Surah 8. Al-Anfal, Ayah 17
| فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَىٰ ۚ وَلِيُبْلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ بَلَاءً حَسَنًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ |
| Asad | : | And yet, [O believers,] it was not you who slew the enemy,18 but it was God who slew them; and it was not thou who cast [terror into them, O Prophet], when thou didst cast it, but it was God who cast it:19 and [He did all this] in order that He might test the believers by a goodly test of His Own ordaining.20 Verily, God is all-hearing, all-knowing! |
| Malik | : | In fact, it was not you who killed them, but it was Allah Who killed them; it was not you who threw the handful of sand, but it was Allah Who threw it so that He might pass the believers successfully through this excellent trial; surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. |
| Pickthall | : | Ye (Muslims) slew them not, but Allah slew them. And thou (Muhammad) threwest not when thou didst throw, but Allah threw, that He might test the believers by a fair test from Him. Lo! Allah is Hearer, Knower. |
| Yusuf Ali | : | It is not ye who slew them; it was Allah: when thou threwest (a handful of dust) it was not thy act but Allah's: in order that He might test the believers by a gracious trial from Himself: for Allah is He who heareth and knoweth (all things). 1191 1192 |
| Transliteration | : | Falam taqtuloohum walakinna Allaha qatalahum wama ramayta ith ramayta walakinna Allaha rama waliyubliya almumineena minhu balaan hasanan inna Allaha sameeAAun AAaleemun |
Note - 18Lit., "you did not slay them" - i.e., in the battle of
Badr, which ended with a complete victory of the Muslims.
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Note - 19According to several Traditions, the Prophet cast, at the
beginning of the battle, a handful of pebbles or dust in
the direction of the enemy, thus symbolically indicating
their approaching defeat. However, none of these accounts
attains to the standard of authenticity described as
sahih (i.e., "reliable") by the great exponents of the
science of Tradition ('ilm al-hadith), and cannot,
therefore, satisfactorily explain the above Qur'anic
passage (see Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse, as
well as Manar IX, 620 f.). Since the verb rama (lit., "he
cast" or "flung") applies also to the act of "shooting an
arrow" or "flinging a spear", it might be explained here
as a reference to the Prophet's active participation in
the battle. Alternatively, it may denote his "casting
terror", i.e., into the hearts of his enemies, by his and
his followers' extreme valour. Whichever explanation is
adopted, the above verse implies that the victory of the
Muslims over the much more numerous and much better
equipped army of the Quraysh was due to God's grace
alone: and, thus, it is a reminder to the faithful, of
all times, not to indulge in undue pride in any of their
achievements (which is the meaning of the "test"
mentioned in the next sentence).
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Note - 20Lit., "from Himself".
|
Note - 1191When the battle began, the Holy Prophet prayed, and threw
a handful of dust or sand at the enemy, which, as
described in traditions, struck the eyes of the enemy.
This had a great psychological effect,
|
Note - 1192Numerically the odds against the Muslims were three to
one. In other ways they were at a disadvantage: of arms
and equipment they had but little, while the enemy were
well-found: they were inexperienced, while the Quraish
had brought their foremost warriors. In all this there
was a test, but the test was accompanied by gracious
favours of countless value: their Commander was one in
whom they had perfect faith, and for whom they were ready
to lay down their lives; the rain refreshed them; their
spirit was unshaken; and they were fighting in Allah's
cause. Thus the trial or test became itself a blessing.
|
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Lit., "you did not slay them" - i.e., in the battle of Badr, which ended with a complete victory of the Muslims. |
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According to several Traditions, the Prophet cast, at the beginning of the battle, a handful of pebbles or dust in the direction of the enemy, thus symbolically indicating their approaching defeat. However, none of these accounts attains to the standard of authenticity described as sahih (i.e., "reliable") by the great exponents of the science of Tradition ('ilm al-hadith), and cannot, therefore, satisfactorily explain the above Qur'anic passage (see Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse, as well as Manar IX, 620 f.). Since the verb rama (lit., "he cast" or "flung") applies also to the act of "shooting an arrow" or "flinging a spear", it might be explained here as a reference to the Prophet's active participation in the battle. Alternatively, it may denote his "casting terror", i.e., into the hearts of his enemies, by his and his followers' extreme valour. Whichever explanation is adopted, the above verse implies that the victory of the Muslims over the much more numerous and much better equipped army of the Quraysh was due to God's grace alone: and, thus, it is a reminder to the faithful, of all times, not to indulge in undue pride in any of their achievements (which is the meaning of the "test" mentioned in the next sentence). |
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When the battle began, the Holy Prophet prayed, and threw a handful of dust or sand at the enemy, which, as described in traditions, struck the eyes of the enemy. This had a great psychological effect, |
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Numerically the odds against the Muslims were three to one. In other ways they were at a disadvantage: of arms and equipment they had but little, while the enemy were well-found: they were inexperienced, while the Quraish had brought their foremost warriors. In all this there was a test, but the test was accompanied by gracious favours of countless value: their Commander was one in whom they had perfect faith, and for whom they were ready to lay down their lives; the rain refreshed them; their spirit was unshaken; and they were fighting in Allah's cause. Thus the trial or test became itself a blessing. |
