Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:30

When God granted him victory, He reminded him of the plotting of the Quraysh against him while he was in Mecca, so that he might be grateful for God’s blessing in his salvation from their plot, his triumph over them, and the favorable outcome God had facilitated for him. The meaning is: "And remember when they plotted against you."

The Context of the Plot: When the Ansar accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to him, the Quraysh feared his influence would spread. They gathered in the Dar al-Nadwa to consult on his matter. Iblis entered among them in the form of an old man and said, "I am an elder from Najd; I am not from Tihama. I heard of your gathering and wished to attend, and you will not lack sound opinion and advice from me."

• Abu al-Bakhtari said: "My opinion is to imprison him in a house, bind him securely, block the door except for a small opening through which you pass him food and drink, and wait for his death."
• Iblis said: "A wretched opinion! His people will come to fight you and rescue him from your hands."
• Hisham ibn Amr said: "My opinion is to load him onto a camel and expel him from among you; then you will be rid of him and his actions."
• Iblis said: "A wretched opinion! He will corrupt others besides you and fight you with them."
• Abu Jahl said: "I see that you should take a young man from every clan, give each a sharp sword, and have them strike him as one man. His blood will then be divided among the tribes, and the Banu Hashim will not be able to fight all of the Quraysh. If they demand blood money, we will pay it, and we will be at rest."
• The elder (may God curse him) said: "This young man has spoken the truth; his is the best opinion."

They dispersed, united on Abu Jahl’s plan to kill him. Gabriel (peace be upon him) informed the Messenger of God (ﷺ) and commanded him not to sleep in his bed. God granted him permission to migrate. He ordered Ali (may God be pleased with him) to sleep in his bed and said to him, "Wrap yourself in my cloak, for no harm will reach you."

They waited in ambush. When morning came, they rushed to his bed, saw Ali, and were stunned. God Almighty frustrated their efforts. They tracked his footsteps, but God nullified their plot.

"To restrain you" (ليثبتوك): To imprison you, bind you, or incapacitate you with beating and wounding. It is derived from the saying: "They beat him until they athbatuhu (rendered him motionless/unable to move)." It is also read with a shadda (emphasis). Al-Nakha'i read it as li-yubayyitukum (to attack you by night). Ibn Abbas narrated: "To bind you" (li-yuqayyidukum), which supports the interpretation of binding.

"And they plot" (ويمكرون): They conceal their schemes against him. "And God plots" (ويمكر الله): God conceals what He has prepared for them until it comes upon them suddenly. "And God is the best of plotters" (والله خير الماكرين): His plotting is more effective and profound in impact than the plotting of others, or because He only decrees what is true and just, and only strikes those who deserve it.

"And when Our verses are recited to them, they say: 'We have heard. If we wished, we could say [something] like this. This is nothing but legends of the former peoples.' And when they said: 'O God, if this is the truth from You, then rain down upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment.' But God would not punish them while you are among them, nor would God punish them while they seek forgiveness. And what [reason] do they have that God should not punish them, while they obstruct [people] from the Sacred Mosque and they are not its guardians? Its guardians are only the righteous, but most of them do not know."