Al-Anfal[1] (Arabic: ٱلأنفال, al-ʾanfāl; meaning The Spoils of War,[2] Earnings, Savings, Profits)[3] is the eighth chapter (sūrah) of the Quran, with 75 verses (āyāt). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is a "Medinan surah", completed after the Battle of Badr. It forms a pair with the next surah, At-Tawba.[4]
| ٱلْأَنْفَال Al-Anfāl The Bounties | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Medinan |
| Other names | The Spoils of War |
| Position | Juzʼ 9—10 |
| Hizb no. | 15—19 |
| No. of Rukus | 10 |
| No. of verses | 75 |
| No. of Sajdahs | None |
| No. of words | 1242 |
| No. of letters | 5387 |
| Opening muqaṭṭaʻāt | None |
.jpg)
According to the eminent Muslim philosopher Abul A'la Maududi, the chapter was probably revealed in 2 A. H. after the Battle of Badr, the first defensive clash between Meccans and Muslim people of Medina after they fled from persecution in Mecca. As it contains an extensive point-by-point survey of the Battle, it gives the idea that most presumably it was uncovered at very much the same time. Yet, it is additionally conceivable that a portion of the verse concerning the issues emerging because of this Battle may have been uncovered later and joined at the best possible spots to make it a consistent entirety.[5]
Summary
- 1 Spoils belong to God and his Apostle
- 2-4 True believers and their future reward
- 5-6 Muslims reproved for distrusting their Prophet
- 7 God gives the Muslims either the Quraish or their caravan
- 8 The victory of Badr a seal to Islam
- 9 Angelic aid vouchsafed to Muhammad
- 10-11 The Muslims refreshed and comforted before the battle
- 12 The angels enjoined to comfort the faithful by destroying the infidel Quraish
- 13-14 Infidels are doomed to punishment here and hereafter
- 15-16 Muslims are never to turn their backs on the infidels on pain of hell-fire
- 17-18 The victory of Badr a miracle
- 19 The Quraish are warned against further warfare with the Muslims
- 20-21 Muslims exhorted to steadfastness in faith
- 22-23 Infidels compared to deaf and dumb brutes
- 24 Believers are to submit themselves to God and his Apostle
- 25-28 They are warned against civil strife, deception, and treachery
- 29 God's favour to true believers
- 30 Plots against Muhammad frustrated by God
- 31 The infidels liken the Quran to fables
- 32-33 The Quraish were protected from deserved punishment by Muhammad's presence among them
- 34-38 The idolaters of Mecca rebuked and threatened
- 39 An amnesty offered to the Quraish[6]
- 40 Impenitent idolaters to be extirpated from the earth
- 41 How the spoils of war are to be divided
- 42-43 The Muslims were led by God to fight at Badr to attest the truth of Islam
- 44 The Muslims encouraged, and the infidels lured to destruction, by each seeing the other to be few in number
- 45-46 Believers exhorted to obedience
- 47 Believers warned against impious vainglory
- 48 The devil deserts the Quraish at Badr
- 49-51 The fate of hypocrites
- 52-54 Their doom like that of Pharaoh and his people
- 55 The worst of beasts are the infidels
- 56-58 Treachery to be met with its like
- 59 God is against the infidels
- 60 The Muslims excited to war against unbelievers
- 61 Condition of peace with unbelievers
- 62-64 The miracle of Arab union
- 65-66 God with the Prophet and the Muslims in warring for the faith
- 67-69 Muslims reproved for accepting ransom for the captives taken at Badr
- 70-71 Captive Quraish exhorted to accept Islam, and warned against deception
- 72-73 The brotherhood of Muslims (and its obligatory related to it), fact that disbelievers are helpers of one another, and effect for Muslims if they don't help another.
- 74 The brotherhood of the Ansárs and Muháj Jirín
- 75 The hereditary rights of blood-relations re-established[7]
Name
The Surah is named Al-Anfal (The Bounties) from the first ayat. The word utilized in the ayat is الْأَنفَالِ. The word أَنفَال alludes to what is given as an extra sum past what is required.[8] A very subtle perspective is covered in employing this word: the reward of undertaking jihad for God is permanently saved with God. Other than this prize, the spoils of war that are picked up from the Unbelievers are an extra offer for such individuals; before the Day of Judgment, the Almighty awards these to the participants of the war.
Text narratives
This subject of this Surah can be considered to be the issue of Jihad.[9]
| Ayaat | Subject |
|---|---|
| 1 | This verse were speaking about the distribution of the Prize of war.[10] More further event details regarding the revelation of this verse from Hadiths narrated by Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Miqdad ibn Aswad were became the foundation of Sharia ruling by four Sunni Madhhab jurisprudence school regarding the rules of war.[Notes 1][Notes 2] |
| 2-8 | |
| 9 | the verses are agreed by Tafsir scholars about the narrative story regarding the battle of Badr, where thousands of angels descended and take the size and form of normal humans to help Muslims in the battle to fight the Meccan polytheists.[13] According to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Asbab al-Nuzul or revelation of this verse were related with the solemn prayer which Muhammad does just before the battle.[14] the phrase of "...thousand angels came in a row..." were translated literally as the angels according to Ibn Hajar came in appearance of an army of soldiers clad in white garments.[14] The garments were translated by other scholars as yellow,[15] as more specific source has stated that the angels has taken form of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, companion of Muhammad.[Notes 3][17] The consensus of Islamic scholars and clerics enclosed various hadiths, both authentics and inauthentics, about the tafseer of this verses that Gabriel,[18][19] Michael, Raphael[20] [Notes 4][Notes 5] and thousands of best angels from third level of sky, all came to the battle of Badr by impersonating appearance of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, companion of Muhammad.[Notes 6][17] are deemed as his other personal virtue and venerable status according to Islamic belief.[24][25][Notes 7] Meanwhile, Mahdi Rizqullah has compiled the commentary from classical Islamic scholars, that the verse narration about the angels attendance in the battle were also supported by hadiths from hadith collection from Muslim ibn Hajjaj, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and the also from Quranic historiography work by Ibn Kathir.[27] Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani gave commentary of another supportive narration from al-Baihaqi and Ibn Ishaq, through various hadith narration chains about the testimony from several different sahabah.[27] This included the narration of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib who at that time fought on the side of Qurayshite polytheist, who testified that he has been taken captive on the aftermath of the battle by a horse rider whom he did not recognize at all from Muslims rank. According to the hadith authority from Ahmad ibn Hanbal, The captor of Abbas were confirmed by Muhammad as one of the angel who helped the Muslims during this battle.[27][Notes 8] |
| 10-12 | The verses are continuation of the previous verse of ninth, where according to the verses, this are done to gave Muslim victory for the price of their faith in following Muhammad into the battle.[13] |
| 13-41 | This portion manages the issues of the Spoils of War. The Quran says that these are not the crown jewels of war but rather the "Bounties of Allah" and demonstrates this by indicating that the triumph at Badr (and in every single other fight, as well,) was won by His aid and not by the endeavors of the Muslims. It likewise proclaims in ayat 40 that the war point of the Muslims ought to be to take out every single troublesome condition for the foundation of Islam and not to pick up ruins. Additionally, the spoils, being the bounties of God, have a place with Allah and His Messenger and only they are qualified to distribute them. At that point in the wake of molding the Muslims to acknowledge these things, the different shares have been assigned in ayat 41.[citation needed] The portion for relatives of Muhammad were attested by Hadith that Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, a cousin relative of Muhammad from the side of his father, were shared with more war prize during the battle of Badr.[11] |
| 41 | This verse concerns the division of war spoils by the relatives of Muhammad.[29] The Modern Hanbalite and salafists borrowed the interpretation of the verse from Ibn Kathir and Al-Baghawi, that Zubayr privilege were valid as he still counted as blood relative of Muhammad through az-Zubayr mother, so aside from the three parts which usually given to cavalry, two more parts of spoils were given to Zubayr for his blood relation with the prophet.[30] |
| 42-49 | The Battle of Badr was appointed by Allah so Islam should triumph over "ignorance". The exercise from this is the Muslims should trust in God and set themselves up for war and ought not be bewildered by Satan as the disbelievers were.[citation needed] |
| 50 | The verse giving special mention regarding the conduct of the Angel of death that during the Battle of Badr, the angel of death gave special treatment for the unbelievers who died during that battle, where the angel torment them by striking their faces and their backs the moment they are dying.[31] Another opinion said those polytheists died in Badr were given the treatment not at that time, instead, they will be struck with such punishments during the Last Judgment.[31] |
| 51-54 | The Battle of Badr was appointed by Allah so Islam should triumph over "ignorance". The exercise from this is the Muslims should trust in God and set themselves up for war and ought not be bewildered by Satan as the disbelievers were.[citation needed] |
| 55-59 | Sanctity of treaties has been ordered and the Muslims instructed to observe them as long as the other party does not break them.[citation needed] |
| 60-66 | The Muslims ought to consistently be set up for war on each front, yet ought to be prepared to make harmony if the other party is slanted towards it.[citation needed] |
| 67-71 | In these ayaat, guidelines about detainees of war have been given.[citation needed] |
| 72-75 | To keep the Muslims consolidated against their adversaries, they have been instructed to have welcoming relations with each other.[citation needed] |
Verse 8:12
˹Remember, O Prophet,˺ when your Lord revealed to the angels, "I am with you. So make the believers stand firm. I will cast horror into the hearts of the disbelievers. So strike their necks and strike their fingertips."
— 8:12
Tafsir Ibn Kathir says this means, "you -- angels -- support the believers, strengthen their (battle) front against their enemies, thus, implementing My command to you. I will cast fear, disgrace and humiliation over those who defied My command and denied My Messenger".[32]
Verse 8:17
Muhammad al-Baqir narrates in hadith that:
Know that whatever property you may gain, one fifth belongs to God, the Messenger, for near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler
which refers to the relatives of the Messenger of Allah. "Al-Khums (one fifth) belongs to Allah, the Messenger and to us (his Ahl al-Bayt)".[33] One source states that Ubay ibn Khalaf was ransomed after Badr, but was killed by Muslims with a spear in the Battle of Uhud (625 CE). Verse 8:17 was revealed in this occasion.[34]
Verses 8:42 and 8:47
The Battle of Badr is also the subject of this Surah, which details military conduct and operations. Though the Surah does not name Badr, it describes the battle several times:
˹Remember˺ when you were on the near side of the valley, your enemy on the far side, and the caravan was below you. Even if the two armies had made an appointment ˹to meet˺, both would have certainly missed it...
Then when your armies met, Allah made them appear as few in your eyes, and made you appear as few in theirs, so Allah may establish what He had destined. And to Allah ˹all˺ matters will be returned ˹for judgment˺.
— Quran 8:44
Do not be like those ˹pagans˺ who left their homes arrogantly, only to be seen by people and to hinder others from Allah’s Path. And Allah is Fully Aware of what they do.
— Quran 8:47
These verses highlighted both the chance encounter of the battle (both sides had blundered into each other) as well as the underestimation of both the size of the Meccan army by the Muslims and the fierceness of the Muslim army by the Meccans. The Meccan army was described in the second verses, and "Satan" may be referring to Amr ibn Hishām, who was hated by the Muslims and allegedly pushed for the battle repeatedly.
Verses 8:172
According to Al-Suyuti, the aftermath of the battle of Uhud had several implication for the Companions of the Prophet as some of them though they can inherit the wealth of the fallen, due to the previous bonding between Muhajirun and Ansar in the event of Brotherhood among the Sahabah.[35] This case were highlighted in a Hadith of such event when Ka'b ibn Malik, a Medinan Ansari warrior who has fallen during the battle and previously bonded brotherhood with Zubayr ibn al-Awwam.[35] Then Muhammad revealed Sura Al-Anfal, Ayah 8:75, which annulled the inheritance rights between fabricated "brotherhood", and forbidding Zubayr to inherit Ka'b wealths, as the one who truly has the right to inherit his wealth were his true blood relatives such as his children's.[35]
Appendix
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Abasoomar, Moulana Muhammad; Abasoomar, Moulana Haroon (2016). "Virtue of Sayyiduna Zubayr (radiyallahu 'anhu)". Hadith Answers. Darul Hadith. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- Bin Al-Hassan, Abi Al-Qasim Ali; Al-Dimashqi, Ibn Asaker (2012). تاريخ مدينة دمشق 1-37 ج10 [History of the city of Damascus]. Dar Al Kotob Al Ilmiyah دار الكتب العلمية.
- Rizqullah, Ahmad Mahdi (2005). A Biography of the Prophet of Islam In the Light of the Original Sources, an Analytical Study · Volume 1. Darussalam Publishers. p. 410. ISBN 9789960969022. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
External links
