Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War): Verse 66

{الآن خفف الله عنكم وعلم أن فيكم ضعفا فإن يكن منكم مائة صابرة يغلبوا مائتين وإن يكن منكم ألف يغلبوا ألفين بإذن الله والله مع الصابرين}

"Now, Allah has lightened the burden for you, and He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are one hundred patient among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one thousand among you, they will overcome two thousand by the permission of Allah. And Allah is with the patient."

Issues in the Verse

There are several points regarding the relationship between this verse and the preceding one (which stated that 20 Muslims could overcome 100 disbelievers):

1. Narrative Context: It is narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) used to send small detachments. For instance, he sent Hamzah with thirty riders before Badr, who encountered Abu Jahl with three hundred riders intending to fight. Hamzah restrained them. The Prophet also sent 'Abdullah ibn Unays to kill Khalid ibn Safwan al-Hudhali, who was described as resembling Satan. 'Abdullah succeeded in killing him.
2. Reason for Lightening: This initial command (20 vs. 100) was difficult for the Muslims.
   • 'Ata reported from Ibn 'Abbas that when the first command was revealed, the Muhajirun complained, saying: "O Lord, we are hungry while our enemies are full; we are strangers while our enemies are among their families; we have been driven from our homes, wealth, and children, while our enemies have not." The Ansar said: "We are preoccupied with our enemy and sharing with our brothers." Thus, the lightening was revealed.
   • 'Ikrimah stated that the initial command required a man to be patient against ten. This applied when Muslims were few. When they became numerous, Allah lightened the burden. Ibn 'Abbas also said: "If a man flees from three, he has not fled (i.e., it is permissible); but if he flees from two, he has fled."
3. The Majority View (Abrogation): The majority hold that the phrase {الآن خفف الله عنكم} ("Now, Allah has lightened the burden for you") abrogates the previous verse.
4. Abu Muslim al-Isfahani's View (No Abrogation): Abu Muslim rejected this abrogation.
   • Argument: The first verse stated: {إن يكن منكم عشرون صابرون يغلبوا مائتين} ("If there are twenty of you, patient, they will overcome two hundred"). If we interpret this as a command, it was conditional upon those twenty being capable of patience against two hundred.
   • The current verse, {وعلم أن فيكم ضعفا} ("and He knows that there is weakness in you"), indicates that this condition was not met by the group in question.
   • Therefore, the first verse established a ruling under a specific condition, and this verse indicates that the condition was absent for this group, meaning the ruling did not apply to them. Thus, no abrogation occurred.
5. Rebuttal to the Majority: If the majority argue that the first verse means: "If twenty patient ones are present against two hundred, they should engage them," then abrogation is necessary.
   • Response: Why can't the meaning be: "If twenty patient ones are present against two hundred, then let them engage in fighting"? The first verse was phrased like a statement of fact, which we interpreted as a command. However, we maintain the condition in its literal sense. Thus, if twenty possessing the quality of patience against two hundred appear, they should fight. Under this interpretation, there is no abrogation.
6. Rebuttal to the Majority (Regarding "Lightening"): If they argue that {الآن خفف الله عنكم} implies a prior, heavier burden was imposed:
   • Response: The term "lightening" does not necessarily imply a prior imposition. Arabs often use such phrasing for concession, similar to the verse regarding the permissibility of marrying a slave woman: {يريد الله أن يخفف عنكم} (An-Nisa: 28), where there is no abrogation, but rather a concession for those unable to marry free women.
   • The precise meaning here is that those twenty were initially in a position where it could be said the condition was met, making the initial command binding. When Allah clarified that the condition was not met and that He knew they had weaknesses preventing it, they were relieved of that fear. Hence, it is correct to say, "Allah has lightened the burden for you."
   • Furthermore, Allah mentioned this verse immediately following the first one. It is impermissible for the abrogating text to be mentioned concurrently with the abrogated text (unless there is a compelling reason).
7. Counter-Argument on Chronology: If they argue that abrogation depends on the order of revelation, not recitation (citing the waiting period for widows where the abrogating verse precedes the abrogated one):
   • Response: Since the concurrent existence of the abrogator and abrogated in reality is impermissible, it should not be permissible in recitation unless there is overwhelming evidence, which they have not provided. As for the waiting period example, Abu Muslim denies all forms of abrogation, so this example cannot be used to refute him.
   • Conclusion on Abu Muslim: If there is an established consensus among the Ummah before Abu Muslim affirming this abrogation, then his view is dismissed. If such a decisive consensus is absent, then Abu Muslim's view is sound and preferable.

Hisham used this verse to argue that Allah only knows particulars (specific events) when they actually occur:

• Argument: The verse says: {وعلم أن فيكم ضعفا} ("and He knows that there is weakness in you"). This implies that His knowledge of their weakness only occurred at that moment.
• The Mutakallimun's Response: Before an event happens, Allah does not know it as an existing, realized fact; rather, He knows that it will happen. When it occurs, He knows it as a realized event. Therefore, the meaning is: "Now, the knowledge of its occurrence and realization has happened." Before this, the existing knowledge was merely that it would occur.

• Recitation: 'Asim and Hamzah read {ضعفا} (with a fatḥa on the ḍād). The rest of the reciters read it with a ḍammah (weakness).
• Linguistic Note: Both readings (ḍa'f and ḍu'f) are grammatically sound, similar to makth and muth.
• Hafs' Deviation: Hafs differed from 'Asim on this single word, reading it with a ḍammah, stating he disagreed with 'Asim on nothing else in the Qur'an except this word.

Based on this verse, the established ruling is:

• Every adult, responsible Muslim facing disbelievers (whether slave or free) is forbidden from fleeing as long as he possesses a weapon to fight with.
• If he runs out of weapons, fleeing is permissible.
• If he is faced by three enemies, fleeing becomes permissible, though patience is better.
• Example: In the Battle of Mu'tah, 3,000 Muslims, led sequentially by Zayd ibn Harithah, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, and 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah, faced 200,000 disbelievers (100,000 Romans and 100,000 allied Arabs from Lakhm and Judham).

• {بإذن الله} ("by the permission of Allah") indicates that victory/overcoming does not occur except by Allah's permission.
• The Idhn (permission) here signifies Will (Irādah). This supports our position regarding the creation of actions and the Will concerning contingent beings.

Allah concludes the verse with {والله مع الصابرين} ("And Allah is with the patient").

• This refers back to the condition mentioned in the first verse: {إن يكن منكم عشرون صابرون يغلبوا مائتين} (Al-Anfal: 65).
• The meaning is: If those twenty (or one hundred, or one thousand) remain patient and stand firm, then My support and success accompany them.
• This supports Abu Muslim's view: the ruling was not abrogated but remains fixed. If the twenty can endure the hundred, the original ruling applies. If they cannot endure them, the ruling mentioned here (the lighter one) applies.

Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War): Verses 67–69

{ما كان لنبي أن يكون له أسرى حتى يثخن في الأرض تريدون عرض الدنيا والله يريد الآخرة والله عزيز حكيم * لولا كتاب من الله سبق لمسكم فيما أخذتم عذاب عظيم * فكلوا مما غنمتم حلالا طيبا واتقوا الله إن الله غفور رحيم}

"It is not for a prophet to take captives until he has thoroughly subdued the land. You desire the fleeting goods of this world, while Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might, Wise. * Had it not been for a decree from Allah that had preceded, there would have afflicted you for what you took a great punishment. * So eat of what you have gained [as] lawful and good, and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."