Study the Quran

Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

Al-Anfal 8:19

Word by word

إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُوا۟ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ ٱلْفَتْحُ ۖ وَإِن تَنتَهُوا۟ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تَعُودُوا۟ نَعُدْ وَلَن تُغْنِىَ عَنكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

If you [disbelievers] seek the decision [i.e., victory] - the decision [i.e., defeat] has come to you. And if you desist [from hostilities], it is best for you; but if you return [to war], We will return, and never will you be availed by your [large] company at all, even if it should increase; and [that is] because Allāh is with the believers.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Response to the Disbelievers Who ask for a Judgement

Allah says to the disbeliever, إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُواْ(If you ask for a judgement), you invoked Allah for victory, judgement and a decision between you and your believing nemesis, and you got what you asked for. Muhammad bin Ishaq and several others reported from Az-Zuhri from `Abdullah bin Tha`labah bin Su`ayr who said that Abu Jahl said on the day of Badr, "O Allah! Whichever of the two camps (pagans and Muslims) severed the relation of the womb and brought us what is not familiar, then destroy him this day." This Ayah was later on revealed, إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُواْ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ الْفَتْحُ(If you ask for a judgement, then now has the judgement come unto you,) until the end of the Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Tha`labah said, "Abu Jahl asked for (Allah's judgment) when he said upon facing the Muslims, `O Allah!

Those among us who severed the relations of the womb and brought forth what we do not recognize, then destroy him this day."' This was also recorded by An-Nasa'i in the Book of Tafsir (of his Sunan) and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, and he said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs, and they did not record it. ". Similar statements were reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Yazid bin Ruwman and several others. As-Suddi commented, "Before the idolators left Makkah for Badr, they clung to the curtains covering the Ka`bah and supplicated to Allah for victory, `O Allah!

Give victory to the exalted among the two armies, the most honored among the two groups, and the most righteous among the two tribes.' Allah revealed the Ayah, F إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُواْ فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ الْفَتْحُ(If you ask for a judgement, then now has the judgement come unto you.) Allah says here, `I accepted your supplication and Muhammad gained the victory."' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said; "This is Allah the Most High's answer to their supplication; وَإِذْ قَالُواْ اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ(And (remember) when they said: "O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from you..)" 8:32 Allah said next, وَإِن تَنتَهُواْ(and if you cease...) from your disbelief and rejection of Allah and His Messenger , فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ(it will be better for you), in this life and the Hereafter.

Allah said, وَإِن تَعُودُواْ نَعُدْ(and if you return, so shall We return...) This is similar to another Ayah, وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا(but if you return (to sins), We shall return (to Our punishment).) 17:8 meaning, `if you persist in your disbelief and misguidance, We shall repeat the defeat that you suffered,' وَلَن تُغْنِىَ عَنكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْئاً وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ(and your forces will be of no avail to you, however numerous they be...) for even if you gather whatever forces you can, then know that those whom Allah is with cannot be defeated, وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(and verily, Allah is with the believers.) in reference to the Prophet's group, the side of the chosen Messenger .

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

It is interesting that these dimwitted people were under the impression that they were the ones higher and superior and better-guided as compared to Muslims, therefore, they surmised that the prayer they were making was in their own favour. They actually wanted that Allah would, through their prayer, give His verdict as to who was true and who was false. Thus, when they win, their victory would become the Divine verdict on their being on the side of truth.

But, they did not know that the prayer they were making was really a curse for their own selves, and that it was a supplication for the good of Muslims. After the end of the battle came, the Qur'an told them: إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُوا فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الْفَتْحُ (If you pray for victory, "victory" has come upon you) that is, 'if you are looking for a Divine verdict, that is before you - truth has triumphed and falsehood has been defeated. Then: وَإِن تَنتَهُوا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ (if you give up it is better for you) that is, 'now is the time when, if you abandon your disbelief and hostility, it will turn out to be better for you.' And, if you still decide to revert back to your wickedness and the threat of armed aggression, then, Allah too will revert back and support Muslims: وَإِن تَعُودُوا نَعُدْ (And if you repeat, We shall repeat).

In that case, the consequence would be: وَلَن تُغْنِيَ عَنكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَوْ كَثُرَ‌تْ (And your people shall not suffice you at all, even though they are many in number) that is, 'your numerical superiority and group strength shall be of no avail against the help and, support given by Allah.' As for the help and support of Allah: ti; (Allah is with the believers) that is, 'how can any group or power work for you when Allah Ta` ala, the very possessor of absolute power, is with the Muslims?'

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

إن تطلبوا -أيها الكفار- من الله أن يوقع بأسه وعذابه على المعتدين الظالمين فقد أجاب الله طلبكم، حين أوقع بكم مِن عقابه ما كان نكالا لكم وعبرة للمتقين، فإن تنتهوا -أيها الكفار- عن الكفر بالله ورسوله وقتال نبيه محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، فهو خير لكم في دنياكم وأخراكم، وإن تعودوا إلى الحرب وقتال محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وقتال أتباعه المؤمنين نَعُدْ بهزيمتكم كما هُزمتم يوم «بدر» ، ولن تغني عنكم جماعتكم شيئًا، كما لم تغن عنكم يوم «بدر» مع كثرة عددكم وعتادكم وقلة عدد المؤمنين وعدتهم، وأن الله مع المؤمنين بتأييده ونصره.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

يقول تعالى للكفار ( إن تستفتحوا ) أي : تستنصروا وتستقضوا الله وتستحكموه أن يفصل بينكم وبين أعدائكم المؤمنين ، فقد جاءكم ما سألتم ، كما قال محمد بن إسحاق وغيره ، عن الزهري ، عن عبد الله بن ثعلبة بن صعير ؛ أن أبا جهل قال يوم بدر : اللهم أقطعنا للرحم وآتانا بما لا نعرف فأحنه الغداة - وكان ذلك استفتاحا منه - فنزلت : ( إن تستفتحوا فقد جاءكم الفتح ) إلى آخر الآية .وقال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا يزيد - يعني ابن هارون - أخبرنا محمد بن إسحاق ، حدثني الزهري ، عن عبد الله بن ثعلبة : أن أبا جهل قال حين التقى القوم : اللهم ، أقطعنا للرحم ، وآتانا بما لا نعرف ، فأحنه الغداة ، فكان المستفتح .وأخرجه النسائي في التفسير من حديث ، صالح بن كيسان ، عن الزهري ، به وكذا رواه الحاكم .في مستدركه من طريق الزهري ، به وقال : صحيح على شرط الشيخين ، ولم يخرجاه . وروي [ نحو ] هذا عن ابن عباس ، ومجاهد ، والضحاك ، وقتادة ، ويزيد بن رومان ، وغير واحد .وقال السدي : كان المشركون حين خرجوا من مكة إلى بدر ، أخذوا بأستار الكعبة فاستنصروا الله وقالوا : اللهم انصر أعلى الجندين ، وأكرم الفئتين ، وخير القبيلتين .

فقال الله : ( إن تستفتحوا فقد جاءكم الفتح ) يقول : قد نصرت ما قلتم ، وهو محمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم - .وقال عبد الرحمن بن زيد بن أسلم : هو قوله تعالى إخبارا عنهم : ( وإذ قالوا اللهم إن كان هذا هو الحق من عندك [ فأمطر علينا حجارة من السماء أو ائتنا بعذاب أليم ] ) [ الأنفال : 32 ] .وقوله : ( وإن تنتهوا ) أي : عما أنتم فيه من الكفر بالله والتكذيب لرسوله ، ( فهو خير لكم ) أي : في الدنيا والآخرة . [ وقوله ] ( وإن تعودوا نعد ) كقوله ( وإن عدتم عدنا ) [ الإسراء : 8 ] معناه : وإن عدتم إلى ما كنتم فيه من الكفر والضلالة ، نعد لكم بمثل هذه الواقعة .وقال السدي : ( وإن تعودوا ) أي : إلى الاستفتاح ) نعد ) إلى الفتح لمحمد - صلى الله عليه وسلم - والنصر له ، وتظفيره على أعدائه ، والأول أقوى .( ولن تغني عنكم فئتكم شيئا ولو كثرت ) أي : ولو جمعتم من الجموع ما عسى أن تجمعوا ، فإن من كان الله معه فلا غالب له ، فإن الله مع المؤمنين ، وهم الحزب النبوي ، والجناب المصطفوي .

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.