Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:42

Surah Al-Anfal (8): Verse 42

{إِذْ أَنْتُمْ بِالْعَدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِكُمْ وَالرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدْتُمْ لَاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ وَلَكِنْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ}

(When you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the far side, and the caravan was below you. And if you had made an appointment to fight, you would have disagreed about the time. But [this happened] so that Allah might accomplish a matter that was destined to occur—that those who were to perish might perish upon clear evidence, and those who were to live might live upon clear evidence. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.)

Issue 1: Regarding the phrase {إِذْ أَنْتُمْ بِالْعَدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا} (When you were on the near side of the valley):

There are two opinions:

1. It is connected to an implied command, meaning: "And remember when you were on the near side..." similar to the verse: {وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ أَنْتُمْ قَلِيلٌ} (And remember when you were few).
2. The word {إِذْ} (When) is a substitute (badal) for the phrase "the Day of Criterion" (Yawm al-Furqan, referring to the Battle of Badr).

Issue 2: Regarding the pronunciation of {بِالْعَدْوَةِ} (al-'Adwah):

1. Ibn Kathir, Nafi', and Abu 'Amr recited it with a kasra (i) on the 'Ayn in both instances (al-'idwah).
2. The rest recited it with a damma (u) on the 'Ayn (al-'udwah).
3. These are two recognized linguistic variations (lughatayn). Ibn al-Sikkit stated that 'adwat al-wādī and 'udwatuhu both mean its side, and the plural is 'udā and 'udiyy.
4. Al-Akhfash said that the kasra (al-'idwah) is the standard usage in Arabic, and nothing else has been heard from them.
5. Ahmad ibn Yahya (al-Tha'lab) said that the damma (al-'udwah) is the more common of the two variations.
6. The author of Al-Kashshāf mentioned that damma, fath, and kasra are all read, and it was also read as {بِالْعَدِيَّةِ} (al-'idiyyah) by changing the wāw to a yā' because the barrier between them (the wāw and the kasra) is not strong, similar to the word al-fityah.
7. As for {الدُّنْيَا} (the lower/nearer), it is the feminine form of al-adnā (the nearest), and its opposite is {الْقُصْوَى} (the farthest), which is the feminine of al-aqṣā. Anything that moves away from something else has qaṣā (moved far). Al-aqṣā and al-quṣwā are like al-akbar and al-kubrā.
8. Objection: Both al-adnā and al-aqṣā are derived from a wāw root (in their masculine form, adnā and aqṣā), so why is one rendered with a yā' (in the feminine form, al-dunyā) and the other with a wāw (in the feminine form, al-quṣwā)?
9. Answer: The standard linguistic rule dictates changing the wāw to a yā' (as in al-'ulyā). However, al-quṣwā is considered an irregular usage, and its most common form adheres to the original root structure.

Issue 3: Interpretation of the Locations and Circumstances:

1. {الْعَدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا} (the near side of the valley) refers to the side closer to Medina.
2. {الْقُصْوَى} (the far side) refers to the side closer to Mecca.
3. The water source was on the side where the polytheists camped, giving them a stronger advantage in terms of securing water.
4. {وَالرَّكْبُ} (the caravan) carrying the goods was located {أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ} (below you, i.e., closer to the sea/coast).
5. {وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدْتُمْ} (And if you had made an appointment): If the Muslims and the Meccans had agreed upon a specific time for battle, they would have disagreed due to the disparity in numbers (Muslims being few and the enemy many).
6. {وَلَكِنْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا} (But [this happened] so that Allah might accomplish a matter that was destined to occur): This means Allah established you (Muslims) and granted you victory to bring about a decree that was necessarily destined to be executed.
7. {لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ} (that those who were to perish might perish) is a substitute clause explaining the purpose of the preceding statement (i.e., the purpose of Allah establishing the matter).

Sub-Issues regarding {لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا}:

Sub-Issue 1: The Miracle of the Outcome:

1. It is undeniable that the Messenger's army (peace be upon him) was initially in extreme fear and weakness due to their small numbers and lack of preparation.
2. They camped far from the water, and the ground they stood on was sandy, causing their feet to sink.
3. In contrast, the disbelievers were strong due to their large numbers, equipment, proximity to water, and firm ground. Furthermore, the caravan was behind them, and they expected reinforcements from it at any moment.
4. Allah then reversed the situation, granting victory to the Muslims and destruction to the disbelievers. This reversal became one of the greatest miracles and strongest proofs of the truthfulness of Muhammad (PBUH) regarding Allah's promise of victory and triumph.
5. Therefore, {لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ} (that those who were to perish might perish upon clear evidence) refers to this: those who perished did so only after witnessing this miracle. The surviving believers also witnessed this overwhelming miracle. The intended meaning of {الْبَيِّنَةِ} (clear evidence) here is this miracle itself.

Sub-Issue 2: The Lam of Purpose (Lām al-Gharad):

1. The lām in {لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ} and {لِيَهْلِكَ} is the lām of purpose (indicating consequence or goal).
2. On the surface, this suggests that Allah's actions and rulings are motivated by purposes and benefits. However, we must divert this literal interpretation based on established rational proofs.

Sub-Issue 3: Divine Will Regarding Perishing:

1. The phrase {لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ} (that those who were to perish might perish upon clear evidence) implies that Allah desires knowledge, guidance, goodness, and righteousness for everyone.
2. This apparent meaning conflicts with the position of our scholars (Ash'arites) who maintain that Allah wills disbelief from the disbeliever. We set aside this apparent meaning based on known rational proofs.

Sub-Issue 4: Recitation of {وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَيَّ}:

1. Nafi', Abu Bakr (from 'Asim), Al-Bazzi (from Ibn Kathir), and Nusayr (from Al-Kisā'ī) recited it by pronouncing both yā's (i.e., wa yuḥyī man yaḥyā).
2. Abu 'Amr, Ibn Kathir (via Al-Qawwās), Ibn 'Amir, Hafs (from 'Asim), and Al-Kisā'ī recited it with one yā' that is mushaddadah (doubled due to idghām—merging), written in the Uthmanic script with a single yā'.
3. The idghām (merging) is done because the second yā' carries a vowel, making it similar to the structure of radd (where the yā' is omitted in the maṣdar).
4. The iẓhār (clear pronunciation) is done to maintain consistency with the imperfect tense verb (muḍāri') derived from the root y-ḥ-y (which is yūḥyā), where merging is not permitted. Some Kufans permitted idghām even in {وَلَا يُحْيَى} (and does not give life).

Conclusion of the Verse:

Allah concludes the verse with {وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ} (And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing), meaning He hears your supplications and knows your need and weakness, thus rectifying your affairs.

Verse 43

{إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ سَلَّمَ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ}

(When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you would have lost courage and disputed the matter, but Allah saved you. Indeed, He is Knowing of what is within the breasts.)