The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 670
PT. 10 AL-ANFĀL CH. 8 43. When you were nearer bank of the valley, and إذْ اَنْتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ on the الْقُصْوَى وَالرَّكْبُ اَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَوْ they were on the farther bank and the caravan was below you. all the commander chose from the booty anything he liked. This was known as a (safiyyah), i. e. the thing chosen. Of the remainder he took (one-fifth) in addition to (the chosen thing). Islam abolished the practice of a (safiyyah) and the fifth part also was not to go entirely to the commander, but was to be shared by others. In the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, the practice was that of the i. e. the fifth part, the Prophet took only a portion, and divided the remainder among his kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarers. By 'kinsmen' were meant the descendants of Hāshim and 'Abdul-Muttalib, the two near ancestors of the Holy Prophet. After the death of the Holy Prophet, the fifth part went to the Khalifah or Imām who was to divide it among himself, the kinsmen of the Holy Prophet, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarers. According to Imām Mālik, the division need not necessarily be made into equal portions, but is to be left to the discretion of the Imām, who is to divide it as circumstances and the need of the hour demand. Such was also the practice of the Holy Prophet and his four rightly-guided Successors. The words, if you believe in Allah, meant for the Imām, or the commanders, and serve as a reminder are to them that they are not to appropriate the whole (fifth portion) for themselves but should also give to other classes of men their due, as directed in the verse. The words, if you believe in Allah and in what We sent down to Our servant on the Day of Distinction, serve twofold purpose. Firstly, they are meant to show that the qualification implied in the words, if you believe, does not relate to the Holy Prophet. Secondly, they serve to remind Muslims that since God helped them against disbelievers at Badr, when all material factors were against them, they should trust in His help and accept all His commandments regarding the distribution of spoils, etc. , willingly and cheerfully. 1110 يوم الفرقان The Battle of Badr is called (Day of Distinction) because on that day God brought into being extraordinary circumstances to grant victory to His Prophet, and to make it clear which party was fighting in the cause of God and which in the cause of Satan. Thus, the words (Day of Distinction) are here intended hint that when a Muslim commander or an Imām gains a victory over his enemies, he should bear in mind that it is due to God's assistance, and, therefore, he should not hesitate to divide the booty in accordance with His command. to