The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 679
PT. 10 AL-ANFĀL CH. 8 فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْحَرْبِ فَشَرِّدْبِهِمْ So, if thou catchest them in. 58 war, then by routing them strike fear in those that are behind them, that they may be admonished. 1145 مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ وَإِمَّا تَخَافَنَّ مِنْ قَوْمٍ خِيَانَةً فَانْبُذُ And if thou fearest treachery. 59 b from a people, throw back to إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَى سَوَاءٍ إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ. them their covenant with equity 1145. Important Words: (strike fear) is derived from (sharada) which means, he (a horse, etc. ) took fright and fled or ran away at random; or simply he fled or ran away. or (sharrada) means, he made him take fright and flee or run away at random; or he drove him away. also signifies the act of dispersing or scattering. also means, he rendered him notorious by exposing his vices or faults. means, disperse or scatter by them or through them those who are or who shall come after them; or terrify by or through them those who are, or who shall come after them; or make them notorious to those who are, or who shall come, after them (Tāj). Commentary: (for The Quran uses the word which see 2:192) meaning thou catchest them with a view to pointing to the fact that when a disbeliever meets a believer on a field of battle, the former is, as it were, in the very grip of the latter. Thus when believers have to fight, they are expected to fight like valiant men and the enemy So, who opposes them should be considered as having come within their grasp and should not be able to escape from their hands. The expression(striking fear) has also been used to point to the same truth. A believer is always slow to take up arms; but when he does he fights so valiantly that he not only takes the enemy in his iron grip but deals such blows to him as may strike terror in the hearts of those that are behind the enemy, as well as those that may come after him. A feebly- pursued and lingering war is never a good policy. If there is to be a war, it should be swift and exemplary. This is why the verse enjoins that, when forced to fight, Muslims should fight the enemy so valiantly that not only those who are actually engaged in fighting should be routed, but even their supporters who are behind them, should be struck with terror. In fact, Islam not only requires its followers to excel others in things moral and spiritual, but also expects them to surpass others even in the physical sphere. They have to set the highest example in all matters. If they must fight, they should excel others in fighting as well. 1119