Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:5

(As your Lord brought you forth from your house with the truth)—meaning: a bringing forth characterized by it, so the ba (in bil-haqq) denotes accompaniment. It is also said that it is causal, meaning: on account of the truth which was incumbent upon you, namely, striving (al-jihad). By "the house" is meant his dwelling—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in Medina, or Medina itself, as it was his place of repose. Some have claimed that it refers to Mecca, but that is not well-founded. Attributing this "bringing forth" to the Lord—Glorified and Exalted is He—is an indication that it occurred by His revelation. The tenderness of mentioning the "Lord" and attributing it to His own noble self—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is not hidden.

The kaf (as/like) necessitates a likened-object (mushabbah), which is not explicitly stated in the verse, leading to obscurity. Hence, scholars have differed in explaining it and its grammatical function across several interpretations:

Some chose the view that it is the predicate of a deleted subject which serves as the likened-object. That is: "Their state in this aversion regarding what occurred concerning the spoils is like the state of your being brought forth from your house in their aversion to that." This is what Al-Farra’ pointed to when he said: "The kaf likens this episode—which is his bringing forth from his house—to the preceding episode, which is their questioning about the spoils and their aversion to what occurred therein," despite the fact that the latter is more pertinent to their state.

Alternatively, it may be an adjective for the verbal noun of a deleted verb in lillahi wal-rasuli (To Allah and the Messenger). That is: "The spoils were established for Allah and the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—despite their aversion, with a fixity like the fixity of your being brought forth." Ibn al-Shajari weakened this, arguing that the first view is more appropriate because the distance between that verb and this one is ten sentences. Furthermore, placing it within the scope of "Say" (qul) is not elegant in terms of flow. Abu Hayyan stated: "There is no great meaning in it, and no aspect of resemblance is apparent," and added that such a verbal noun is not conventional. The scholar al-Tayyibi claimed that this view is more precisely coherent than the first and that the resemblance in it is more detailed, because it then becomes part of the preceding sentence, included within the scope of the spoken words, while observing the shift in person (iltifat). He spoke at length on this, excusing the separation by saying the separator acts like an interjection, but I do not see it as free from objection.

It is also said that the estimation is: "And reconcile among yourselves as He brought you forth," involving a shift from addressing a group to addressing an individual. It is also said that it means: "And obey Allah and the Messenger as He brought you forth—a bringing forth in which there is no doubt." Others say the estimation is: "[They] trust with a trust as He brought you forth." Another view is: "Indeed, they are averse—an aversion as fixed as your being brought forth."

It is also said that it is an adjective for haqqan (truly), meaning: "Those are the believers in truth, like your being brought forth." Some say it is an adjective for the verbal noun of yujadilunaka (they dispute with you), meaning: "They dispute with you a dispute like your being brought forth"—this is attributed to al-Kisa'i. Some say the kaf means "when" (idh), i.e., "Remember when He brought you forth," though this is far-fetched and not established. It is also said that the kaf is for an oath, though this is also not established, despite being narrated from Abu ‘Ubayd, who made yujadilunaka the response to the oath, despite its lack of the lam and emphasis, and ma in that case being a relative pronoun ("That which brought you forth").

It is said that it is in the sense of "upon" (‘ala), and ma is also a relative pronoun: "Proceed upon that for which your Lord brought you forth from your house, for it is the truth"—the weakness of which is evident. Others say it is a subject whose predicate is deleted, which is very feeble. Another says it is in the nominative case as the predicate of a deleted subject: "His promise is true as He brought you forth." It is said the estimation is: "Your division is true as your being brought forth." Another: "That is better for you as your being brought forth." Another: "The estimation is: Your being brought forth from Mecca was for a judgment like your being brought forth [now]." Finally, it is said that it is connected to idribu (strike), as one might say to his servant: "I raised you, do such and such."

Abu Hayyan said: "It occurred to me in a dream that there is a deletion here, which is 'your victory,' and the kaf carries the meaning of cause. That is: 'Because you went forth to exalt the religion of Allah, He gave you victory and aided you with the angels.'" The verse following it, ("When you were seeking help of your Lord..."), points to this deletion. If one were to say this is linked to His saying ("a noble provision")—in the sense of a good provision as good as your being brought forth from your house—it would be no more distant than many of these views.

(And indeed, a party of the believers were averse) to the going forth, either due to a lack of preparation for battle, or an inclination toward the caravan (of spoils), or natural aversion to it. This is something that does not fall under power and choice, so it cannot be objected that it is unbecoming of the station of the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them. The sentence is in the position of a state (hal); it is a prospective state, for the aversion occurred after the going forth, as you will see, God willing, or it is considered as an extended state.

The story, as narrated by a group whose accounts have intertwined, is that the caravan of Quraysh approached from the Levant carrying great merchandise, accompanied by forty riders, including Abu Sufyan, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As, and Makhrama ibn Nawfal. Gabriel—peace be upon him—informed the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who then informed the Muslims. They were pleased at the prospect of intercepting it due to the abundance of wealth and the small number of men. When they went forth, the news reached the people of Mecca. Abu Jahl called out: "O assembly of disbelief! Flee! Flee! Protect your caravan and your wealth! If Muhammad seizes it, you will never prosper thereafter."

‘Atikah bint ‘Abd al-Muttalib had seen in a dream a rider approaching on a camel until he stopped at al-Abtah and cried out at the top of his voice: "Depart, O family of treachery, to your places of slaughter in three!" She saw people gathering around him; then he entered the mosque with people following him. While they were around him, his camel manifested on the back of the Ka'bah, and he screamed the same. Then it manifested on the top of Abu Qubays, and he screamed the same. Then he took a rock and released it; it came hurtling down until, when it reached the base of the mountain, it shattered, and there was not a house or home in Mecca that a piece did not enter. She told her brother, al-‘Abbas, who told al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, who was his friend, who told his father, ‘Utbah. The story spread and reached Abu Jahl, who said to al-‘Abbas: "O sons of ‘Abd al-Muttalib, are you not satisfied that your men claim prophecy, until your women claim it too?" He denied the vision.

Then he [Abu Jahl] went forth with all of Mecca and proceeded to Badr. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was in the valley of Daqran when Gabriel—peace be upon him—descended with the promise of one of the two parties: either the caravan or the Quraysh. He consulted his Companions. Some said: "Had you mentioned fighting, we would have prepared for it; we only went out for the caravan." The Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: "The caravan has passed along the seashore, and this is Abu Jahl who has approached." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, take the caravan and leave the enemy." He—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—became angry. Then Abu Bakr and ‘Umar—may Allah be pleased with them—stood and spoke well regarding following the command of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Then al-Miqdad ibn ‘Amr stood and said: "O Messenger of Allah, proceed to what Allah has commanded you, for we are with you wherever you desire. We do not say as the Children of Israel said to Moses: ('Go you and your Lord and fight, we are sitting here'), but rather, go you and your Lord and fight, and we are fighting with you."

The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—smiled, then said: "Advise me, O people!" He intended the Ansar, for they were his shield, and they had stipulated when they pledged allegiance to him at al-‘Aqabah that they were free from the obligation to defend him until he reached their homes; he feared they would not see his defense as required except against an enemy in Medina. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh—may Allah be pleased with them—stood and said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you mean us?" He said: "Yes." He said: "We have believed in you, attested to your truth, and testified that what you brought is the truth, and we have given you our covenants and oaths to hear and obey. So proceed, O Messenger of Allah, to what you desire. By Him who sent you with the truth, if you were to lead us to this sea and plunge into it, we would plunge into it with you; not one man would remain behind. We do not dislike that you meet our enemy with us; we are patient in war and truthful in the encounter. Perhaps Allah will show you from us that which will gladden your eyes, so proceed with us on the blessings of Allah." His words enlivened him. Then he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: "Proceed on the blessing of Allah, for Allah has promised me one of the two parties. By Allah, it is as if I am looking at the places of slaughter of the people."

Thus, it is clarified that some of the believers were averse, while others were not—and they were the majority, as the verse indicates. It is mentioned in some reports that when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—finished with Badr, it was said to him: "Take the caravan, for there is nothing before it." Al-‘Abbas called out from his bonds: "That is not appropriate." He asked: "Why?" He said: "Because Allah promised you one of the two parties, and He has given you what He promised."