سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 72
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَـٰيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِنِ ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَـٰقٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿72﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard and fought with their property and their lives in the Cause of Allâh as well as those who gave (them) asylum and help, - these are (all) allies to one another. And as to those who believed but did not emigrate (to you O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), you owe no duty of protection to them until they emigrate; but if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them except against a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance; and Allâh is the All-Seer of what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
وَهَاجَرُوا۟
wahājarū
and emigrated
وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟
wajāhadū
and strove hard
بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ
bi-amwālihim
with their wealth
وَأَنفُسِهِمْ
wa-anfusihim
and their lives
فِى
fī
in
سَبِيلِ
sabīli
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
and those who
ءَاوَوا۟
āwaw
gave shelter
وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟
wanaṣarū
and helped
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
those
بَعْضُهُمْ
baʿḍuhum
some of them
أَوْلِيَآءُ
awliyāu
(are) allies
بَعْضٍۢ ۚ
baʿḍin
(of) another
وَٱلَّذِينَ
wa-alladhīna
But those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
وَلَمْ
walam
and (did) not
يُهَاجِرُوا۟
yuhājirū
emigrate
مَا
mā
(it is) not
لَكُم
lakum
for you
مِّن
min
(of)
وَلَـٰيَتِهِم
walāyatihim
their protection
مِّن
min
(in)
شَىْءٍ
shayin
(in) anything
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يُهَاجِرُوا۟ ۚ
yuhājirū
they emigrate
وَإِنِ
wa-ini
And if
ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ
is'tanṣarūkum
they seek your help
فِى
fī
in
ٱلدِّينِ
l-dīni
the religion
فَعَلَيْكُمُ
faʿalaykumu
then upon you
ٱلنَّصْرُ
l-naṣru
(is to) help them
إِلَّا
illā
except
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
against
قَوْمٍۭ
qawmin
a people
بَيْنَكُمْ
baynakum
between you
وَبَيْنَهُم
wabaynahum
and between them
مِّيثَـٰقٌۭ ۗ
mīthāqun
(is) a treaty
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
بَصِيرٌۭ
baṣīrun
(is) All-Seer
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 72) ➊ From the end of Surah Al-Anfal, it becomes clear from these verses that during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), there were four types of Muslims: first, those who were the earliest emigrants (Muhajirun al-awwalin), second, the Ansar of Madinah, third, those believers who did not emigrate, and fourth, those who emigrated after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
➋ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ هَاجَرُوْا … :} refers to the earliest emigrants, who are the most virtuous.
➌ {وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰوَوْا وَّ نَصَرُوْۤا:} These are the Ansar, whose virtues are also countless, but it is agreed upon that the Muhajirun are superior to the Ansar. Abdullah bin Zayd bin Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "If it were not for the virtue of emigration, I would have been one of the Ansar." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب غزوۃ الطائف… : ۴۳۳۰ ]
➍ { اُولٰٓىِٕكَ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ: ’’ اَوْلِيَآءُ ‘‘} can mean friends, supporters, and helpers, and also heirs to one another. According to the second meaning, it refers to the brotherhood (mu’akhah) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) established between the Muhajirun and the Ansar after the emigration, due to which, according to the custom of the Age of Ignorance, those who became brothers to each other would inherit from one another, until the verse of inheritance: «وَ اُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰى بِبَعْضٍ فِيْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ » [الأنفال : ۷۵ ] was revealed, and this practice was abrogated.
➎ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ لَمْ يُهَاجِرُوْا:} These are the third category of Muslims of that era. Despite the establishment of Dar al-Islam, being content to remain in the servitude of the disbelievers and not emigrating means that their faith is weak; these people cannot participate in jihad, so friendship and support like the first two groups cannot be established with them in any way, until they emigrate.
➏ {وَ اِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوْكُمْ فِي الدِّيْنِ …:} For example, if the disbelievers are oppressing them and they seek your help, then it is obligatory upon you to rescue them from the clutches of the oppressors. Allah said: «وَ مَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُوْنَ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ وَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَ النِّسَآءِ وَ الْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِيْنَ يَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ اَهْلُهَا » [ النساء : ۷۵ ] "And what is [the matter] with you that you do not fight in the way of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city whose people are oppressors.'"
➐ { اِلَّا عَلٰى قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ مِّيْثَاقٌ:} That is, if you have a treaty with the disbelievers that you will not fight each other, then you cannot help those Muslims by breaking the treaty; rather, those Muslims will be told to leave the "abode of disbelief" and come to the "abode of Islam."
➋ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ هَاجَرُوْا … :} refers to the earliest emigrants, who are the most virtuous.
➌ {وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰوَوْا وَّ نَصَرُوْۤا:} These are the Ansar, whose virtues are also countless, but it is agreed upon that the Muhajirun are superior to the Ansar. Abdullah bin Zayd bin Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "If it were not for the virtue of emigration, I would have been one of the Ansar." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب غزوۃ الطائف… : ۴۳۳۰ ]
➍ { اُولٰٓىِٕكَ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ: ’’ اَوْلِيَآءُ ‘‘} can mean friends, supporters, and helpers, and also heirs to one another. According to the second meaning, it refers to the brotherhood (mu’akhah) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) established between the Muhajirun and the Ansar after the emigration, due to which, according to the custom of the Age of Ignorance, those who became brothers to each other would inherit from one another, until the verse of inheritance: «وَ اُولُوا الْاَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اَوْلٰى بِبَعْضٍ فِيْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ » [الأنفال : ۷۵ ] was revealed, and this practice was abrogated.
➎ { وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَ لَمْ يُهَاجِرُوْا:} These are the third category of Muslims of that era. Despite the establishment of Dar al-Islam, being content to remain in the servitude of the disbelievers and not emigrating means that their faith is weak; these people cannot participate in jihad, so friendship and support like the first two groups cannot be established with them in any way, until they emigrate.
➏ {وَ اِنِ اسْتَنْصَرُوْكُمْ فِي الدِّيْنِ …:} For example, if the disbelievers are oppressing them and they seek your help, then it is obligatory upon you to rescue them from the clutches of the oppressors. Allah said: «وَ مَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُوْنَ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ وَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَ النِّسَآءِ وَ الْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِيْنَ يَقُوْلُوْنَ رَبَّنَاۤ اَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ اَهْلُهَا » [ النساء : ۷۵ ] "And what is [the matter] with you that you do not fight in the way of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say, 'Our Lord, take us out of this city whose people are oppressors.'"
➐ { اِلَّا عَلٰى قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ مِّيْثَاقٌ:} That is, if you have a treaty with the disbelievers that you will not fight each other, then you cannot help those Muslims by breaking the treaty; rather, those Muslims will be told to leave the "abode of disbelief" and come to the "abode of Islam."
