سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 13
قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ ءَايَةٌ فِى فِئَتَيْنِ ٱلْتَقَتَا ۖ فِئَةٌ تُقَـٰتِلُ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَأُخْرَىٰ كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْىَ ٱلْعَيْنِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ ﴿13﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
There has already been a sign for you (O Jews) in the two armies that met (in combat i.e. the battle of Badr). One was fighting in the Cause of Allâh, and as for the other, (they) were disbelievers. They (the believers) saw them (the disbelievers) with their own eyes twice their number (although they were thrice their number). And Allâh supports with His Victory whom He wills. Verily, in this is a lesson for those who understand. (See Verse 8:44). (Tafsir At-Tabarî)
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَدْ
qad
Surely
كَانَ
kāna
it was
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
ءَايَةٌۭ
āyatun
a sign
فِى
fī
in
فِئَتَيْنِ
fi-atayni
(the) two hosts
ٱلْتَقَتَا ۖ
l-taqatā
which met
فِئَةٌۭ
fi-atun
one group
تُقَـٰتِلُ
tuqātilu
fighting
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَأُخْرَىٰ
wa-ukh'rā
and another
كَافِرَةٌۭ
kāfiratun
disbelievers
يَرَوْنَهُم
yarawnahum
They were seeing them
مِّثْلَيْهِمْ
mith'layhim
twice of them
رَأْىَ
raya
with the sight
ٱلْعَيْنِ ۚ
l-ʿayni
(of) their eyes
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يُؤَيِّدُ
yu-ayyidu
supports
بِنَصْرِهِۦ
binaṣrihi
with His help
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۗ
yashāu
He wills
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
فِى
fī
in
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
لَعِبْرَةًۭ
laʿib'ratan
surely (is) a lesson
لِّأُو۟لِى
li-ulī
for the owners
ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرِ
l-abṣāri
(of) vision
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.
13. 1. That is, each group saw the other as twice their own number. The number of disbelievers was close to one thousand; they saw the Muslims as about two thousand. The purpose of this was to instill awe of the Muslims in their hearts. And the number of Muslims was a little over three hundred (or 313); they saw the disbelievers as between 60 and 70. Whereas their actual number was close to a thousand (three times their number). The purpose of this was to increase the determination and courage of the Muslims. If they had seen them as three times their own number, the Muslims might have become intimidated. But when they appeared as only twice their number instead of three times, their courage did not falter. However, this state of seeing double was at the beginning; then, when both groups lined up face to face, Allah made them appear fewer in each other's eyes, so that neither group would avoid the fight, but each would strive to advance (Ibn Kathir). This detail is mentioned in (وَاِذْ يُرِيْكُمُوْهُمْ اِذِ الْتَقَيْتُمْ فِيْٓ اَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيْلًا وَّ يُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِيْٓ اَعْيُنِهِمْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللّٰهُ اَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُوْلًا ۭوَاِلَى اللّٰهِ تُرْجَعُ الْاُمُوْرُ 44) 8:44. This is the incident of the Battle of Badr, which took place in the second year after the Hijrah between the Muslims and the disbelievers. This battle was extremely important in several respects: firstly, because it was the first battle; secondly, it happened without any war planning. The Muslims had set out for Abu Sufyan's caravan, which was returning from Syria with trade goods to Makkah, but due to the information received, he managed to save his caravan. However, the disbelievers of Makkah, in their arrogance of power and numbers, attacked the Muslims, and at the place of Badr, this first battle took place. Thirdly, the Muslims received special help from Allah in this battle. Fourthly, the disbelievers suffered a humiliating defeat, which demoralized them for the future.
