سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ

Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 53

The Spoils of War · Medinan · Juz 10 · Page 184

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ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿53﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

That is so because Allâh will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their ownselves. And verily, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

ذَٰلِكَ dhālika That
بِأَنَّ bi-anna (is) because
ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
لَمْ lam not
يَكُ yaku is
مُغَيِّرًۭا mughayyiran One Who changes
نِّعْمَةً niʿ'matan a favor
أَنْعَمَهَا anʿamahā which He had bestowed
عَلَىٰ ʿalā on
قَوْمٍ qawmin a people
حَتَّىٰ ḥattā until
يُغَيِّرُوا۟ yughayyirū they change
مَا mā what
بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۙ bi-anfusihim (is) in themselves
وَأَنَّ wa-anna And indeed
ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
سَمِيعٌ samīʿun (is) All-Hearing
عَلِيمٌۭ ʿalīmun All-Knowing

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 53) ➊ {حَتّٰى يُغَيِّرُوْا مَا بِاَنْفُسِهِمْ :} "What is in their hearts" means belief and intention; until these change, the blessing granted by Allah is not taken away. (Muwaddih) The meaning is that Allah deprives a nation of His granted blessing only when they change their beliefs, actions, and morals, thereby proving about themselves that they are no longer deserving of that blessing. For example, when they replace faith with disbelief, gratitude with ingratitude, and righteousness with sin, then Allah also takes back His granted blessing from them and subjects them to various kinds of punishments. Allah had granted great glory and prosperity to the people of Pharaoh and likewise to the Quraysh, but He took away that favor from them. In this era, the Muslims who are living lives of humiliation, slavery, and subservience to others all over the world, this too is the punishment for their own misdeeds; otherwise, it is not possible that a nation believes in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and acts upon it, yet remains humiliated and disgraced in the world.

➋ {وَ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ:} That is, He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing; as His servants behave, so does He recompense them accordingly.

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

53. 1. This means that until a nation, by choosing the path of ingratitude and turning away from the commands of Allah Almighty, does not change its own conditions and morals, Allah Almighty does not close the door of that favor upon it. In other words, Allah Almighty takes away that favor because of sins. And to become deserving of Allah Almighty's rewards, it is necessary to avoid sins. Thus, the meaning of change is that the nation should abandon sins and adopt the path of obedience to Allah.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

53. This is because Allah’s way is that He does not change the favor He has bestowed upon a people until they themselves change their own behavior [57]. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

[57]
Blessings Are Taken Away Due to Corruption in Intention:

The words of this verse carry very broad meanings and can have several interpretations. For example, one is that "ma" is understood as referring to a nation's prosperity. In this case, the meaning is the same as given in the translation. However, the meaning of مَا بِاَنْفُسِہِمْ can also be taken as the corruption of intention instead of conduct. That is, as long as a nation remains obedient to Allah Almighty, He does not take away that favor from them. But when corruption or distortion enters their intentions, then Allah's favor are also taken away from them. And if "ma" is understood as referring to a nation's adversity and hardships, then it would mean that a nation suffering from adversity and hardship will remain in that state until it tries to change its own condition. Allah also leaves them in that state and does not remove their adversity, as Hali has said:
God has never changed the condition of a nation
Who does not have the thought of changing their own condition
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