Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 64

(Ayah 64) {يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَسْبُكَ اللّٰهُ … :} It was mentioned above that Allah is sufficient for you, so perhaps someone might think that Allah’s support is exclusive to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Therefore, here this phrase is repeated and the believers are also added, that Allah is sufficient for you and for all the believers who follow you. In {’’ وَ مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ ‘‘}, the conjunction “wa” is connected to the “kaaf” in {’’حَسْبُكَ ‘‘}, meaning Allah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you. This “wa” can also mean {’’ مَعَ ‘‘}, that is, Allah is sufficient for you along with your companions, all of you. Some people have connected this “wa” to the word {’’ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}, in which case the translation would be: Allah is sufficient for you and those believers who are your followers are sufficient. But this connection and translation is completely wrong, because throughout the Qur’an and Hadith, only reliance upon Allah and considering Him alone as sufficient has been commanded. In many places in the Qur’an, the command is given to rely only on Allah, as He said: «وَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ……» This command of reliance is found with the words {’’الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ الْمُتَوَكِّلُوْنَ ‘‘} in nine places, and He said: «وَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوْۤا اِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُّؤْمِنِيْنَ» [ المائدۃ : ۲۳ ] “And put your trust only in Allah, if you are believers.” The creation is not even sufficient for itself, how can it suffice for others? Maulana Sanaullah Amritsari (may Allah have mercy on him) used to write a couplet on such occasions:
Those who cannot even hold onto their own scarf,
How will they hold anyone else’s heart?
When Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was thrown into the fire, and when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) faced the gathering of the disbelievers for a renewed attack after Uhud, they said: «حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ » [ آل عمران : ۱۷۳ ]. [بخاری، التفسیر، سورۃ آل عمران : ۴۵۶۳ ] The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not say that Allah and my companions are sufficient for me. Allah Himself commanded you: «فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ » [ التوبۃ : ۱۲۹ ] “Then if they turn away, say: Allah is sufficient for me, there is no deity except Him, I have put my trust in Him, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.” Rather, Allah said: «اِنْ يَّنْصُرْكُمُ اللّٰهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَ اِنْ يَّخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْ يَنْصُرُكُمْ مِّنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ وَ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ » [ آل عمران : ۱۶۰ ] “If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; but if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And upon Allah alone should the believers rely.”