Al-Anfal: (26) And remember when you were few...

It is known that after Allah Almighty commanded them to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and then commanded them to avoid disobedience, He reinforced this obligation with this verse. This is because Allah Almighty clarified that before the appearance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), they were extremely few and humiliated, but after his appearance, they attained the utmost might and high status. This necessitates obedience from them and refraining from opposition.

The clarification of the conditions they were in before the appearance of Muhammad is in several aspects:

1. First: They were few in number.
2. Second: They were weak (mustaḍ‘afūn), meaning others oppressed them. This oppression meant they feared being snatched away by people. The meaning is that when they left their town, they feared the Arab polytheists would snatch them, due to their proximity and intense enmity toward them.

Then, the Almighty explained that after they were in such a state, those conditions were reversed with blessings and goodnesses. The first of these was:

• That He gave them refuge (āwāhum): This means Allah Almighty moved them to Medina, so they became safe from the evil of the disbelievers.

The second was His saying: {And He supported you with His victory} (wa ayyidakum bi-naṣrih): This refers to the various aspects of victory on the Day of Badr.

The third was His saying: {And He provided for you from the good things} (wa razaqakum min aṭ-ṭayyibāt): This is that Allah Almighty permitted them the spoils of war (ghanā’im) after they had been forbidden to previous nations.

Then He said: {That you may be grateful} (la‘allakum tashkurūn). This means: We transferred you from hardship to ease, and from affliction to blessings and favors, so that you would occupy yourselves with gratitude and obedience. How then is it fitting for you to occupy yourselves with dispute and contention concerning the spoils (al-anfāl)?

| 7 < { O you who have believed, do not betray Allah and the Messenger or betray your trusts while you know. * And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward. } > 7

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