Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War): Verses 9–10

When [Allah] made clear in the first verse that He establishes the truth and nullifies falsehood, He then clarified that He aided them upon their call for succor. In this, there are several issues:

Issue 1: The Grammatical Connection of Idh (When)

It is possible that the operative word governing {إِذْ} (idh, when) is the preceding phrase, {وَيُبْطِلَ الْبَاطِلَ} (wa yubṭila al-bāṭil, and nullify falsehood). In this case, the verse is connected to what preceded it. Alternatively, the verse can be considered a new beginning, implying: "And remember when you called for succor."

Issue 2: The Identity of Those Crying for Help in {إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ}

There are two main opinions regarding {إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ} (idh tastaghīthūn, when you were crying for help):

Opinion 1: This supplication was made by the Messenger (peace be upon him). Ibn Abbas narrated that 'Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said: "On the Day of Badr, when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) looked at the polytheists, who numbered a thousand, and his companions, who were just over three hundred, he faced the Qibla, raised his hands, and said: 'O Allah, fulfill for me what You have promised me! O Allah, if this company perishes, You will not be worshipped on earth.' He remained thus until his outer garment fell off. Abu Bakr returned it to him, then embraced him and said: 'Enough, O Prophet of Allah, your pleading with your Lord! For He will surely fulfill what He promised you.' Then this verse was revealed. When the two sides lined up, Abu Jahl said: 'O Allah, we are the most deserving of the truth, so grant us victory.' And the Messenger of Allah raised his hands with the aforementioned supplication."

Opinion 2: This supplication was made by the community of believers. The reason the Prophet (PBUH) sought aid was present among them, and their fear was perhaps greater than his fear. Therefore, it is more likely that the Prophet (PBUH) supplicated and humbled himself, as narrated, while the people affirmed his prayer, following him in their own supplications. What was narrated was the Prophet's loud supplication, while the people's supplication was not recorded. This is the way to reconcile the differing narrations on this matter.

Issue 3: The Meaning of Tastaghīthūn (Crying for Help)

{إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ} means seeking ighāthah (succor/relief). When someone is afflicted by a calamity, they say, "Help me," meaning, "Relieve me."

When Allah recounted their call for succor, He explained that He responded: {أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُرْدَفِينَ} (that I will reinforce you with a thousand of the angels, following one another). In this, there are issues:

Issue 1: The Grammar of Anni Mumiddakum

The original form is {بِأَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم} (bi-annī mumiddakum), where the preposition bā’ (with/by) was omitted, and the verb istajāba (He responded) governed the following clause, making the position accusative. According to Abu 'Amr, he recited {أَنِّي مُمِدُّكُم} (annī mumiddakum) with a kasra (i.e., inna), implying the meaning of "saying" or treating istijābah (response) as if it were qāla (said), since response is a form of speech.

Issue 2: The Reading of Murdifīn

Nāfi' and Abu Bakr (from 'Āṣim) recited {مُرْدِفِينَ} (murdifīn) with a fatḥa (on the dāl). The rest recited it with a kasra.

Al-Farrā' explained that {مُرْدِفِينَ} (with fatḥa) means "following one after another," like people who ride one behind another on mounts. Thus, it means Allah reinforced the Muslims and supported them with these angels.

Issue 3: Did the Angels Fight on the Day of Badr?

There are differing opinions:

1. They Fought: Some said that Jibrīl (Gabriel) descended with five hundred angels upon the right flank (where Abu Bakr was), and Mīkā'īl (Michael) descended with five hundred upon the left flank (where 'Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was). They were in human form, wearing white garments, and they fought. It is also said they fought on Badr but not on the Day of the Confederates (Al-Aḥzāb) or Ḥunayn. Abu Jahl is reported to have asked Ibn Mas'ūd about the sound they heard without seeing anyone, and Ibn Mas'ūd replied it was the angels. Abu Jahl then said, "They defeated us, not you." It is narrated that a Muslim man, while pursuing a polytheist, heard a striking sound above him. He looked and saw the polytheist fall backward, his face split open. When the Ansari told the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), he confirmed, "You spoke the truth. That was from the reinforcement from heaven."

2. They Did Not Fight: Others held that they did not fight. Their role was merely to increase the apparent numbers, bolstering the believers' resolve. Otherwise, a single angel would suffice to destroy the entire world, as Jibrīl destroyed the cities of the people of Lot with a single feather of his wing and destroyed the lands of Thamūd and the people of Ṣāliḥ with a single cry. The discussion regarding the manner of this reinforcement is detailed in Sūrat Āl 'Imrān.

What supports the view that the angels did not descend to fight is the Almighty's saying: {وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَىٰ} (And Allah did not make it [the reinforcement] except as good tidings). Al-Farrā' explained that the pronoun refers back to the reinforcements (al-ardāf), meaning: Allah made the reinforcements only as good tidings. Al-Zajjāj said the pronoun refers to {الْمُرْدَفِينَ} (al-murdifīn, those reinforced), which is preferable, as the angelic reinforcement was achieved through good tidings. Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was sitting in the shelter on the Day of Badr, supplicating. Abu Bakr was sitting to his right, and no one else was with him. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) dozed off slightly, then struck Abu Bakr's thigh with his right hand and said, "Rejoice in the victory of Allah! I have seen in my sleep Jibrīl leading the horses." This indicates that the purpose of their descent was solely the delivery of this good news, which negates the idea that they engaged in fighting.

Then Allah Almighty said: {وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ} (And victory comes only from Allah). The purpose here is to alert the believers that even though the angels descended to support the believers, the believer must not rely on that; rather, reliance must be solely upon Allah's succor, His victory, His guidance, and His sufficiency, because Allah is the Mighty (Al-'Azīz), the Overpowering (Al-Ghālib), the Dominant (Al-Qāhir), the Unconquerable, and the Wise in where He places His support.

Verse 11

{إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ النُّعَاسُ أَمَنَةً مِّنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِّيُطَهِّرَكُم بِهِ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِ وَلِيَرْبِطَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتَ بِهِ الْأَقْدَامَ * إِذْ يُوحِي رَبُّكَ إِلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ أَنِّي مَعَكُمْ فَثَبِّتُوا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَأُلْقِي فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا الرُّعْبَ فَاضْرِبُوا فَوْقَ الْأَعْنَاقِ وَاضْرِبُوا مِنْهُمْ كُلَّ بَنَانٍ * ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ شَاقُّوا اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ}

(When He covered you with drowsiness as a security from Him, and sent down upon you water from the sky to purify you thereby, and to remove from you the impurity of Satan, and to strengthen your hearts and set firm your feet with it. * When your Lord inspired to the angels, "I am with you, so make those who believe firm. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. So strike above the necks and strike every fingertip of theirs." * That is because they opposed Allah and His Messenger. And whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger - indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.)