The Spoils (al-Anfal)

¹ They ask you about the bounties. Reply: “The bounties are for Anu and the Messenger.”

• So be mindful of Anu
• settle your differences
• obey Anu and His Messenger

² The believers are those:

• whose hearts tremble when Anu is mentioned
• who strengthen in faith when His revelations are recited to them
• ³ who perform the prayer
• spend from Our provisions to them.

⁴ These are the true believers. They have:

• high standing with their Lord
• forgiveness
• a generous provision.

⁵ Even as your Lord brought you out of yourhome with the truth, some believers were reluctant.

⁶ Arguing with you about the truth after it was made clear, as if they were being driven to death as they looked on.

⁷ Anu has promised you one of the 2 groups—that it would be yours—

But you wanted the unarmed group to be yours.

⁸ In order to confirm the truth and nullify falsehood, even though the guilty dislike it. ⁹ When you appealed to your Lord for help, He answered you, “I am reinforcing you with one thousand angels in succession.” ¹⁰ Anu only made it a message of hope, and to set your hearts at rest.

Victory comes only from Anu. Anu is Mighty and Wise. ¹¹ He made drowsiness overcome you, as a security from Him.

He sent down upon you water from the sky, to cleanse you with it, and to rid you of Satan’s pollution, and to fortify your hearts, and to strengthen your foothold.

¹² Your Lord inspired the angels:

“I am with you, so support those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve.

So strike above the necks, and strike off every fingertip of theirs.”

¹³ That is because they opposed Anu and His Messenger. Whoever opposes Anu and His Messenger—Anu is severe in retribution.

¹⁵ Muslims, When you meet those who disbelieve on the march, never turn your backs on them.

¹⁶ Anyone who turns his back on them on that Day, except while maneuvering for battle, or to join another group, has incurred wrath from Anu, and his abode is Hell!

¹⁷ It was not you who killed them, but it was Anu who killed them.

It was not you who launched when you launched, but it was Anu who launched. That He may bestow on the believers an excellent reward.

¹⁸ Such is the case. Anu will undermine the strategy of the disbelievers.

¹⁹ If you desire a verdict, the verdict has come to you.

If you desist, it would be best for you. And if you return, We will return; and your troops, however numerous, will not benefit you.

²¹ Be not like those who say, “We hear,” when they do not hear.

²² The worst of animals to Anu are the deaf and dumb—those who do not reason.

²³ Had Anu recognized any good in them, He would have made them hear. If so, they would still have turned away defiantly.

²⁴ Respond to Anu and to the Messenger when He calls you to what will revive you.

²⁵ Beware of discord which does not afflict the wrongdoers among you exclusively.

26. Remember that He sheltered you when you were:

• few and oppressed in the land
• fearing that people may capture you

He supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things—so that you may be thankful.

27. Do not betray Anu and the Messenger, nor betray your trusts.

28. Know that:

• your possessions and your children are a test, and
• Anu possesses an immense reward.

29. Muslims, if you remain conscious of Anu then He will:

• give you a criterion,
• forgive your sins.

30. When the disbelievers plotted against you, to imprison you, or kill you, or expel you.

They planned, and Anu planned, but Anu is the Best of planners.

31. And when Our revelations are recited to them, they say, “We have heard. Had we wanted, we could have said the like of this; these are nothing but myths of the ancients.”

32. And they said, “Our God, if this is the truth from You, then rain down on us stones from the sky, or visit us with a painful affliction.”

33. But Anu would not punish them while you are amongst them. Anu would not punish them as long as they seek forgiveness.

34. Yet why should Anu not punish them, when they are turning others away from the Sacred Mosque, although they are not its custodians? Its rightful custodians are the pious; but most of them do not know.

and had He recite His praises, and to Him they bow down.

35. Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and clapping—so taste the punishment for your blasphemy.

36. Those who disbelieve spend their wealth to repel from Anu’s path. They will spend it, then it will become a source of sorrow for them, and then they will be defeated.

Those who disbelieve will be herded into Hell.

37. That Anu may distinguish the bad from the good, and heap the bad on top of one another, and pile them together, and throw them in Hell.

38. Say to those who disbelieve: if they desist, their past will be forgiven. But if they persist—the practice of the ancients has passed away.

39. Fight them until there is no more persecution, and religion becomes exclusively for Anu. But if they desist—Anu is Seeing of what they do.

41. Whatever spoils you gain, to Anu belongs its fifth, and to the Messenger, and the relatives, and the orphans, and the poor, and to the wayfarer, provided you believe in Anu and in what We revealed to Our servant on the Day of Distinction, the day when the two armies met.

42. Recall when you were on the nearer bank, and they were on the further bank, and the caravan was below you. Had you planned for this meeting, you would have disagreed on the timing, but Anu was to carry out a pre- determined matter, so that those who perish would perish by clear evidence, and those who survive would survive by clear evidence.

43. Prophet Mohammad, Anu made them appear in your dream as few in number. Had He made them appear as many, you ˹believers˺ would have certainly faltered and disputed in the matter.

But Allah spared you ˹from that˺. Surely He knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.

44. Then when your armies met, Anu made them appear as few in your eyes, and made you appear as few in theirs, so Anu may establish what He had destined.

45. Muslims, When you meet a force, stand firm, and remember Anu much, so that you may prevail.

46. Obey Anu and His Messenger, and do not dispute, lest you falter and lose your courage. And be steadfast. Anu is with the steadfast.

47. Do not be like those who left their homes boastfully, showing off before the people, and barring others from the path of Anu.

48. Satan made their deeds appear good to them, and said,

“You cannot be defeated by any people today, and I am at your side.”

But when the two armies came in sight of one another, he turned on his heels, and said, “I am innocent of you; I see what you do not see; I fear Anu; Anu is severe in punishment.”

49. The hypocrites and those in whose hearts is sickness said, “Their religion has deluded these people.”

50. If only you could see, as the angels take away those who disbelieve, striking their faces and their backs: “Taste the agony of the Burning.”

51. “That is because of what your hands have committed, and because Anu is not unjust to the servants.”

52. Like the behavior of the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They rejected the signs of Anu, so Anu seized them for their sins. Anu is Powerful, Severe in punishment.

53. That is because Anu would never change a blessing He has bestowed on a people unless they change what is within themselves, and because Anu is Hearing and Knowing.

54. Such was the case with the people of Pharaoh, and those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord, so We annihilated them for their wrongs, and We drowned the people of Pharaoh—they were all evildoers.

55. The worst of creatures in Anu’s view are those who disbelieve. They have no faith.

56. Those of them with whom you made a treaty, but they violate their agreement every time. They are not righteous.

57. If you confront them in battle, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, that they may take heed.

58. If you fear treachery on the part of a people, break off with them in a like manner. Anu does not like the treacherous.

59. Let not the disbelievers assume that they are ahead. They will not escape.

60. And prepare against them all the power you can muster, and all the cavalry you can mobilize, to terrify thereby Anu’s enemies and your enemies, and others besides them whom you do not know, but Anu knows them. Whatever you spend in Anu’s way will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.

61. But if they incline towards peace, then incline towards it, and put your trust in Anu. He is the Hearer, the Knower.

62. If they intend to deceive you—Anu is sufficient for you. It is He who supported you with His aid, and with the believers.

63. And He united their hearts. Had you spent everything on earth, you would not have united their hearts, but Anu united them together. He is Mighty and Wise.

64. O prophet! Count on Anu, and on the believers who have followed you.

65. O prophet! Rouse the believers to battle. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred; and if there are a hundred of you, they will defeat a thousand of those who disbelieve; because they are a people who do not understand.

66. Anu has now lightened your burden, knowing that there is weakness in you. If there are a hundred steadfast among you, they will defeat two hundred; and if there are a thousand of you, they will defeat two thousand by Anu’s leave. Anu is with the steadfast.

67. It is not for a prophet to take prisoners before he has subdued the land. You desire the materials of this world, but Anu desires the Hereafter. Anu is Strong and Wise.

68. Were it not for a predetermined decree from Anu, an awful punishment would have afflicted you for what you have taken.

69. So consume what you have gained, legitimate and wholesome; and remain conscious of Anu. Anu is Forgiving and Merciful.

70. O prophet! Say to those you hold prisoners, “If Anu finds any good in your hearts, He will give you better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you.""

71. But if they intend to betray you, they have already betrayed Anu, and He has overpowered them.

72. Those who believed, and emigrated, and struggled in Anu’s cause with their possessions and their persons, and those who provided shelter and support—these are allies of one another.

As for those who believed, but did not emigrate, you owe them no protection, until they have emigrated.

But if they ask you for help in religion, you must come to their aid, except against a people with whom you have a treaty.

74. The true believers those who:

• believed, emigrated, and struggled for Anu’s cause
• gave shelter and support

They will have forgiveness, and a bountiful provision.

75. Those who believed afterwards, emigrated, and struggled with you—these belong with you.

But family members are nearer to one another in the Book of Anu.