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
مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسۡرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثۡخِنَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ
67[O believers! Your suggestion to the Prophet ( may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him ) to release the prisoners of war with ransom was not appropriate when the disbelief was prevalent in the land]. It is not proper for a Prophet to have prisoners of war (and they be freed with ransom) until he makes a blood battle in the land (to break the power of disbelievers). You desired the benefits of this world but Allah desired for you the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
67The reason for descending the verse
Mujahid said, “It happened that some of that which was revealed from heaven agreed with many of 'Umar's opinions. When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) consulted the Muslims about the prisoners of Badr, they said, 'O Messenger of Allah, they are your cousins, so free them in exchange for a ransom'. 'Umar ibn al-Khattab said, 'No, O Messenger of Allah, you should kill them'. Then this verse was revealed (It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah’s enemies] in the land ...)”(Al-Wahidi,Reasons of Revelation)
