سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 67
مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿67﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allâh desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
كَانَ
kāna
is
لِنَبِىٍّ
linabiyyin
for a Prophet
أَن
an
that
يَكُونَ
yakūna
(there) should be
لَهُۥٓ
lahu
for him
أَسْرَىٰ
asrā
prisoners of war
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يُثْخِنَ
yuth'khina
he has battled strenuously
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
l-arḍi
the land
تُرِيدُونَ
turīdūna
You desire
عَرَضَ
ʿaraḍa
(the) commodities
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
(of) the world
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
but Allah
يُرِيدُ
yurīdu
desires
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۗ
l-ākhirata
(for you) the Hereafter
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَزِيزٌ
ʿazīzun
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌۭ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
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.
67. 1. In the Battle of Badr, seventy disbelievers were killed and seventy were taken captive. Since this was the first confrontation between disbelief and Islam, the method of dealing with the captives was not fully clarified. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ consulted regarding what should be done with these seventy captives: should they be killed or released in exchange for ransom? Both options were permissible to the extent of permissibility, so both were considered. However, sometimes, regardless of permissibility or non-permissibility, it is necessary to adopt the better course according to the circumstances and conditions. But, keeping permissibility in view, the lesser option was chosen, upon which Allah’s reprimand was revealed. In the consultation, Umar and others suggested that, to break the strength and power of disbelief, it was necessary to kill these captives, because they were the leaders of disbelief and the disbelievers; if freed, they would conspire more against Islam and the Muslims. Whereas Abu Bakr’s opinion was contrary to this: that they should be released in exchange for ransom, and the wealth thus obtained should be used to prepare for future battles. The Prophet ﷺ also preferred this opinion, upon which this and the following verses were revealed. When the dominance of disbelief ended, the leader of the time was given the authority regarding the captives: if he wished, he could kill them, release them for ransom, exchange them for Muslim captives, or, if he wished, make them slaves. Any of these options is permissible according to the circumstances.
