SURAH (8) AL-ANFAL (AYA 21 to 40)

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَهُمْ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ {8:21}

[Q8:21] Wa laa takoonoo kallazeena qaaloo sami'naa wa hum laa yasma'oon. 
[Q8:21] And be not like those who said, We hear, and they did not obey.

[Q8:21] Dan janganlah kamu menjadi seperti orang-orang (kafir dan munafik) yang berkata: Kami dengar, padahal mereka tidak mendengar (tidak mahu menerima dan mematuhinya).  

(see commentary for verse 20)

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(8:21) And do not be like those who say: 'We hear', though they do not hearken. *16

*16. In the present context, 'hearing' means taking heed with a view to obey'. The verse alludes to those hypocrites who professed to believe and yet were not willing to carry out the commands of God. 

إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ {8:22}

[Q8:22] Inna sharrad dawaaabbi 'indal laahis summul bukmul lazeena laa ya'qiloon. 
[Q8:22] Surely the vilest of animals, in ALLAH (SWT)'s sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who do not understand.

[Q8:22] Sesungguhnya sejahat-jahat makhluk yang melata, pada sisi (hukum dan ketetapan) ALLAH (SwT), ialah orang-orang yang pekak lagi bisu, yang tidak mahu memahami sesuatupun (dengan akal fikirannya). 

(see commentary for verse 20)

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(8:22) Indeed the worst kind of all beasts in the sight of Allah are the people that are deaf and dumb, *17 and do not understand.

*17. These are the ones who neither hear nor speak the truth. So far as truth is concerned, their ears are deaf and their mouths dumb.

وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لَأَسْمَعَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّوْا وَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ {8:23}

[Q8:23] Wa law 'alimal laahu feehim khairal la asma'ahum; wa law asma'ahum latawallaw wa hum mu'ridoon. 
[Q8:23] And if ALLAH (SWT) had known any good in them He would have made them hear, and if He makes them hear they would turn back while they withdraw.

[Q8:23] Dan kalaulah ALLAH (SwT) mengetahui ada kebaikan pada mereka, tentulah Dia menjadikan mereka dapat mendengar dan kalau ALLAH (SwT) menjadikan mereka dapat mendengar juga (dengan keadaan yang demikian), nescaya mereka tidak menerimanya sambil memalingkan diri.  

(see commentary for verse 20)

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(8:23) And had Allah known in them any good He would surely, have made them hear; but (being as they, are) even if He made them hear, they would have surely turned away in aversion. *18

*18. Such people have neither any love for the truth nor any desire to strive for it. Hence even if they were enabled by God to go forth to the battlefield they would have turned on their heels at the very first sight of danger. That such people should be a part of the Muslim army might have led to greater harm than good. 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ {8:24}

[Q8:24] Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanus tajeeboo lillaahi wa lir Rasooli izaa da'aakum limaa yuhyeekum wa'lamooo annal laaha yahoolu bainal mar'i wa qalbihee wa anahooo ilaihi tuhsharoon. 
[Q8:24] O you who believe! Answer (the call of) ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life; and know that ALLAH (SWT) intervenes between man and his heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered.

[Q8:24] Wahai orang-orang yang beriman, sahut dan sambutlah seruan ALLAH (SwT) dan seruan RasulNya apabila Dia menyeru kamu kepada perkara-perkara yang menjadikan kamu hidup sempurna dan ketahuilah bahawa sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) berkuasa mengubah atau menyekat di antara seseorang itu dengan (pekerjaan) hatinya dan sesungguhnya kepadaNyalah kamu akan dihimpunkan. 

BY THIS VERSE THE RESPONSE TO THE CALL OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IS THE SAME AS THE RESPONSE TO THE CALL FROM ALLAH (SWT), THUS THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THE CALL OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) BECOMES COMPULSORY.

°          It is said that by the call of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), is meant the Imamat, i.e., the Divine Guidance through the twelve divinely commissioned Holy Imams.

°          It also means that whenever the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) calls the believers to ‘Jihad’ to defend the faith, it is compulsory upon every believer to respond to it immediately without any excuse.

‘And ALLAH (SWT)’s being between the man and his heart’ means ALLAH (SWT)’s supreme control over the will of every man and woman. Many a time man decides to do a thing BUT IT IS not done or his plans do not work well as he wills.

ß  Ali ibne Abi Talib, the first Holy Imam says, ‘I knew ALLAH (SWT) by the failure of my intentions.’

Usually everyone is dominated by his heart’s and responds to its call BUT when he submits to the Call of ALLAH (SWT) and the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), his submission to the Divine call has been termed as getting in between man and his heart, preventing him to listen to the dictates of his heart.

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(8:24) Believers! Respond to Allah, and respond to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Know well that Allah stands between a man and his heart, and it is to Him that all of you shall be mustered. *19

*19. The most effective means of preventing man from failing prey to hypocrisy is to implant two ideas in his mind. First, that he will have to face the reckoning and judgement of God Who knows what is in the deep recesses of his heart. Even man's intentions and desires, the purposes which he seeks to achieve, the ideas that he seeks to keep hidden in his heart, are all well known to God. Second, that ultimately every man will be mustered to God; that He is so powerful that none can escape His judgement. The deeper the roots of these convictions. the further is man removed from hypocrisy. Hence, while admonishing Muslims against hypocrisy, the Qur'an frequently resorts to emphasizing these two articles oi belief. 

وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْكُمْ خَاصَّةً ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ {8:25}

[Q8:25] Wattaqoo fitnatal laa tuseebannal lazeena zalamoo minkum khaaaassatanw wa'lamooo annal laaha shadeedul 'iqaab. 
[Q8:25] And fear an affliction which may not smite those of you in particular who are unjust; and know that ALLAH (SWT) is severe in requiting (evil).

[Q8:25] Dan jagalah diri kamu daripada (berlakunya) dosa (yang membawa bala bencana) yang bukan sahaja akan menimpa orang-orang yang zalim di antara kamu secara khusus (tetapi akan menimpa kamu secara umum) dan ketahuilah bahawa ALLAH (SwT) Maha berat azab seksaNya. 

It is related from the Second Holy Imam Hasan ibne Ali that he said that this verse was revealed as a prophecy about the Battle of Jamal which was fought by Talha, Zubair and Ammar, under Ayseha, one of the wives of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD WA ALI MUHAMMAD).  This battle was fought at Basra.

Tafsir-eKashaf says that once Zubair was going along with the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and Ali was coming in front of them. Zubair pointing to Ali asked the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as to how much the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) loved Ali? To which the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALLI ALAA MUHAMMAD WA ALI MUHAMMAD) replied, ‘I loved him more than as I would do to my son, but how evil it would be when you would go to fight against him’.

         It was a prophetic reference to what would take place in the Battle of Jamal which was engineered by Talha and Zubair and this verse contains a prophetic reference to the event and a general warning to those who might get involved in it along with the others.

IT IS A WARNING TO THE FAITHFUL that there is trouble of social and political characters ahead of them that it will not affect only the wrong-doers but also the others. In which case the believers should be on their guard by adhering to the prescribed path of ALLAH (SWT).

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(8:25) And guard against the mischief that will not only bring punishment to the wrong-doers among you. *20 Know well that Allah is severe in punishment.

*20. This refers to those widespread social evils whose baneful effects are not confined only to those addicted to them, but which affect even those who, although they might not be addicted to those sins, are a part of that society. For example, if filth is found at just a few places in a locality it will possibly affect only those who have not kept themselves or their houses clean. However, if it becomes widespread and no one is concerned with removing uncleanliness and maintaining sanitary conditions, then everything including water and soil will become contaminated. As a result, if epidemics break out, they will not only afflict those who were responsible for spreading filth and themselves lived in unsanitary conditions, but virtually all the residents of that locality.
What is true of unsanitary conditions in a physical sense, also holds true for filth and uncleanliness in a moral sense. If immoral practices remain confined to a few people here and there but the overall moral concern of the society prevents those practices from becoming widespread and public, their harmful effects remain limited. But when the collective conscience of the society is weakened to a point whereby immoral practices are not suppressed, when people indulge in evils without any sense of shame and even go around vaunting their immoral deeds, when good people adopt a passive attitude and are content with being righteous merely in their own lives and are unconcerned with or silent about collective evils, then the entire society invites its doom. Such a society then becomes the victim of a scourge that does not distinguish between the grain and the chaff.
What God's directive seeks to impress upon people is that the reformatory mission of the Prophet (peace be on him) and the cause he was inviting people to was the source of life and well-being for them both individually and collectively. People should bear in mind that if they fail to participate wholeheartedly in the task to which they were invited and remain silent spectators to rampant evils that would invite a scourge that would embrace all. It would afflict even those individuals who neither themselves committed evils nor were instrumental in spreading them and who might in fact have been righteous in their personal conduct. This point was emphasized earlier (see al-A'raf 7: 163-6) and was illustrated by reference to the Sabbath-breakers, and constitutes the underlying Islamic philosophy for waging war for purposes of reform. 

وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ أَنْتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ تَخَافُونَ أَنْ يَتَخَطَّفَكُمُ النَّاسُ فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُمْ بِنَصْرِهِ وَرَزَقَكُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ {8:26}

[Q8:26] Wazkurooo iz antum qaleelum mustad 'afoona filardi takhaafoona ai yatakhat tafakumun naasu fa aawaakum wa aiyadakum binasrihee wa razaqakum minat taiyibaati la'allakum tashkuroon. 
[Q8:26] And remember when you were few, deemed weak in the land, fearing lest people might carry you off by force, but He sheltered you and strengthened you with His aid and gave you of the good things that you may give thanks.

[Q8:26] Dan ingatlah ketika kamu sedikit bilangannya serta tertindas di bumi, kamu takut orang-orang menangkap dan melarikan kamu, maka ALLAH (SwT) memberi kamu tempat bermustautin dan diperkuatkanNya kamu dengan pertolonganNya, serta dikurniakanNya kamu dari rezeki yang baik-baik, supaya kamu bersyukur. 

THIS VERSE refers to the times in MAKKA before hijrat. See commentary of al Baqarah 2:207.

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(8:26) And recall when you were few in numbers and deemed weak in the land, fearful lest people do away with you. Then He provided you refuge, strengthened you with His help, and provided you sustenance with good things that you may be grateful. *21

*21. The reference to gratefulness in the verse is worthy of reflection. Bearing in mind the subject under discussion, it appears that gratefulness does not simply mean that Muslims should acknowledge God's favour to them insofar as He rescued them from their state of abject weakness. God had not only salvaged them from an insecure life in Makka and provided them with a haven of security in Madina where they enjoyed an abundance of livelihood. Gratefulness does not simply require all that. Apart from acknowledging God's favour, gratefulness also demands that Muslims should faithfully obey God and His Messenger out of a consciousness of God's munificence, out of loyalty and devotion to the Prophet's mission, and should cast aside all dangers, hardships and misfortunes that might confront them. In their struggle for God's cause Muslims should have complete trust in God Who has helped them on earlier occasions and Who has delivered them from dangers. The Muslims should also have faith that if they work sincerely in God's cause, He will certainly help and protect them. Hence, the gratefulness expected of the Muslims does not simply consist of a verbal acknowledgement of God's benefaction. Gratefulness to God should manifest itself in actual deeds as well. If someone were to acknowledge the favour of his Lord, and yet is slack in seeking His good pleasure, lacks sincerity in serving Him, and entertains doubts that God's benefaction will continue in the future, then that can hardly be characterized as gratitude. 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَخُونُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ وَتَخُونُوا أَمَانَاتِكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ {8:27}

[Q8:27] Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanoo laa takhoonal laaha war Rasoola wa takhoonooo amaanaatikum wa antum ta'lamoon. 
[Q8:27] O you who believe! Be not unfaithful to ALLAH (SWT) and the Messenger, nor be unfaithful to your trusts while you know.

[Q8:27] Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Janganlah kamu mengkhianati (amanah) ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya dan (janganlah) kamu mengkhianati amanah-amanah kamu, sedang kamu mengetahui (salahnya).

"Nor be unfaithful to the trusts" REFERS TO THE BOOK OF ALLAH (SWT) (THE QUR’AN) AND THE AHLUL BAYT. SEE HADITH AL THAQALAYN. DO NOT FORSAKE EITHER OF THEM FOR THE SAKE OF WORLDLY POSSESSIONS AND GAINS.

v  OCCASION OF REVELATION:

It is reported that after 21 days siege of Bani Qurayza they agreed to make a settlement. They would leave Madina and go to Syria.

°          The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) appointed Sad bin Ma-adh as an arbitrator, but the Jews wanted to consult Abu Lababa who was their old friend and relative, before accepting the arbitration of Sad bin Ma-adh. When they sought Abu Lababa's advice, he pointed his finger to his throat, to indicate that it would be as if cutting their own throats.

°          The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) came to know about the treachery of Abu Lababa through Jibra-il. Abu Lababa at once realised what he had done -he had knowingly defrauded ALLAH (SWT) and His prophet.

°          Then he tied himself to a pillar of the masjid al nabawiyy and avowed that he would neither drink nor eat until he was forgiven by ALLAH (SWT) and His prophet. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) went to him and told him that he had been forgiven.

ANOTHER NARRATION of treachery had been reported by Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that when Jibra-il informed the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) that Abu Sufyan is secretly planning to attack very soon, the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) asked his close companions to make urgent preparation for the expected confrontation. One of the hypocrites wrote a secret letter to Abu Sufyan, informing him about the defensive readiness of the Muslims.

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(8:27) Believers! Do not be unfaithful to Allah and the Messenger, nor be knowingly unfaithful to your trusts. *22

*22. 'Trusts' embrace all the responsibilities which are imparted to someone because he is trusted. These might consist of obligations arising out of an agreement or collective covenant. It might also consist of the secrets of a group. It might also consist of personal or collective property, or any office or position which might be bestowed upon a person by the group. (For further explanation see Towards Undersranding the Qur' an, vol. 11. al-Nisa' 4, n. 88, pp. 49 f - Ed.) 

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ {8:28}

[Q8:28] Wa'lamooo annamaaa amwaalukum wa awlaadukum fitnatunw wa annal laaha 'indahooo ajrun azeem. 
[Q8:28] And know that your property and your children are a temptation, and that ALLAH (SWT) is He with Whom there is a mighty reward.

[Q8:28] Dan ketahuilah bahawa harta benda kamu dan anak-anak kamu itu hanyalah menjadi ujian dan sesungguhnya di sisi ALLAH (SwT) jualah pahala yang besar. 

(see commentary for verse 27)

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(8:28) Know well that your belongings and your children are but a trial, *23 and that with Allah there is a mighty reward.

*23. Excessive love of money and one's children often impair the sincerity of a person's faith and often lead man to hypocrisy, treachery and dishonesty. The Qur'an, therefore, clearly points out ihat since 1ove of wealth or children drives people off the right path, it constitutes a considerable test for them. One's property, one's business and one's offspring constitute a test for man since they have been in his custody so as to judge to what extent he observes the limits of propriety laid down by God and adequately performs his responsibilities. What is tested is how far man is able to control his animal self - which is strongly attached to worldly purposes - so that he is able to act as God's servant and render all the rights of worldly life in the manner laid down by God. 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنْكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ {8:29}

[Q8:29] Yaaa aiyuhal lazeena aamanooo in tattaqul laaha yaj'al lakum furqaananw wa yukaffir 'ankum saiyi aatikum wa yaghfir lakum; wallaahu zul fadlil 'azeem. 
[Q8:29] O you who believe! If you are careful of (your duty to) ALLAH (SWT), He will grant you a distinction and do away with your evils and forgive you; and ALLAH (SWT) is the Lord of mighty grace.

[Q8:29] Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Jika kamu bertakwa kepada ALLAH (SwT), nescaya Ia mengadakan bagi kamu (petunjuk) yang membezakan antara yang benar dengan yang salah dan menghapuskan kesalahan-kesalahan kamu, serta mengampunkan (dosa-dosa) kamu dan ALLAH (SwT) (sememangnya) mempunyai limpah kurnia yang besar. 

Those who safeguard themselves against evil with full awareness of divine laws receive guidance from ALLAH (SWT) to distinguish between good and evil, so that they may follow the right path -the path of deliverance. THEN, EVEN IF THEY HAVE SINNED BUT TURN REPENTANT UNTO ALLAH (SWT) SINCERELY, ALLAH (SWT) FORGIVES THEM THEIR SINS.

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(8:29) Believers! If you fear Allah He will grant you a criterion *24 and will cleanse you of your sins and forgive you. Allah is Lord of abounding bounty.

*24. 'Criterion' signifies that which ENABLES ONE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TRUE AND FALSE; BETWEEN REAL AND FAKE. This is the shade of meaning conveyed by the Qur'anic term 'furqan'. If a man is God-fearing and tries his best to refrain from acts which displease God, God will create in him the ability to discern for himself at every step which actions are proper and which are not; which attitude conduces to God's good pleasure and which is likely to incur His wrath. This inner light will serve as a pointer at every turn and crossing, at every up and down in life, guiding him as to when he should proceed and when he should refrain, telling him which is the path of truth and leads to God, and which is false and leads to Satan. 

وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ {8:30}

[Q8:30] Wa iz yamkuru bikal lazeena kafaroo liyusbitooka aw yaqtulooka aw yukhrijook; wa yamkuroona wa yamkurul laahu wallaahu khairul maakireen. 
[Q8:30] And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away; and they devised plans and ALLAH (SWT) too had arranged a plan; and ALLAH (SWT) is the best of planners.

[Q8:30] Dan ingatlah (wahai Muhammad), ketika orang-orang kafir musyrik (Mekah) menjalankan tipu daya terhadapmu untuk menahanmu atau membunuhmu atau mengusirmu. Mereka menjalankan tipu daya dan ALLAH (SwT) menggagalkan tipu daya (mereka), kerana ALLAH (SwT) sebaik-baik yang menggagalkan tipu daya.

THIS VERSE refers to the event of HIJRAT. See commentary of al-Baqarah 2:207.

When some people from Yatrib (later known as Madina) came to Makka and invited the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to their place and promised faithfulness to him, the heathens of Makka got alerted and apprehended that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) would soon be out of their hold. AN URGENT meeting of the elders of the tribes was hurriedly summoned at the Darun-Nadva, where the Makkaans used to meet whenever they needed to take any important decisions about their civic as well as the other matters or to celebrate any great social events. The elders of all the tribes were gathered together and Satan appeared in the form of the Saik-e-Najdi.

1.        Abu-Bukturi suggested confining the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in a house until he dies therein.

2.        Hisham bin Omar wanted to provide the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) with a camel and exile him.

3.        At last Abu Jahl counseled that a young man from each of the tribes be chosen and all these young men together, to simultaneously thrust their swords into the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) body so that the charge of the murder might be laid equally on each tribe and the Bani Hashim, i.e., the tribe to which the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) belonged would be able to fight all the tribes together AND THUS there would be left to them no choice but to receive the blood-money.

This suggestion was unanimously adopted and while the heathens were plotting to kill the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), THE MESSENGER ANGEL GABRIEL APPEARED AND INFORMED THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) OF THE PLOT OF THE INFIDELS AND CONVEYED ALLAH (SWT)’S COMMAND TO THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) TO LAY ALI IBNE ABI TALIB IN HIS COUCH UNDER HIS MANTLE-PIECE AND TO MIGRATE TO MADINA.

4.        The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) issued instructions to every Muslim, to remain that night indoors and none to come out of his house.

5.        As commanded by ALLAH (SWT), Ali laid himself in the couch of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and covered himself with the mantel-piece which the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) used and it looked as if the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) himself was under the mantle.

6.        By this time the residence of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was surrounded by the chosen men of the plot but the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) opened the door and miraculously passed through the men and none of them saw him going away.

7.        He had not gone only a few steps, when to his surprise against his explicit instructions, he found Abu Bakr there. He took Abu Bakr along with him and a few steps further he found some men of the enemy coming towards him. He took a handful of earth and threw it towards them and they passed him without seeing him.

8.        He went and took shelter in the cave of Thour and immediately as he entered, a spider practically sealed the entrance by weaving over it, its web. It is also said that a pigeon wove a nest at the mouth of the cave and laid eggs in it.

9.        Having watched over the whole night, at the early hours of the dawn, the enemies rushed fiercely into the house breaking the door of the chamber of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to kill the one in the couch, imagining him to be the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad). The enemies surrounded the bed which they had been so long watching and with the confidence of having their pray in their grip and removed the green mantle which covered the one under it, BUT to their dismay the one in the bed was Ali and not the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and found Ali in sound sleep.

10.     Rousing him they asked where the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was. The reply from Ali was cool and collected, saying, ‘You appoint not me a watchman or a guard on him! ALLAH (SWT) knew where he is.’

11.     Abu Jahl ordered a hurried search in the surroundings including the roads to Yatrib (Madina) and the other exits from the town. The fury of the heathens knew no bounds when they heard their prey had escaped. Abu Jahl’s men speeded towards Yatrib. Abu Sofyan mustered his horsemen to search the countryside. The whole of Makka and its surroundings were explored in the man-hunt.

12.     The enemy traced the foot-prints up to the cave and finding the entrance of the cave sealed by a web, and with a nest with eggs of pigeon in it; they returned. In the cave hearing the footsteps of the enemy Abu Bakr began to cry aloud, saying, what would happen if they were caught by the men? The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) had to console him, saying, ‘Fear thou not, ALLAH (SWT) is with us.’

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(8:30) And recall how those who disbelieved schemed against you to take you captive, or kill you, or drive you away. *25 They schemed and Allah did also scheme. Allah is the best of those who scheme.

*25. Apprehending the Prophet's migration to Madina, the Quraysh convened a high-level council attended by all the tribal chiefs at Dar al-Nadwah (Council House) to decide on a decisive course of action against the Prophet (peace be on him). They realized that once the Prophet (peace be on him) left Makka, he would be beyond their reach, rendering them helpless in face of a formidable threat. A group of them was of the view that the Prophet (peace be on him) should be imprisoned for life and kept in chains. This proposal was, however, turned down on the ground that the Prophet's detention would not deter his followers from preaching Islam and that they would seize the first opportunity to release the Prophet (peace be on him) even at the risk to their own lives. Another group suggested that the Prophet (peace be on him) should be exiled, for this would remove the mischief and subversion far from Makka, and it would not matter where he spent his days nor what he did, for Makka would be immune from his influence. This proposal, too, was discarded for fear of the Prophet's persuasiveness and eloquence, and his ability to win the hearts of the people of other tribes and thus pose a greater threat in the future. Finally, Abu Jahl suggested that a band of young men drawn from all the different clans of the Quraysh should jointly pounce upon the Prophet (peace be on him) and kill him. In such a case the responsibility for his blood would rest upon all the clans of the Quray'sh. It would thus become impossible for 'Abd Manaf, the Prophet's clan. to take revenge on any one particular clan. Such a move would compel the Prophet's relatives to drop their claims for retaliation and force them to settle for blood-money. Accordingly, the young men charged with the execution of this plan were selected, and were advised of the exact place and time at which they were expected to carry out the crime. Not only that, the would-be assassins did indeed arrive at the appointed place at the appointed time. However, before they could harm him the Prophet (peace be on him) managed to escape safely. The Ouraysh plot was thus frustrated at the eleventh hour. (See Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, pp. 480-2. See also Ibn Kathir's comments on the verse - Ed.) 

وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا قَالُوا قَدْ سَمِعْنَا لَوْ نَشَاءُ لَقُلْنَا مِثْلَ هَٰذَا ۙ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ {8:31}

[Q8:31] Wa izaa tutlaa 'alaihim Aayaatunaa qaaloo qad sami'naa law nashaaa'u laqulnaa misla haazaaa in haazaaa illaaa asaateerul awwaleen. 
[Q8:31] And when Our communications are recited to them, they say: We have heard indeed; if we pleased we could say the like of it; this is nothing but the stories of the ancients.

[Q8:31] Dan apabila dibacakan kepada mereka ayat-ayat Kami, mereka berkata: Sesungguhnya kami telah mendengarnya. Kalau kami mahu, nescaya kami dapat mengatakan (kata-kata) seperti (Al-Quran) ini. (Al-Quran) ini tidak lain hanyalah cerita cerita dongeng orang-orang dahulu kala.

Please refer to the commentary of An Aam 4:25 and 26, for "the tales of the ancients"; and al Baqarah 2:23 and 24 -the challenge of the Qur’an to the infidels (who said: "We have heard this before, and we could say words like these which are the tales of the ancients") to "produce a chapter like it, and you will never do it."

All attempts have failed. History is the witness. Verse 32 refers to the utter disappointment and frustration the opponents of Islam feel at their failure, and as a last resort asked for a punishment in a miraculous "super" natural way, but ALLAH (SWT) said that so far as the "mercy unto the worlds" was among them no such punishment would be inflicted.

v  In Sawa-iq al Muhriqah, chap. 11, in the commentary of verse 33, Ibn Hajar al Makki says that this verse refers to the merits and excellence of the Ahlul Bayt.

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(8:31) And when Our verses are recited to them, they say: 'We have heard. We could, if we willed, compose the like of it. They, are nothing but fables of the ancient times.'

وَإِذْ قَالُوا اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَٰذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ {8:32}

[Q8:32] Wa iz qaalul laahumma in kaana haazaa huwal haqqa min 'indika fa amtir 'alainaa hijaaratam minas samaaa'i awi'tinaa bi 'azaabin alaeem. 
[Q8:32] And when they said: O ALLAH (SWT)! If this is the truth from Thee, then rain upon us stones from heaven or inflict on us a painful punishment. 

[Q8:32] Dan (ingatlah) ketika mereka (kaum musyrik Mekah) berkata: Wahai Tuhan kami! Jika betul (Al-Quran) itu ialah yang benar dari sisiMu, maka hujanilah kami dengan batu dari langit atau datangkanlah kepada kami azab seksa yang tidak terperi sakitnya.

OCCASION OF REVELATION OF VERSE 32:

When Numan bin Harith returned from his business trip to Iran, he brought with him the stories of Suhrab and Rustam he had translated in Arabic, and told the people that he had also written, like the Qur’an, stories of some well-known persons.

Uthman bin Madh told him that the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) was a true prophet of ALLAH (SWT) and whatever he said was from ALLAH (SWT). Numan replied: "I also say: There is no god save ALLAH (SWT), but the angels are His daughters." When the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) tried to exhort him, he said: "If what Muhammad says is true then let ALLAH (SWT) rain down on me a shower of stones."

Numan was killed in the battle of Badr.

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(8:32) And also recall when they said: 'O Allah! If this indeed be the truth from You, then rain down stones upon us from heaven, or bring upon us a painful chastisement.' *26

*26. These words were uttered by way of challenge rather than a prayer to God. What they meant was that had the message of the Prophet (peace be on him) been true, and from God, its rejection would have entailed a heavy scourge, and stones would have fallen on them from heaven. Since nothing of the sort happened, it was evident that the message was neither true nor from God. 

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ {8:33}

[Q8:33] Wa maa kanal laahu liyu'az zibahum wa anta feehim; wa maa kaanal laahu mu'az zibahum wa hum yastaghfiroon. 
[Q8:33] But ALLAH (SWT) was not going to chastise them while you were among them, nor is ALLAH (SWT) going to chastise them while yet they ask for forgiveness. 

[Q8:33] Dan ALLAH (SwT) tidak sekali-kali akan menyeksa mereka, sedang engkau (wahai Muhammad) ada di antara mereka dan ALLAH (SwT) tidak akan menyeksa mereka sedang mereka beristighfar (meminta ampun).

(see commentary for verse 31)

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(8:33) But Allah was not to chastise them while you are in their midst; nor was Allah going to chastise them while they sought His forgiveness.  *27

*27. This is a rejoinder to the challenge implicit in the above-mentioned remark of the unbelievers. In response it was explained why people were spared heavenly scourge during the Makkan period of the Prophet's life. The first reason being that God does not punish a people as long as the Prophet is in their midst, busy inviting them to the truth. Such people are rather granted respite and are not deprived of the opportunity to reform themselves by sending a scourge all too quickly. Second, if there are a good number of people in a land who recognize that they have been negligent and heedless and have been guilty of iniquity, who seek God's forgiveness and strive to reform themselves, there remains no legitimate ground for subjecting them to a heavenly scourge. The time for such a scourge comes when a Prophet who has spared no efforts to reform his people feels that he has exhausted all his efforts, and concludes that his people have no justification to persist in their iniquity, and departs from that land or is banished from it by its people or is murdered by them. A scourge from on high then becomes imminent since the people of that land have proven by their deeds their inability to tolerate any righteous element in their midst. 

وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ ۚ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ {8:34}

[Q8:34] Wa maa lahum allaa yu'az zibahumul laahu wa hum yasuddoona 'anil Masjidil-Haraami wa maa kaanooo awliyaaa'ah; in awliyaaa' uhooo illal muttaqoona wa laakinna aksarahum laa ya'lamoon. 
[Q8:34] And what (excuse) have they that ALLAH (SWT) should not chastise them while they hinder (men) from the Sacred Mosque and they are not (fit to be) guardians of it; its guardians are only those who guard (against evil), but most of them do not know.

[Q8:34] Dan mengapa mereka tidak patut diseksa oleh ALLAH (SwT), sedang mereka menyekat (orang-orang Islam) dari Masjidilharam, padahal mereka bukanlah orang-orang yang berhak menguasainya (kerana mereka kafir musyrik)? Sebenarnya orang-orang yang berhak menguasainya hanyalah orang-orang yang bertakwa, tetapi kebanyakan mereka tidak mengetahui. 

THE TRUE CUSTODIANS OF THE MASJID AL HARAM ARE THE DIVINELY COMMISSIONED GUARDIANS OF FAITH- THE IMAMS OF THE AHLUL BAYT. After the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) there is no one equal to them in taqwa (piety) (see commentary of al Baqarah 2:2).

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(8:34) But what prevents Allah from chastising them now when they are hindering people from the Holy Mosque, even though they are not even its true guardians. For its true guardians are none but the God-fearing, though most of them do not know that.

وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً ۚ فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ {8:35}

[Q8:35] Wa maa kaana Salaatuhum 'indal Baiti illa mukaaa anw-wa tasdiyah; fazooqul 'azaaba bimaa kuntum takfuroun. 
[Q8:35] And their prayer before the House is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands; taste then the chastisement, for you disbelieved.

[Q8:35] Dan tiadalah sembahyang mereka di sisi Baitullah itu melainkan bersiul-siul dan bertepuk tangan. Oleh itu rasalah kamu (wahai orang kafir) akan azab seksa dengan sebab kekufuran kamu.

The infidels used to go round the Ka’bah naked, both men and women, whistling through their fingers and clapping their hands. Use of musical instruments for sama (ecstasy occasioned by hearing song or music, or a circular dance performed by devotees in ecstasy) has no sanction in Islam in day-to-day life, leave alone at the time of worship. It is a paganish institution.

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(8:35) Their Prayer at the House is nothing but whistling and handclapping. *28 Taste, then, this chastisement for your denying the truth. *29

*28. This is to dispel a misconception common among the Arabs of those days. They were generally inclined to assume that since the Quraysh were the guardians and keepers of the Ka'bah and were also engaged in worship at that holy spot, they were recipients of God's special favours. Here people are told that the defacto guardianship of the Ka'bah should not be confused with its de jure guardianship. For only the God-fearing and pious are the rightful guardians of the Ka,bah. As for the Quraysh, far from behaving in a manner becoming of the guardians of the Ka'bah, they had virtually installed themselves as its masters, and were guilty of preventing people from worshipping there at will. This attitude blatantly betrayed their impiety, and un righteousness. As for their worship in the Ka'bah. it was altogether devoid of religious devotion and sincerity. They neither turned earnestly to God, nor displayed any genuine submission or humility, nor engaged in worshipfully remembering Him. Their worship consisted of meaningless noise and clamour, of acts which seemed closer to play and jest than acts of religious devotion. How could such a guardianship of the Ka'bah and such non-serious acts in the name of worship win God's favour for them, or secure for them immunity from God's scourge?
*29. The Quraysh believed that God's punishment necessarily takes the form of some natural calamity or a rain of stones from the sky. They are, however, told that their decisive defeat in the Battle of Badr, which ensured the survival of Islam and spelled death for their much-cherished Jahiliyah was a form of God's punishment for them. 

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَسَيُنْفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ ۗ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ {8:36}

[Q8:36] Innal lazeena kafaroo yunfiqoona amwaalahum liyasuddoo 'an sabeelil laah; fasayunfiqoonahaa summa takoonu 'alaihim hasratan summa yughlaboon; wal lazeena kafarooo ilaa Jahannnama yuhsharoona;- 
[Q8:36] Surely those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (people) from the way of ALLAH (SWT); so they shall spend it, then it shall be to them an intense regret, then they shall be overcome; and those who disbelieve shall be driven together to hell.

[Q8:36] Sesungguhnya orang-orang kafir yang selalu membelanjakan harta mereka untuk menghalangi (manusia) dari jalan ALLAH (SwT), maka mereka tetap membelanjakannya kemudian (harta yang dibelanjakan) itu menyebabkan penyesalan kepada mereka, tambahan pula mereka dikalahkan dan (ingatlah) orang-orang kafir itu (akhirnya) dihimpunkan dalam Neraka Jahannam. 

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(8:36) Surely those who deny the truth spend their wealth to hinder people from the way of Allah, and will continue to so spend until their efforts become a source of intense regret for them, and then they will be vanquished, and then these deniers of the truth will be driven to Hell,

لِيَمِيزَ اللَّهُ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَيَجْعَلَ الْخَبِيثَ بَعْضَهُ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ فَيَرْكُمَهُ جَمِيعًا فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ{8:37}

[Q8:37] Liyameezal laahul khabeesa minat taiyibi wa yaj'alal khabeesa ba'dahoo 'ala ba'din fayarkumahoo jamee'an fayaj'alahoo fee Jahannnam; ulaaa'ika humul khaasiroon. 
[Q8:37] That ALLAH (SWT) might separate the impure from the good, and put the impure, some of it upon the other, and pile it up together, then cast it into hell; these it is that are the losers.

[Q8:37] Kerana ALLAH (SwT) hendak membezakan yang jahat (golongan yang ingkar) dari yang baik (golongan yang beriman) dan menjadikan (golongan) yang jahat itu setengahnya bersatu dengan setengahnya yang lain, lalu ditimbunkannya kesemuanya, serta dimasukkannya ke dalam Neraka Jahannam. Mereka itulah orang-orang yang rugi.

Refer to the commentary of Ali Imran 2:179.

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(8:37) so that Allah may separate the bad from the good, and join together all those who are bad into a pile one upon another, and cast them into Hell. They, it is they who are the losers. *30

*30. What can be more calamitous than a person's discovery at the end of the road that all the time, energy, ability and the very quintessence of his life which he has devoted has driven him straight to his utter ruin; that his investments far from yielding any interest or dividend will require from him the payment of a grievous penalty instead. 

قُلْ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ يَنْتَهُوا يُغْفَرْ لَهُمْ مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ وَإِنْ يَعُودُوا فَقَدْ مَضَتْ سُنَّتُ الْأَوَّلِينَ {8:38}

[Q8:38] Qul lillazeena kafarooo iny yantahoo yughfar lahum maa qad salafa wa iny ya'oodoo faqad madat sunnatul awwaleen. 
[Q8:38] Say to those who disbelieve, if they desist, that which is past shall be forgiven to them; and if they return, then what happened to the ancients has already passed.

[Q8:38] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad) kepada orang-orang yang kafir itu, jika mereka berhenti (dari kekufurannya), nescaya akan diampunkan dosa mereka yang telah lalu dan jika mereka kembali lagi (ingkar maka Kami akan menyeksa mereka), kerana sesungguhnya telah berlakulah kebinasaan orang-orang (yang kufur ingkar) dahulu kala.

[1] ALLAH (SWT) is oft-forgiving and merciful, AND [2] the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) is "the mercy unto the worlds", THEREFORE, this verse says that even those who persecuted and opposed the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) tooth and nail may RECEIVE ALLAH (SWT)'S PARDON IF THEY SINCERELY ACCEPT ISLAM, FORSAKE POLYTHEISM AND HOSTILITY AGAINST THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) AND HIS MISSION.

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(8:38) [O Prophet!] Tell the unbelievers that if they desist from evil, their past shall be forgiven and if they revert to their past ways, then it is well known what happened with the people of the past.

وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّىٰ لَا تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ كُلُّهُ لِلَّهِ ۚ فَإِنِ انْتَهَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ {8:39}

[Q8:39] Wa qaatiloohum hattaa laa takoona fitnatunw wa yakoonaddeenu kulluhoo lillaah; fainin tahaw fa innallaaha bimaa ya'maloona Baseer. 
[Q8:39] And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for ALLAH (SWT); but if they desist, then surely ALLAH (SWT) sees what they do.

[Q8:39] Dan perangilah mereka sehingga tidak ada lagi fitnah dan (sehingga) menjadilah agama itu seluruhnya (bebas) bagi ALLAH (SwT) semata-mata. Kemudian jika mereka berhenti (dari kekufurannya dan gangguannya, nescaya mereka diberikan balasan yang baik) kerana sesungguhnya ALLAH (SwT) Maha Melihat akan apa yang mereka kerjakan. 

Refer to the commentary of al Baqarah 2:193.

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(8:39) And fight against them until the mischief ends and the way prescribed by Allah - the whole of it -prevail *31 Then, if they give up mischief, surely Allah sees what they do.

*31. This is a reiteration of the purpose, mentioned earlier in al-Baqarah 2: 193, for which Muslims are required to wage war. The purpose is two-fold. Negatively speaking, the purpose is to eradicate 'mischief'. The positive purpose consists of establishing a state of affairs wherein all obedience is rendered to God alone. This alone is the purpose for which the believers may, rather should, fight. Fighting for any other purpose is not lawful. Nor does it behove men of faith to take part in wars for worldly purposes. (For further explanation see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. 1, al-Baqarah 2, nn.. 204 and 205, pp. 152-3 - Ed.) 

وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۚ نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ {8:40}

[Q8:40] Wa in tawallaw fa'lamooo annal laaha mawlaakum; ni'mal mawlaa wa ni'man naseer. 
[Q8:40] And if they turn back, then know that ALLAH (SWT) is your Patron; most excellent is the Patron and most excellent the Helper.

[Q8:40] Dan jika mereka berpaling (enggan beriman dan tidak berhenti daripada menceroboh) maka ketahuilah bahawasanya ALLAH (SwT) Pelindung kamu; Dialah sebaik-baik Pelindung dan sebaik-baik Penolong (yang menyelamatkan dan menjayakan kamu). 

IN SPITE OF THE AMNESTY OFFERED TO THE INFIDELS in verse 38 if they turn away from the true religion and persist in their idolatry, ALLAH (SWT) shall go on helping and protecting the believers against them.

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(8:40) But if they turn away, then know well that Allah is your Protector - an excellent Protector and an excellent Helper.