English - Chapter 8 - Al-Anfal

They ask you about booty (spoils of war). Tell them: "The Booty belongs to Allah and His Messenger: so fear Allah, end your disputes, and correct the relations among yourselves: obey Allah and His Messenger if you are true believers

The true believers are those whose hearts tremble with fear, when the name of Allah is mentioned, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations and they put their trust in their Lord

who establish Salah and spend in charity out of the sustenance which We have given them

They are the ones who are the true believers; they will have exalted ranks with their Lord, forgiveness for their sins, and honorable sustenance

Your Lord ordered you to leave your home to fight for justice, but some of the believers were reluctant

They argued with you about the truth which had been made clear, as if they were being driven to death with their eyes wide open

Remember, Allah promised you victory over one of the two enemy parties and you wished for the one which was unarmed but Allah intended to prove the truth to be true according to His words and to cut off the roots of the unbelievers

so that truth should come out as truth and falsehood should be proved as false, even though the criminals wished otherwise

When you prayed to your Lord for help, He answered: "I will assist you with one thousand angels, one after another

By this good news, Allah sought to comfort your heart, for victory comes only from Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise

Remember (before the battle of Badr) when He caused drowsiness to overcome you as an assurance from Himself, and sent down water from the sky to cleanse you and to remove from you the uncleanliness caused by Satan, to strengthen your hearts and to steady your feet therewith

Then your Lord revealed His will to the angels: "I am with you, give courage to the believers. I will cast panic into the hearts of the unbelievers, therefore, smite their necks and beat every joint of their bodies

This is because they defied Allah and His Messenger. Whoever defies Allah and His Messenger should know that Allah is strict in retribution

that it is the reality, so taste it, and there will also be the torture of hellfire for the unbelievers

O believers! When you encounter the unbelievers in a battle, never turn your backs to them

and whoever turns his back to them on such an occasion - unless it be a strategy of war, or to join towards a detachment - shall incur the wrath of Allah and his abode shall be hell, and how awful shall be that dwelling

In fact, it was not you who killed them, but it was Allah Who killed them; it was not you who threw the handful of sand, but it was Allah Who threw it so that He might pass the believers successfully through this excellent trial; surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing

This is His dealing with you: as for the unbelievers, Allah will surely frustrate their evil plots

O unbelievers! You wanted a decision; lo! The decision, in shape of the believers' victory, has come to you. Now if you desist, it will be better for you, and if you repeat your act of war against the believers, so shall We repeat the act of providing them assistance, and your forces, however large in number they may be, shall avail you nothing, for verily Allah is with the believers

O believers! Obey Allah and his Messenger and do not turn your back to him, now that you have heard all

Do not be like those who say: "We hear," but give no heed to what they hear

For the worst animals in the sight of Allah are those deaf and dumb people who do not use common sense

Had Allah perceived any virtue in them He would have indeed endowed them with hearing. Had he made them (those without virtue) hear, they would have turned away and refused to listen

O believers! Respond to the call of Allah and His Messenger, when He calls you to that which gives you life; and know that Allah stands between man and his heart, and that it is He in Whose presence you shall all be assembled

Guard yourselves against temptation. The wrongdoers among you are not the only ones who will be tempted; and know that Allah is strict in retribution

Call to mind how He gave you shelter when you were a few in number and were oppressed in the land, ever fearing lest the enemy would kidnap you. He made you strong with His help and provided you a safe asylum and gave you pure things for sustenance so that you may give thanks

O believers! Do not betray the trust of Allah and His Messenger, nor violate your trusts knowingly

You should know that your wealth and your children are, in fact, a test for you, and that Allah is He with Whom is your mighty reward

O believers! If you fear Allah He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong), do away with your sins and forgive you. Allah is the Lord of Mighty Grace

Remember, how the unbelievers plotted against you. They sought to take you captive or kill you or exile you. They planned - and Allah also planned - Allah is the best planner of all

Whenever Our revelations are recited to them they say: "Well, we have heard this. If we wanted we could fabricate the like. These are nothing but the tales of the ancients

Also remember how they said: "O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from You, then rain down stones on us from the sky or inflict some dreadful scourge to punish us

But Allah would not punish them while you were present in their midst. Nor does Allah punish people while they are asking His forgiveness

But now there is no reason why Allah should not punish them when they are blocking others from the Masjid-al-Haram (Ka'bah), whereas they are not its lawful guardians. In fact, its only guardians are those who fear Allah, even though most of them do not understand

Their prayer at the House of Allah is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands: whose only answer can be, "Taste the punishment because of your denying the truth

Surely the unbelievers spend their wealth in blocking the way of Allah and so will they continue to spend; but in the end these very efforts will become the cause of their regrets; at length they will be defeated, and in the hereafter these unbelievers will be gathered together and driven to hell

in order that Allah may separate the filthy from the pure. He will heap the filthy one upon another, altogether, and then cast them into hell. They are the ones who will be the losers

O Prophet, tell the unbelievers that if they desist from unbelief, their past shall be forgiven; but if they persist in sin, let them reflect upon the fate of their forefathers

O believers, fight them until there is no more mischief and the Deen of Allah (way of life prescribed by Allah) is established completely; but if they do stop from mischief, then surely Allah is observant of all their actions

If they give no heed, then you should know that Allah is your protector. He is the best to protect and the best to help

Know that one-fifth of the booty (spoils of war) is for Allah, His Messenger, close relatives of the Messenger, orphans, the needy and the wayfarer, if you do believe in Allah and in what We revealed to Our servant on the day of distinction (between right and wrong), the day when two armies met in combat. Allah has power over everything

Remember when you were on this side of the valley and they on the farther side, and the caravan was on lower ground than you both. If you had made a mutual appointment to fight, you would have certainly failed; but Allah sought to accomplish what He has ordained, that those who were destined to perish might die by clear proof and those who were destined to live might survive by clear proof. Surely, Allah is He Who hears all and knows all

Also remember that Allah made them appear in your dream as few in number; if He had shown them to you as many in number, you would surely have been discouraged and you would have disputed in your decision. But Allah saved you; surely He knows the very secrets of the hearts

And remember when you met them in the encounter, He showed them to you as few in number in your eyes and He made you appear as a few in number in their eyes so that Allah might accomplish what He had ordained: for ultimately all affairs return to Allah for decision

O believers! When you encounter an enemy in a combat, be firm and frequently remember Allah so that you may be successful

Obey Allah and His Messenger and do not argue with one another, lest you lose courage and weaken your strength. Show patience, surely Allah is on the side of the patient

Do not be like those who started from their homes recklessly in order to be seen by everybody and debar others from the Way of Allah. Allah encompasses all their actions

Remember when Satan made their actions seem attractive to them, and said: "No one from mankind can overcome you today, for I will be at hand to help you." Yet when the two armies came within sight of each other he turned upon his heels saying: " I am done with you, for I can see what you cannot. I fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment

At that time the hypocrites and all those who had malice in their hearts were saying: "Their religion has deceived them." But you should know that anyone who puts his trust in Allah will find Allah Mighty, Wise

If you could only see the angels when they were taking away the souls of the killed unbelievers! They were smiting their faces and their backs saying: "Taste the torment of the conflagration

This is the punishment for what your hands have sent forth, for Allah is never unjust to His servants

This was the same that happened to the people of Pharaoh and to those that had gone before them. They also rejected the revelations of Allah and Allah seized them for their sins. Surely Allah is Mighty and severe in punishment

That is because Allah has never changed the blessings which He has bestowed on a people until they themselves changed the condition of their souls; verily Allah hears all and knows all

This same principle was applied to the people of Pharoah and those who have gone before them, they rejected the revelations of their Lord so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned the people of Pharoah; they were all wrongdoers

The worst of animals in the sight of Allah are those who reject the truth and do not become believers

Those who make treaties with you and time after time violate their treaties, and have no fear of Allah

If you encounter them in combat, make them a fearsome example for others who would follow them so that they all may learn a lesson

If you fear treachery from any of your allies, you may fairly retaliate by breaking off the treaty with them (through properly notifying them to that effect), for Allah does not love the treacherous

Let not the unbelievers think that they have won the game; surely they can never frustrate the believers

Muster against them all the military strength and cavalry that you can afford so that you may strike terror into the hearts of your enemy and the enemy of Allah, and others besides them who are unknown to you but known to Allah. Remember that whatever you will spend in the cause of Allah, shall be paid back to you in full and you shall not be treated unjustly

If the enemy is inclined towards peace, do make peace with them, and put your trust in Allah. He is the One Who hears all , knows all

Should they intend to deceive you, verily Allah is All- Sufficient for you. He is the One Who has strengthened you and the believers with His help

through putting affection in their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have so united their hearts; but Allah has united them. He is Mighty, Wise

O Prophet! Allah is all-sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you

O Prophet! Rouse the believers to prepare for combat. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they shall vanquish two hundred: if there are one hundred they shall overcome one thousand of the unbelievers, for they are a people who lack understanding

For now Allah is lightening your burden, because He knows that there are still some weak individuals among you, so if there are one hundred steadfast among you, they shall vanquish two hundred and if there be one thousand, they will overcome two thousand with the leave of Allah, for Allah is with those who are steadfast

It is not fit for a Prophet that he should take prisoners of war until he has thoroughly subdued the land. Do you, O followers of Muhammad, desire the temporal goods of this world, while Allah desires for you the hereafter? Allah is Mighty, Wise

Had there not been a previous sanction from Allah to take ransom, you should have been sternly punished for what you have taken

Very well, enjoy the booty which you have taken, for it is lawful and pure, but in the future fear Allah. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful

O Prophet! Tell the captives in your custody: "If Allah finds goodness in your hearts He will give you even better than what has been taken from you, as well as forgive you. Allah Is Forgiving, Merciful

But if they have treacherous designs against you, O Prophet, they have already shown treason against Allah. That is why He made them your captives. Allah is Knowledgeable, Wise

Those who believed (embraced Islam), migrated and made Jihad (exerted their utmost struggle) with their wealth and their persons in the cause of Allah; as well as those who gave them asylum and help, are indeed the protecting friends of one another. As to those who believed (embraced Islam) but did not emigrate (to Dar-ul- Islam, the Islamic State), you are under no obligation to protect them until they emigrate; yet it is your obligation to help them in the matters of faith if they ask for your help, except against a people with whom you have a treaty. Allah is observant of all your actions

Those who believed (embraced Islam), migrated and made Jihad (exerted their utmost struggle) in the cause of Allah, and those who gave them asylum and help - they are the true believers. They shall have forgiveness and honorable provisions

Those who believed (embraced Islam) afterwards, migrated and joined you in Jihad - they too are your brothers, although according to the Book of Allah the blood relatives have greater rights on one other. Indeed Allah knows everything