Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:10

"And Allah did not make it..." is a resumed statement to clarify that the true effector is Allah (Exalted be He), so that the believers may trust in Him and not despair of victory when its material causes are absent. The verb "to make" (ja'ala) is transitive to one object, which is the pronoun referring to the masdar (infinitive/verbal noun) derived from "that I will reinforce you" (anni mumiddukum), based on the reading of the fatha [on the hamza of anna]; or the masdar understood from that [the clause], based on the reading of the kasra. The consideration of [it being] a statement and the pronoun returning to it is not considered, meaning: And He did not make your reinforcement with them for anything, "except as a glad tiding," meaning a glad tiding for you that you will be victorious, "and so that your hearts might be assured thereby," meaning [assured] by the reinforcement, and your souls might be tranquilized, and the whispering might depart from you.

The accusative case of "glad tiding" (bushra) is as a maf'ul lahu (an object for which the action is done), and "so that your hearts might be assured" is conjoined to it. The lam (the 'l' in li-tatma'inna) was made apparent because the condition for the accusative [without the particle] was missing. It is also said: [The lam was used] to signal its fundamental nature in causality and its importance in itself, as was said regarding His saying (Glory be to Him): "And the horses, the mules, and the donkeys for you to ride and [as] an adornment."

It is also said: The verb "to make" is transitive to two objects, the second of which is "glad tiding," as an exception from the most general of objects, and the lam [in li-tatma'inna] is connected to a delayed implied phrase, meaning: And Allah (Exalted be He) did not make it anything at all, except as a glad tiding for you, and so that your hearts might be assured by it—He did what He did for no other reason. The first [view] is the most apparent.

The verse implies that the angels did not engage in fighting, and this is the position of some. Its apparent meaning suggests that the Prophet (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) informed them of that reinforcement, and there are reports that support this. Indeed, it has come in more than one report that the Companions saw the angels (upon them be peace). It was narrated from Abu Usayd, who had witnessed Badr, that he said after he had lost his sight: "If I were with you today at Badr and had my sight, I would show you the ravine from which the angels emerged."

"And victory is not except from Allah." Meaning: Victory is not [attained] by the angels or other causes, except by being from Him (Mighty and Majestic is He). So, the one who is victorious is the one whom Allah (Glorified be He) has granted victory, and the causes are not independent. Or, the meaning is: Do not attribute victory to the angels (upon them be peace), for the Granter of victory is Allah (Exalted be He) for you, not the angels. Based on this, the angels have no role in victory at all. Some have classified the restriction [in the verse] as "individual" (ifradi) in the first [interpretation] and "rebuttal" (qalbi) in the second.

"Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might," [meaning] He is not overcome in His decree, nor is He disputed in His judgment, "All-Wise," [meaning] He does everything He does in accordance with what overwhelming wisdom demands. The sentence provides the reasoning for what preceded it, and it implies that the victory which occurred in the aforementioned manner is among the requirements of [His] profound wisdom.