سورة Al-Anfal ( The Spoils of War )

They (the believers) ask you (Muhammad) about the booty captured (from the enemies) during a war. Tell them, \"It belongs to God and the Messengers. If you have faith, have fear of God. Settle the disputes among yourselves and obey God and His Messengers.\"

When God is mentioned, the true believers begin to feel fear of Him in their hearts and when His revelations are recited to them their faith strengthens. In God alone do they trust.

They are steadfast in prayer and spend part of what We have given them for the cause of God.

Such are the true believers. Their reward from their Lord will be high ranks, forgiveness, and a generous provision.

A group among the believers dislike (God's decree about the booty captured in war) as well as His command that you come out of your home for a truthful purpose (to fight for justice).

Knowing it well (that a fight in which they are to take part is about to take place), they act as though they are being driven to death which they can see before their very eyes. Despite their knowledge of the truth, they still argue with you.

When God promised to grant you (believers) victory over either one of the two groups, you wished to have control over the unarmed one. God decided to prove (to you) the truth of His promises and to destroy the unbelievers

so that the truth would stand supreme and falsehood would exist no more, even though the criminals dislike it.

When you (believers) begged for assistance from your Lord, He said, \"I am helping you with a thousand angels, all in rows marching one after the other\".

God has sent this glad news to comfort your hearts. Victory is in the hands of God alone. God is Majestic and All-wise.

The slumber that overcame you was from God that brought you peace. He showered water from the sky over you to clean you, remove satanic wickedness from you, strengthen your hearts, and grant you steadfastness.

Your Lord inspired the angels saying, \"I am with you. Encourage the believers. I shall cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers and you will strike their heads and limbs;

they have opposed God and His Messengers.\" For those who oppose God and His Messengers, God has prepared a severe retribution.

We will say to them, \"Endure the torment (as a consequence of your evil deeds); the unbelievers deserve nothing better than (the torment) of fire.\"

Believers, do not retreat when facing the marching army of the unbelievers, for no believer will turn back at that time except for strategic reasons or to join another band.

(Whoever deserts the believers) will incur the wrath of God and will dwell in hell, a terrible dwelling.

It was not you (believers) but God who slew the pagans. It was not you (Muhammad) but God who threw dust at them. He did this as a favorable test for the believers. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

This is how God causes the (evil) plans of the unbelievers to fail.

If you (the pagans) are looking for conquest, you certainly had a great chance (at the battle of Badr). But if you were to give up such a desire, it would be better for you. If you again wage war against Us, We will be ready for such a confrontation. Your man-power will be of no help to you no matter how much you have; God is with the believers.

Believers, obey God and His Messengers and do not turn away from Him when you hear (His commands).

Do not be like those who said that they have heard (the Messenger's commands) but do not pay any attention to them.

The most wicked beasts in the sight of God are the deaf and the dumb who have no understanding.

Had they possessed any virtue, God would certainly have made them hear. Even if God were to make them hear, they would still turn away from (the words of God).

Believers, listen to God and the Messengers when they call you to that which gives you life. Know that God is between a man and his heart and that before Him you will all be brought together.

Guard yourselves against discord among yourselves so that it will not mislead anyone of you, especially the unjust, and know that God's retribution is most severe.

Recall the time when you (the believers) were only a few suppressed people in the land, afraid of being terrorized by the people. God gave you shelter, supported you with His help, and bestowed on you pure provisions so that perhaps you would give Him thanks.

Believers, do not be dishonest to God and the Messengers or knowingly abuse your trust.

Know that your possessions and children are a temptation for you and that God has the greatest reward (for the righteous ones).

Believers, if you fear God, He will give you guidance, will expiate your bad deeds and forgive you. God's favors are the greatest.

The unbelievers planned to imprison, murder or expel you (Muhammad) from your city. They make evil plans but God too plans and God's plans are the best.

When Our revelations are recited to them (the unbelievers), they say, \"We have heard them. Had we wanted, we could also have composed such statements; they are no more than ancient legends.\"

They also say, \"Lord, if this (Quran) is the Truth from you, shower down stones on us from the sky instead of rain or send us a painful punishment\".

God would not punish them while you were among them nor while they were asking for forgiveness.

Why should God not punish them when they hinder people from entering the sacred mosque? They are not its true patrons. Only the righteous ones are its patrons, but most of the pagans do not know.

Their (unbelievers) prayer at the mosque is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. We shall tell them, \"Suffer torment for your disbelief.\"

The disbelievers spend their wealth to turn men away from the way of God. They will continue to spend but it will become a source of regret for them and they will be defeated (because of their evil plans). The disbelievers will be gathered all togdher in Hell.

God will separate the wicked from the pure and will pile the wicked ones on top of one anothcr to be cast into hell. They are indeed lost.

Muhammad, tell the unbelievers, if you give up your evil behavior, God will forgive whatever you have done in the past. But if you transgras again, your fate will be the same as that of those (unbelievers) who lived before you.\"

Fight them so that idolatry will not exist any more and God's religion will stand supreme. If theygive up the idols), God will be Well Aware of what they do.

If the (unbelievers) turn away from the faith, God is you (believers) best Guardian and best Helper.

Know that whatever property you may gain, one fifth belongs to God, the Messenger, the kindred, orphans, the needy and those who need money while on a journey. (This is the law) if you believe in God and what We revealed to Our Servant on the Day of Distinction (Badr) when the armies confronted each other. God has power over all things.

Recall when your army was positioned at the less defensible brink of the valley, (the pagans') army had the more defensible higher side of the valley and the caravan was led (out of your reach) below. This situation did not take place according to your previous plans, otherwise, everything would have been different. (It was God's plan) to place you in a vulnerable position, exposed to the enemy and it was His plan to lead the caravan out of your reach) so that His decree that you would be granted a victory by a miracle would become a doubtless fact and so that those who were to be destroyed would face destruction with a clear knowledge of the Truth and those who were to survive would also survive with a clear knowledge of the Truth. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

In your dream, God showed (the pagans' army) as being only a few in number, for if He had showed them as a great number, you would have lost courage and would have started to quarrel among yourselves concerning this matter. But God saved you from that condition; He knows what is in your hearts.

When you met the pagans' army, God made them appear fewer in your eyes and you appear fewer in their eyes so that His miracle of granting you (an incredible) victory could easily be fulfilled. To God do all things return.

Believers, stand firm when you meet a band of your enemy and remember God often so that you may have everlasting happiness.

Obey God and His Messenger. Do not quarrel with each other lest you fail or lose honor. Exercise patience; God is with those who have patience.

Do not be like those who marched out boastfully to show off their strength to people and hinder people from the way of God. God encompasses everyone's activities.

Satan made their (pagans') deeds seem attractive to them and said to them, \"No one today is more powerful than you and I am your supporter.\" But when the two armies confronted one another and the pagans were defeated, then satan betrayed his friends saying, \"I am not with you any more; I see what you do not see and I am afraid of God.\" God is severe in His retribution.

The hypocrites and those whose hearts are sick, say, \"The (believers') religion has deceived them.\" Those who trust in God will find Him Majestic and All-wise.

Would that you could have seen the angels taking the souls of the unbelievers away from their bodies and smiting their faces and their backs saying, \"Suffer the burning torment.

This is the result of their deeds. God is not unjust to His servants.\"

The same thing happened to the people of Pharaoh and those who lived before them. They rejected the revelations of God and, because of their sins, His retribution struck them. God is All-powerful and stern in His retribution.

God does not change the favor that He has bestowed on a nation unless that nation changes what is in its soul. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

Like the people of the Pharaoh and those who lived before them, (the unbelievers) rejected the revelations of God. We destroyed them for their sins and drowned the people of Pharaoh. They were all unjust.

The most wicked creatures in the sight of God are the unbelievers who never have faith,

who make promises but break them every time, and who have no piety.

When you capture the (unbelievers) during a fight, teach them a lesson so that they thereafter will always be aware of the threat of your power.

If you are afraid of the treachery of some of your allies, you may disregard your treaty with them. God does not love the treacherous ones.

The unbelievers should not think that they can really escape Us or that they can never be defeated.

Mobilize your (defensive) force as much as you can to frighten the enemies of God and your own enemies. This also will frighten those who are behind them whom you do not know but God knows well. Whatever you spend for the cause of God, He will give you sufficient recompense with due justice.

If they (the unbelievers) propose peace, accept it and trust in God. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.

If they want to deceive you, God is All-sufficient for you. It is God who supported you with His own help and with that of the believers,

among whose hearts He has placed affection and unity. If you were to spend the wealth of the whole earth, you would not have been able to unite their hearts but God has been able to unite them. God is Majestic and All-wise.

Prophet, God and the believers who follow you are sufficient support for you.

Prophet, mobilize the believers for the battle. It will take only twenty of your men who are steadfast (in prayer) to defeat two hundred unbelieving men. Your two hundred men would defeat their two thousand; the unbelievers have no understanding.

Now that God has eased your burden, He has found you to be weak. A hundred of your steadfast men would defeat two hundred of theirs and a thousand of yours would defeat two thousand of the unbelievers, by the will of God. God is with those who have patience.

The Prophet is not supposed to take any captives to strengthen his position on the earth. You want worldly gains but God wants the life hereafter for you. God is Majestic and All-wise.

(Had you taken captives) before being allowed by God's revelations, a great torment would have struck you for what you had done.

Use what you have acquired (from the battle) as your own good, lawful property. Have fear of God; He is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

Prophet, tell the captives with you, \"If God finds anything good in your hearts, He will give you a better reward than that which was taken from you and will forgive you. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

Do not be surprised that they want to be dishonest with you; they have always been dishonest with God. However, He has power over them. God is All-knowing and All-wise.

The believers who left their homes and strove for the cause of God, through their property and in person and those who gave refuge to them and helped them will be each other's guardians. The believers who did not leave their homes are not your guardians until they too leave their homes. If they ask you for help in a religious cause, you must help them against their enemies unless their enemies have a peace treaty with you. God is Well Aware of what you do.

The unbelievers are each other's friends. If you (the believers) do not keep the same among yourselves in the land, there will come into being widespread idolatry and great evil.

The believers who left their homes, and strove for the cause of God and those who gave them refuge and helped them, are true believers. They will have forgiveness (from their Lord) and (will be granted) honorable provisions.

Those who accepted the faith later, left their homes and strove with you for the cause of God are also your people. They relatives are nearer to each other according to the Book of God. God has knowledge of all things.