About the Surah
Surah Title : الأنفال
English Title : Al-Anfal
Order in Al-Mushaf : 8
Number of Verses : 75
Type : madinah
Page Number in Al-Mushaf : From Page 177 To Page 186
Al-Anfal
إِذۡ أَنتُم بِٱلۡعُدۡوَةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَهُم بِٱلۡعُدۡوَةِ ٱلۡقُصۡوَىٰ وَٱلرَّكۡبُ أَسۡفَلَ مِنكُمۡۚ وَلَوۡ تَوَاعَدتُّمۡ لَٱخۡتَلَفۡتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡمِيعَٰدِ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَقۡضِيَ ٱللَّهُ أَمۡرٗا كَانَ مَفۡعُولٗا لِّيَهۡلِكَ مَنۡ هَلَكَ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٖ وَيَحۡيَىٰ مَنۡ حَيَّ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٖۗ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
42Remember when you (the Muslim forces) were on the near end of the valley and enemy forces were on the farthest end, and the caravan was on the lower ground than you. And if two armies had a mutual appointment (to meet each other), one of them would have broken its promise. (But Allah created circum-stances in which both armies met) so that Allah does accomplish a matter already ordained by Him, in order that those who were to be killed, might be killed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live, might live after a clear evidence. And, indeed, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
42The reason for descending the verse
From Urwah ibn Az-Zubair, he said, “Allah’s statement (…and the caravan on lower ground than you…) [Surah Al-Anfal, 8:42] was related to Abu Sufyan when he was at the lowest hill among the seventy horse riders, whereas the Quraish people were nine hundred fifty. And then Abu Sufyan sent (who??) to meet the people of Quraish while they are at Juhfah, telling them, ‘Verily I have passed those people, and you should go back’. So they answered, ‘For the sake of Allah, we will never go back until we come to the spring at Badr hill.’” (Hadith Narrated by Ibn Abi Hatim) (As-Suyuti, Ad-Durru’l Mansuru fi At-Tafsiri bi’l Ma’suri)
