| | Linda “iLHam” Barto rendition of Surah The Spoils of War(al-Anfal)
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| 8:1 | | They ask you about the spoils of war. Say, “The spoils of war belong to Allah and the messenger. Obey your duty to Allah. Reconcile your differences. Obey Allah and His messenger, if you are believers.” |
| 8:2 | | Believers are those who feel reverence in their hearts when Allah is mentioned. When they hear His signs recited, they find their faith strengthened. They put their trust in the Lord. |
| 8:3 | | They are consistent in ritual prayer and invest [charitably] from their gifts that We have given them. |
| 8:4 | | They are true believers. They have ranks of dignity with their Lord. They have forgiveness and a generous provision. |
| 8:5 | | Just as your Lord ordered you from your house with truth, indeed, some of the believers did not like it. |
| 8:6 | | They argued with you concerning the truth after its clarification. They acted as if they were being driven to death while they stared. |
| 8:7 | | Allah promised that one of the two [enemy] groups would be yours. You wanted that the one unarmed [army] would be yours, but Allah intended to justify the truth by His words and to cut the roots of the unbelievers. |
| 8:8 | | Thereby, He would justify the truth and disprove the lies even though the sinners didn’t like it. |
| 8:9 | | Remember you sought help from your Lord, and He answered you, “I will provide you with one thousand angels, row after row.” |
| 8:10 | | Allah made it no less than a message of hope and an assurance in your hearts. No victory is there except from Allah. Truly, Allah is the Victorious, the Perfectly Wise. |
| 8:11 | | Remember that He enfolded you with serenity as assurance from Him. He sent down upon you water from the skies, so He would purify you with it and free you from Satan’s evil whispers. He strengthened your hearts and made your footsteps firm. |
| 8:12 | | Your Lord inspired the angels, “I am with you, so strengthen the believers.” I will instill terror in the hearts of the unbelievers. Strike above their necks, and cut off their fingertips.” |
| 8:13 | | That is because they opposed Allah and His messenger. For anyone who opposes Allah and His messenger, truly Allah is severe in punishment. |
| 8:14 | | Thus, taste it. For the unbelievers is the torment of the fire. |
| 8:15 | | O Believers, when you meet the unbelievers in battle, never turn your backs on them. |
| 8:16 | | If anyone does turn his back to them on such a day –unless it is part of a war plan or unless it is to join his/her troops— he/she reaps the wrath of Allah. His/her abode is Hell, a wretched destination. |
| 8:17 | | It was not you who brought death upon them, but it was Allah who brought death. When you threw [dust into their faces], it was not your act, but it was Allah who threw [the dust]. He did so in order that He might test the believers by a gracious trial from Himself. Truly, Allah is the All-hearing, the All-knowing. |
| 8:18 | | That’s that! Allah weakens the plans of unbelievers. |
| 8:19 | | If you [unbelievers] prayed for a victory, a victory has come to you. If you desist, it would be best for you. If you continue, so shall We. Your forces won’t do you the least bit of good even if they were multiplied. Truly, Allah is with the believers. |
| 8:20 | | O Believers, obey Allah and His messenger. Do not turn away from him when you hear. |
| 8:21 | | Do not be like those who say, “We hear,” but do not listen. |
| 8:22 | | The worst of creatures, in the sight of Allah, are the unhearing and the silent –those without understanding. |
| 8:23 | | If Allah had found any goodness in them, He certainly would have caused them to listen. If He had made them listen, however, they would have responded with rejection. |
| 8:24 | | O Believers, respond to Allah and His messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life. You must realize that Allah comes between a person and his/her heart and that it is to Him that you will be assembled. |
| 8:25 | | Fear a trial, which does not affect only those of you who sin, and realize that Allah is firm in punishment. |
| 8:26 | | Remember when you were few and considered weak throughout the land and afraid that people would do away with you. He provided a safe refuge for you, strengthened you with His aid, and supplied you good things, so that you may be grateful. |
| 8:27 | | O Believers, do not betray Allah and the messenger. Do not purposefully mishandle things entrusted to you. |
| 8:28 | | Realize that your possessions and your children are a test. With Allah lies your highest reward. |
| 8:29 | | O Believers, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion [eg, ability to tell right from wrong]. He will remove your sins and forgive you. Allah is the Lord of mighty grace. |
| 8:30 | | Remember how the unbelievers plotted against you to restrain you or to kill you or to evict you. They planned, and Allah planned. Allah was the best planner. |
| 8:31 | | Whenever Our signs are recited to them, they say, “We’ve already heard this! If we wanted, we could say things like this. They are nothing but old tales.” |
| 8:32 | | Remember how they said, “O Allah, if this really is the truth from You, send upon us a shower of stones from the sky, or send us a horrible punishment.” |
| 8:33 | | Allah wasn’t about to send such a penalty while you were among them. Allah would not punish them if they are asking for forgiveness. |
| 8:34 | | What chance do they have against Allah’s punishment while they obstruct from the Sacred Mosque? They are not its guardians. Its guardians are only the righteous. Most of them do not understand. |
| 8:35 | | Their worship at the house [of worship] is nothing but whistling and clapping. Taste the penalty because of your unbelief. |
| 8:36 | | Truly, the unbelievers spend their wealth to obstruct from the path of Allah. They will continue to spend, but they will finally have regrets, and then they will be overcome. The unbelievers will be assembled in Hell. |
| 8:37 | | Allah will separate the wicked from the righteous. He will assemble the wicked all together and cast them into Hell. They will be the losers. |
| 8:38 | | Tell the unbelievers that if they stop, their past will be forgiven for them. If they slip back [into sin], they should recall what happened to people like them in the past. |
| 8:39 | | Fight them until there is no more persecution and until all religion is for Allah. If they cease [rebellion], truly Allah is All-seeing of what they do. |
| 8:40 | | If they refuse [to stop the persecution], be sure that Allah is your Protector –the best to protect and to help. |
| 8:41 | | Understand that from all the spoils you acquire, one-fifth is for Allah, the messenger, close relatives, orphans, the needy, and the traveler. That is if you do believe in Allah and in the revelation We sent down to Our servant on the day of discernment –the day when the two forces met. Allah is Most Capable over everything. |
| 8:42 | | Remember that you were on the near side of the valley. They were on the far side. The caravan was on lower ground than you were. If you had made plans to meet, your plan would have failed. But Allah wanted to accomplish a matter that was destined [so He did bring you together]. He wanted that those who would meet death to die after a clear sign. He wanted that those who would live to continue living after a clear sign. Truly, Allah is All-hearing, the All-knowing. |
| 8:43 | | Remember that, in your dream, Allah showed them to you as few. If He had shown them to you as many, you certainly would have lost courage. You certainly would have questioned your decision. Allah saved! Truly, He is the All-knowing of what is in hearts. |
| 8:44 | | When (the opposing forces) met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes. He made you appear few in their eyes. This was so that Allah would accomplish a matter that was destined. To Allah, all matters are returned. |
| 8:45 | | O Believers, when you meet an army, be firm. Remember Allah often so you may prosper. |
| 8:46 | | Obey Allah and His messenger. Do not argue; otherwise, you may falter and become weak. Be patient. Truly, Allah is with those who persevere. |
| 8:47 | | Do not be like those who departed their homes, haughtily. They only wanted to be seen by others and to be a hindrance from the path of Allah. Allah encompasses whatever they do. |
| 8:48 | | Satan made their [sinful] acts alluring to them. He said, “No person can overcome you this day while I am near you.” When the two armies saw one another, however, he retreated. He said, “I am done with you. I see what you do not see. I am afraid of Allah! Allah is severe in punishment.” |
| 8:49 | | The hypocrites and those with diseased hearts say, “These people [the Muslims] are misled by their religion.” But, for any who trust in Allah, Allah is truly Victorious, Perfectly Wise. |
| 8:50 | | If you could see, when the angels take the souls of the unbelievers, they smite their faces and their backs. “Taste the burning torture. |
| 8:51 | | “That is because of what your hands have forwarded.” Allah is not unjust to His servants. |
| 8:52 | | Like the behavior of the people of Pharaoh and of those preceding them, they rejected the signs of Allah. Allah punished them for their crimes. Allah is the Strongest and severe in punishment. |
| 8:53 | | Allah will never change the grace that He has bestowed upon a people until they themselves change what is in their souls. Truly, Allah is All-hearing, the All-knowing. |
| 8:54 | | Like the behavior of the people of Pharaoh and of those preceding them, they rejected the signs of their Lord. We destroyed them for their crimes. We drowned the people of Pharaoh, for they were all sinful. |
| 8:55 | | The worst of creatures, in the sight of Allah, are unbelievers who will never believe. |
| 8:56 | | They are among those with whom you made a treaty. Then they broke the treaty every time, with no fear [of God]. |
| 8:57 | | If you defeat them in battle, use them [ie, the harsh example of the defeat] to oust those behind them so that (those who follow them) may take heed. |
| 8:58 | | If you fear treachery from any group, revert [from the treaty] on fair terms. Allah certainly does not love traitors. |
| 8:59 | | Do not allow the unbelievers to think that they can overcome. Certainly, they will never overpower. |
| 8:60 | | Prepare for them to the best of your ability with your strength and horsepower, in order to strike terror into the enemies of Allah and of you. That includes any about whom you may be unaware, although Allah is aware. Whatever you must spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you. You will not be treated unfairly. |
| 8:61 | | If (your enemy) inclines toward peace, you must also incline toward (peace), and trust in Allah. Truly, He is All-hearing, the All-knowing. |
| 8:62 | | If they intend to deceive you, then truly Allah is enough for you. He has strengthened you with His aid and with believers. |
| 8:63 | | Furthermore, He has placed affection among their hearts. If you had spent all that is contained in the earth, you could not have produced that affection, but Allah has done it! He truly is Victorious, the Perfectly Wise. |
| 8:64 | | O Prophet, Allah is sufficient for you and for those who follow you from among the believers. |
| 8:65 | | O Prophet, rouse the believers to the fight! If there are twenty among you, who are persevering, they will vanquish two hundred. If there are a hundred, they will vanquish a thousand unbelievers, who are people with no understanding. |
| 8:66 | | For now, Allah has lightened your burden. He knows there is weakness in you. Even so, if there are a hundred of you with perseverance, they will overcome two hundred. If there are a thousand among you, they will overcome two thousand, by Allah’s will. Allah is with those who are determined. |
| 8:67 | | It is not proper for a prophet to have prisoners of war until he has fought and triumphed over the land. You want the material things of this world, but Allah values the afterlife. Allah is Victorious, Perfectly Wise. |
| 8:68 | | If it had not been previously ordained by Allah, you would have been greatly punished for what you already took. |
| 8:69 | | So consume what was lawful and ethical taken in war, and fear Allah. Truly, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. |
| 8:70 | | O Prophet, say to those captives in your care, “If Allah finds any goodness in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you. He will forgive you, for Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” |
| 8:71 | | If they intend treachery toward you, they are already treacherous to Allah. That is why He has given you power over them. Allah is the All-knowing, Perfectly Wise. |
| 8:72 | | Truly, those who believed and emigrated and struggled diligently, using their property and their lives, in the cause of Allah [are allies]. Those who gave refuge and assistance are also allies of one another. As for those who believed but did not emigrate, you do not owe protection to them until they do emigrate. If they seek your aid in religion, however, it is your duty to help them. The exception is [not to help them] against another people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance. Allah sees all that you do! |
| 8:73 | | The unbelievers are allies of one another. Unless you do the same, there will be oppression over the earth, along with extensive corruption. |
| 8:74 | | Those who believed and emigrated and struggled in the cause of Allah and those who provided refuge and assistance are truly believers. For them are forgiveness and a generous provision. |
| 8:75 | | Those who believed subsequently and emigrated and struggled with you are part of you. Those who are connected by birth share birthrights in the Book of Allah [the universal plan]. Truly, Allah is the All-knowing of all things. |
