Quran Quote  :  Those whom they call upon beside Allah have created nothing; rather, they themselves were created; - 16:20

Quran-8:19 Surah Al-anfal English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

إِن تَسۡتَفۡتِحُواْ فَقَدۡ جَآءَكُمُ ٱلۡفَتۡحُۖ وَإِن تَنتَهُواْ فَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لَّكُمۡۖ وَإِن تَعُودُواْ نَعُدۡ وَلَن تُغۡنِيَ عَنكُمۡ فِئَتُكُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَلَوۡ كَثُرَتۡ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ

Transliteration:( In tastaftihoo faqad jaaa'akumul fathu wa in tantahoo fahuwa khairul lakum wa in ta'oodoo na'ud wa lan tughniya 'ankum fi'atukum shai'anw wa law kasurat wa annal laaha ma'al mu'mineen )

19. (O infidels!) If you seek judgment, then this judgment has come to you [39], and if you desist it is better [40] for you, but if you again repeat the mischief, then We shall again punish you. And your party [41] shall be of no help to you, however numerous. Surely Allah is with [42] the believers. (Kanzul Imaan Translation)

(19) 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. (Saheen International Translation)

Surah Al-Anfal Ayat 19 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi
  • Shaheen International

39. When the infidels of Makkah set out for the Battle of Badr they clung to the covering cloth of the Holy Kabah and prayed that Oh Allah Almighty grant victory to the one from us who is on truth. As a result, victory was given to the Muslims. At that point this verse was revealed stating that whatever you had requested has been fulfilled which reveals the truth about Islam.

40. By this is meant that if you desist from your infidelity and military confrontation with the Muslims, it would be beneficial to you. From this we learn that our good deeds should indeed prove beneficial to ourselves. This is no favour upon Allah Almighty and His Beloved  Prophet  ?   

41.In here there is a prophecy about the unseen which Allah Almighty fulfilled. During the blessed period of the Holy Prophet and the reign of the four Caliphs, lesser Muslims had overpowered infidels greater in number. 

In the Battle of Yarmuk, fought during the rule of Hazrat Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) the Christians numbered seven hundred thousand while Muslims were only forty thousand, yet victory was granted to the Muslims. Even today, if Muslims participate in holy war sincerely. victory would be granted to them by Allah Almighty, even if they are numerically and otherwise inferior to the infidels.

42. The nearness of Allah Almighty is not in respect of place but is associated with His Bounty. It is not a special thing that Knowledge of Allah Almighty should be with the Muslims, because His Knowledge is with everything. Thus His Wrath is with the infidels, His Blessings are with the believers but His Knowledge is with all.

 

Ibn-Kathir

19. (O disbelievers) if you ask for a judgement, now has the judgement come unto you; and if you cease (to do wrong), it will be better for you, and if you return (to the attack), so shall We return, and your forces will be of no avail to you, however numerous they be; and verily, Allah is with the believers.


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,

﴿وَأَنّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾

(and verily, Allah is with the believers.) in reference to the Prophet’s group, the side of the chosen Messenger .

(8:19) (Tell the unbelievers:) ‘If you have sought a judgement, then surely a judgement has come to you. [15] And if you desist from disobedience, it is all the better for you. But if you revert to your mischief, We will again chastise you; and your host, howsoever numerous, will never be of any avail to you. Know well, Allah is with the believers.’

Ala-Maududi

(8:19) (Tell the unbelievers:) ‘If you have sought a judgement, then surely a judgement has come to you. [15] And if you desist from disobedience, it is all the better for you. But if you revert to your mischief, We will again chastise you; and your host, howsoever numerous, will never be of any avail to you. Know well, Allah is with the believers.’


15. Before marching out from Makka the unbelievers held the covering of the Ka’bah and prayed: ‘O God! Grant victory to the better of the two parties.’ Abu Jahl, in particular invoked God’s judgement: ‘O God! Grant victory to the one who is in the right and cause humiliation to the wrong-doer.’ God answered these prayers fully and the outcome of the battle clearly pointed to the party which was in the right.

(19) 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.

Surah Al-Anfal All Ayat (Verses)

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