Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:55-56

Surah Al-Anfal (8): Verses 55-56

[8:55] Indeed, the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are those who disbelieve and persist in disbelief.

[8:56] Those with whom you made a covenant, and then they break their covenant every time, and they do not fear (Allah).

Tafsir Notes (Al-Razi's Perspective):

After Allah (Exalted is He) described all the disbelievers by saying, {And all of them were wrongdoers}, He singled out some of them for having a distinct characteristic of evil and obstinacy.

He said: {Indeed, the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah}—meaning, in His judgment and knowledge—are those who possess two characteristics:

1. The First Characteristic: The disbeliever who persists in his disbelief, remaining steadfast upon it and never changing from it.
2. The Second Characteristic: Being habitually treacherous in covenants.

The phrase {Those with whom you made a covenant} is a substitute for {those who disbelieve}, meaning: those with whom you made a covenant from among the disbelievers, who are the worst of beasts.

The phrase {of them} indicates partiality (tab'eed), as the covenant is typically made with the leaders or prominent figures among them.

Regarding the statement {and then they break their covenant every time}: The scholars of meaning noted that connecting the future tense (implied by the continuous action) to the past tense (the making of the covenant) serves to clarify that it is their nature to break the covenant repeatedly, time after time.

Ibn Abbas said: They refer to the Banu Qurayza. They broke their covenant with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and aided the polytheists with weapons on the Day of Badr. Then they claimed they made a mistake, so the Prophet (PBUH) covenanted with them again, and they broke it again on the Day of the Trench (Al-Khandaq).

The statement {and they do not fear (Allah)} means that the habit of a person who has returned to reason and prudence is to be cautious about breaking covenants so that people may trust his word and rely on his statements. Thus, Allah (Exalted is He) clarified that whoever combines perpetual disbelief with breaking covenants in this manner is indeed the worst of beasts.

[8:57] So if you gain the upper hand over them in war, then scatter those who are behind them so that they may take heed.

[8:58] And if you fear treachery from a people, then renounce the treaty to them on equal terms. Indeed, Allah does not love the treacherous.

[8:59] And let not those who disbelieve think that they have outstripped (Us in escaping). Indeed, they will not cause failure (to Us).