The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 669
PT. 10 AL-ANFĀL CH. 8 وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللهَ مَلَكُمُ And if they turn their. 41 نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ فَأَنَّ backs, then know that Allah is your Protector. What an excellent Protector and what an excellent Helper! 1129 b 42. And know that whatever you take as spoil in war, a fifth لِلهِ خُمُسَهُ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبى thereof shall go to Allah and to the Messenger and to the وَالْيَتْلَى وَالْمَسْكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ اِنْ kindred and orphans and the كُنتُمْ أَمَنتُم بِاللهِ وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِنَا needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in what We يَوْمَ الْفُرْقَانِ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَنِ وَاللهُ sent down to Our servant on the عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ Day of Distinction—the day when the two armies met and Allah has the power to do all things. 1130 "3:151; 22:79; 47:12. 8:70. 3:14,167. fighting, Muslims were also to desist. Islam fought only to defend itself and to establish freedom of conscience. See also 2:194. The words, Allah is Watchful, imply that Muslims should not feel afraid that the disbelievers may desist only ostensibly and temporarily, and that they may attack the Muslims again when a favourable opportunity offered itself. God was Watchful of all that they do, and He would surely help Muslims, if the disbelievers acted faithlessly towards them. 1129. Commentary: The words, if they turn their backs, mean, "if they turn their backs and refuse to accept the offer that was being made to them," i. e. if they return to hostilities. Thus God here promises to help Muslims if the enemy should again resort to war. Such promises (which always proved true) could only be given by the All- Powerful God, and they served as unmistakable evidence of the fact that the Quran was the Word of God and not the fabrication of man. 1130. Commentary: This verse (see also 8:2) relates to the division of the spoils of war. One fifth of such property was to be set apart, and the remainder was to be divided among the soldiers (who received no pay). In pre-Islamic Arabia, the practice was that first of 1109