fearing their Lord, resolving matters of dispute between themselves and obeying Allah and His Messenger , He then said here, "since you disputed about dividing war spoils and differed with each other about them, Allah took them away from you.
He and His Messenger then divided them in truth and justice, thus ensuring continued benefit for all of you.
Similarly, you disliked meeting the armed enemy in battle, who marched in support of their religion and to protect their caravan.
You disliked fighting, so Allah decided that battle should occur and made you meet your enemy, without planning to do so on your part.' This incident carried guidance, light, victory and triumph.
Allah said; كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ( Jihad is ordained for you though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you like a thing which is bad for you.
Allah knows but you do not know. ) 2:216 As-Suddi commented, وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَكَـِّرِهُونَ ( And verily, a party among the believers disliked ) to meet the armed idolators.
" يُجَـدِلُونَكَ فِي الْحَقِّ بَعْدَمَا تَبَيَّنَ ( Disputing with you concerning the truth after it was made manifest, ) Some have commented, "( Allah says: ) they ask and argue with you about Al-Anfal just as they argued with you when you went out for the battle of Badr, saying, `You marched with us to confiscate the caravan.
You did not inform us that there will be fighting and that we should prepare for it."' وَيُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَن يُحِقَّ الحَقَّ بِكَلِمَـتِهِ ( but Allah willed to justify the truth by His Words ) Allah says, `He willed for you to meet the armed enemy rather than the caravan so that He makes you prevail above them and gain victory over them, making His religion apparent and Islam victorious and dominant above all religions.
He has perfect knowledge of the consequences of all things, you are surrounded by His wise planning, although people only like what appears favorable to them,' كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ( Jihad (fighting in Allah's cause ) is ordained for you ( Muslims ) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you) 2:216. Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that `Abdullah bin `Abbas said, "When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard that Abu Sufyan had left the Sham area ( headed towards Makkah with Quraysh's caravan ), he encouraged the Muslims to march forth to intercept them, saying, «هَذِهِ عِيرُ قُرَيْشٍ فِيهَا أَمْوَالُهُمْ، فَاخْرُجُوا إِلَيْهَا لَعَلَّ اللهَ أَن يُّنَفِّلَكُمُوهَا» ( This is the caravan of Quraysh carrying their property, so march forth to intercept it, Allah might make it as war spoils for you. ) The people started mobilizing Muslims, although some of them did not mobilize, thinking that the Prophet would not have to fight.
Abu Sufyan was cautiously gathering information on the latest news spying on travelers he met, out of fear for the caravan, especially upon entering the area of Hijaz ( Western Arabia ).
Some travelers told him that Muhammad ﷺ had mobilized his companions for his caravan.
He was anxious and hired Damdam bin `Amr Al-Ghifari to go to Makkah and mobilize the Quraysh to protect their caravan, informing them that Muhammad ﷺ had mobilized his Companions to intercept the caravan.
Damdam bin `Amr went in a hurry to Makkah.
Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ marched with his companions until he reached a valley called Dhafiran.
When he left the valley, he camped and was informed that the Quraysh had marched to protect their caravan.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ consulted the people for advice and conveyed the news about Quraysh to them.
Abu Bakr stood up and said something good, and so did `Umar.
Al-Miqdad bin `Amr stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! March to what Allah has commanded you, for we are with you.
By Allah! We will not say to you what the Children of Israel said to Musa, فَاذْهَبْ أَنتَ وَرَبُّكَ فَقَاتِلا إِنَّا هَـهُنَا قَـعِدُونَ ( "So go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here" ) 5:24.
Rather, go you and Your Lord and fight, we will be fighting along with you both.
By He Who has sent you with Truth! If you decide to take us to Birk-ul-Ghimad, we will fight along with you until you reach it.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said good words to Al-Miqdad and invoked Allah for his benefit.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ again said, «أَشِيرُوا عَلَيَّ أَيُّهَا النَّاس» ( Give me your opinion, O people! wanting to hear from the Ansar.
This is because the majority of the people with him then were the Ansar.
When the Ansar gave the Prophet their pledge of obedience at Al-`Aqabah, they proclaimed, `O Allah's Messenger! We are not bound by this pledge unless, and until, you arrive in our land.
When you have arrived in our area, you are under our protection, and we shall protect you in the same manner we protect our children and wives.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ feared that the Ansar might think that they are not obliged to support him except from his enemies who attack Al-Madinah, not to march with him to an enemy in other areas.
When the Prophet said this, Sa`d bin Mu`adh asked him, `O Allah's Messenger! Is it us whom you meant' The Prophet answered in the positive.
Sa`d said, `We have faith and believed in you, testified that what you brought is the truth, and gave you our pledges and promises of allegiance and obedience.
Therefore, march, O Allah's Messenger, for what Allah has commanded you.
Verily, by He Who has sent you in Truth, if you decided to cross this sea (the Red Sea ), we will follow you in it, and none among us would stay behind.
We do not dislike that we meet our enemy tomorrow.
Verily, we are patient in war, fierce in battle.
May Allah make you witness what makes your eyes pleased with us.
Therefore, march with us with the blessing of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased with what Sa`d said and was encouraged by it.
He proclaimed, «سِيرُوا عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللهِ وَأَبْشِرُوا فَإِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ وَعَدَنِي إِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ وَاللهِ لَكَأَنِّي الْآنَ أَنْظُرُ إِلَى مَصَارِعِ الْقَوم» ( March with the blessing of Allah and receive the good news.
For Allah has indeed promised me one of the two camps (confiscating the caravan or defeating the Quraysh army ).
By Allah! It is as if I am now looking at the demise of the people ( the Quraysh ).)" Al-`Awfi reported similar from Ibn `Abbas.
As-Suddi, Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam; and several others among the Salaf and later generations mentioned similarly, We have just summarized the story as Muhammad bin Ishaq briefed it.

( And when Allah promised you one of the two bands (of the enemy )) one of two things: the caravan or the belongings of the army ( that it should be yours ) as spoils of war, ( and you longed ) you wished ( that other than the armed one ) hardship and war ( might be yours ) as spoils of war, i.e. the booty of camels. ( And Allah willed that He should cause the Truth to triumph by His words ) He willed to manifest His religion by means of His assistance and strengthening, ( and cut the root of the disbelievers ) the root and traces of the disbelievers;

And (remember) when Allah promised you (Muslims) one of the two parties (of the enemy i.e. either the army or the caravan) that it should be yours, you wished that the one not armed (the caravan) should be yours, but Allah willed to justify the truth by His Words and to cut off the roots of the disbelievers (i.e. in the battle of Badr).

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