Tafsir of Al-Anfal 8:9

If you ask: To what does "When you sought help" (idh tastaghithuna) relate? I say: It is a substitute (badal) for "When He promised you" (idh ya‘idukum) [in verse 7], or it is said to relate to His saying: "That He might verify the truth and invalidate the falsehood."

Their seeking help (istighatha) was that when they realized fighting was inevitable, they began to call upon Allah, saying: "O our Lord, grant us victory over Your enemy; O Helper of those who seek help, help us."

From Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) looked at the polytheists, who were a thousand, and at his companions, who were three hundred. He faced the Qibla, stretched out his hands, and prayed: "O Allah, fulfill for me what You have promised me. O Allah, if this band perishes, You will not be worshipped on earth." He continued to do so until his cloak fell off. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) picked it up, placed it on his shoulders, embraced him from behind, and said: "O Prophet of Allah, your pleading with your Lord is sufficient for you, for He will fulfill what He promised you."

"That I am reinforcing you" (anni mumiddukum): Its origin is bi-anni mumiddukum (with that I am reinforcing you). The preposition was omitted, and the verb "He answered" (istajaba) was made to govern it, thus putting it in the accusative position. Abu Amr read it as inni mumiddukum (with a kasra), based on the intent of "saying" (qawl), or by treating "He answered" as having the force of "He said," because answering is a form of speech.

If you ask: Did the angels fight on the day of Badr? I say: There is a difference of opinion. It is said: Gabriel descended on the day of Badr with five hundred angels on the right flank, where Abu Bakr was; and Michael with five hundred on the left flank, where Ali bin Abi Talib was. They were in the form of men, wearing white garments and white turbans, with the ends hanging between their shoulders. They fought. Others say they fought at Badr but did not fight at the Battle of the Trench (al-Ahzab) or at Hunayn.

Abu Jahl said to Ibn Mas'ud: "Where did that sound come from, which we heard but saw no person?" He replied: "From the angels." Abu Jahl said: "They defeated us, not you."

It is narrated that a Muslim man was chasing a polytheist when he heard the sound of a whip strike above him. He looked and saw the polytheist had fallen on his back, his face split open. The Ansari told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who said: "You have spoken the truth; that was from the reinforcements of heaven." Abu Dawud al-Mazini said: "I followed a polytheist to strike him at Badr, but his head fell before my sword reached him."

Others say: They did not fight; they merely increased the numbers and reassured the believers. Otherwise, a single angel is sufficient to destroy all the inhabitants of the world. Gabriel (peace be upon him) destroyed the cities of the people of Lot with a feather from his wing, and destroyed the lands of Thamud, the people of Salih, with a single cry.

"Reinforcing" (murdifin): It is read with a kasra on the dal and a fatha, from the saying: "He followed him" (radafahu). It means "following you" (radifukum). Ardaftuhu means "I made him follow." The one with the kasra on the dal means they were following one another, or following the believers, or the believers were following them. The one with the fatha on the dal means they were being followed.

It is also read murtadifin (with a kasra or damma on the ra and a shadda on the dal). Its origin is murtadifin (meaning following one another). The ta of ifti'al was assimilated into the dal. The ra is vocalized with a kasra based on the original, or to follow the dal, or with a damma to follow the mim.

Al-Suddi says: "With thousands of angels," to align with the verse in Surah Al-Imran.

If you ask: How does one excuse the one who reads it in the singular [referring to the thousand] and does not interpret murdifin as angels following angels? I say: By the fact that what is meant by "the thousand" are those who fought among them, or the leaders among them, while the others are followers to them.