سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 43
إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا ۖ وَلَوْ أَرَىٰكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَّفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَلَّمَ ۗ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(And remember) when Allâh showed them to you as few in your (i.e. Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم) dream; if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allâh saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِذْ
idh
When
يُرِيكَهُمُ
yurīkahumu
you (where) shown them
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
فِى
fī
in
مَنَامِكَ
manāmika
your dream
قَلِيلًۭا ۖ
qalīlan
(as) few
وَلَوْ
walaw
and if
أَرَىٰكَهُمْ
arākahum
He had shown them to you
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
(as) many
لَّفَشِلْتُمْ
lafashil'tum
surely you would have lost courage
وَلَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ
walatanāzaʿtum
and surely you would have disputed
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَمْرِ
l-amri
the matter
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
سَلَّمَ ۗ
sallama
saved (you)
إِنَّهُۥ
innahu
Indeed, He
عَلِيمٌۢ
ʿalīmun
(is) All-Knower
بِذَاتِ
bidhāti
of what is in
ٱلصُّدُورِ
l-ṣudūri
the breasts
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 43) ➊ {اِذْ يُرِيْكَهُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيْ مَنَامِكَ قَلِيْلًا:} The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw in a dream that the number of disbelievers was not large, and he conveyed this information to the companions, the benefit of which was that courage and steadfastness developed among the Muslims. Here a question arises that the dream of a Prophet is revelation, so why did they appear few to you? The answer is that your dream was true in the sense that later many of those disbelievers became Muslims; secondly, that angels were also included with the Muslims, so in comparison to them, the number of disbelievers was indeed less, or in a figurative sense, meaning that morally and spiritually they had no strength or power. Apparently, they were many, but in the field of battle, they were weak in steadfastness and perseverance, so it was as if they were also few in number.
➋ {وَ لَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْاَمْرِ:} That is, some would say fight, and some would say do not fight, they are many and we are few.
➌ { وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ سَلَّمَ:} That is, neither was there an opportunity to lose courage nor to quarrel and dispute among themselves.
➋ {وَ لَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْاَمْرِ:} That is, some would say fight, and some would say do not fight, they are many and we are few.
➌ { وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ سَلَّمَ:} That is, neither was there an opportunity to lose courage nor to quarrel and dispute among themselves.
