The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 644
CH. 8 AL-ANFĀL PT. 9 whose hearts tremble when the إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللهُ True believers are only those. 3 وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَيْتُه name of Allah is mentioned, and when His Signs are recited to them, have their faith increased thereby, and who put their trust 1093 in their Lord, 10 زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَّ عَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَهُمْ Who observe Prayer and. 4 يُنْفِقُونَ spend out of that which We have provided for them. 1094 22:36. 9:124. 5:56; 9:71; 27:4; 31:5; 73:21. See 2:4. their extreme weakness, they naturally asked whether, in spite of the great disparity in numbers and resources between them and their enemy, they were to gain victory over the enemy and win spoils. The question was similar to that of Zachariah who, when given the glad tidings of a son, asked: My Lord, how shall I have a son, when old age has overtaken me, and my wife is barren (3:41)? The question asked by Muslims in the verse under comment pertained not only to the encounter which took place at Badr but also to subsequent encounters which were sure to take place between the two parties. The Quran answers the question by saying, the spoils belong to Allah and the Messenger, meaning that God has decreed that Muslims should secure victories against their enemy and nothing can stop it. The words: So fear Allah and set things right among yourselves and obey Allah and His Messenger, signify that though victories and spoils will come, yet there are three 1084 conditions for the fulfilment of this promise of victory. The first condition requires Muslims to be God-fearing; the second lays down that their mutual relations should be cordial and they should live at peace and amity with one another; the third calls upon them to obey God and follow the instructions of the Holy Prophet. If Muslims fulfilled these three conditions, God would undoubtedly fulfil His promise of victory. 1093. Commentary: The preceding verse ended with the words, if you are believers, and the present fittingly describes a sure sign of true belief necessary for the fulfilment of the promise of victory contained in the previous verse. If a person claims to be a believer in God, but in practical life the name of God means nothing to him and quickens no chords in his heart, his belief is not a true one. Belief should be something real and living. 1094. Commentary: This and the previous verse