سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 9
إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّى مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ ﴿9﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): "I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other (following one another) in succession."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِذْ
idh
When
تَسْتَغِيثُونَ
tastaghīthūna
you were seeking help
رَبَّكُمْ
rabbakum
(of) your Lord
فَٱسْتَجَابَ
fa-is'tajāba
and He answered
لَكُمْ
lakum
[to] you
أَنِّى
annī
Indeed, I am
مُمِدُّكُم
mumiddukum
going to reinforce you
بِأَلْفٍۢ
bi-alfin
with a thousand
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
l-malāikati
the Angels
مُرْدِفِينَ
mur'difīna
one after another
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 9) ➊ {اِذْ تَسْتَغِيْثُوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ … :} Due to the enemy being more than three times their number and equipped with every kind of weapon, all the Muslims were crying out to their Lord for help. Especially the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was supplicating with utmost humility and persistence. Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the day of Badr came, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) looked towards the polytheists; they were one thousand, and his companions were three hundred and nineteen men. So the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) turned towards the Qiblah, spread his hands, and began to cry out loudly to his Lord: "O Allah! Fulfill for me what You have promised me. O Allah! Fulfill for me what You have promised me. O Allah! If this group of Muslims is destroyed, then You will not be worshipped on the earth." He continued to cry out loudly to his Lord and supplicate with his hands raised, until his cloak fell from his shoulders. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him, picked up his cloak, placed it on his shoulders, then clung to him from behind and said: "O Prophet of Allah! Your beseeching your Lord is sufficient for you, for surely He will fulfill what He has promised you." So Allah the Exalted revealed this verse: «{ اِذْ تَسْتَغِيْثُوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ فَاسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ }» Then Allah the Exalted helped him with the angels. [ مسلم، الجہاد، باب الإمداد بالملائکۃ فی غزوۃ بدر… : ۱۷۶۳ ] Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that after Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said this, he came out saying: «{ سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَ يُوَلُّوْنَ الدُّبُرَ }» [ القمر : ۴۵ ] "This group will be defeated and they will turn their backs and flee." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : « إذ تستغیثون ربکم…» : ۳۹۵۳ ]
➋ {اَنِّيْ مُمِدُّكُمْ بِاَلْفٍ مِّنَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةِ مُرْدِفِيْنَ:} One after another, meaning coming in succession. Thus, at Badr, the angels descended, as is narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the day of Badr: "This is Jibreel, holding the reins of his horse, dressed in battle armor." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب شہود الملائکۃ بدراً: ۳۹۹۵ ] Here, the promise of one thousand angels descending is mentioned, who indeed descended. Rifaa bin Rafi’ Qarzi Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked: "How do you consider the people of Badr among yourselves?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "The best of the Muslims." Or he said something similar in meaning. (Jibreel, peace be upon him) said: "Likewise, those angels who participated in Badr are (the most virtuous)." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب شہود الملائکۃ بدرًا : ۳۹۹۲ ] In Surah Al-Imran, the promise of three thousand and five thousand angels is mentioned; for reconciliation, see Al-Imran (124, 125).
➋ {اَنِّيْ مُمِدُّكُمْ بِاَلْفٍ مِّنَ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةِ مُرْدِفِيْنَ:} One after another, meaning coming in succession. Thus, at Badr, the angels descended, as is narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said on the day of Badr: "This is Jibreel, holding the reins of his horse, dressed in battle armor." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب شہود الملائکۃ بدراً: ۳۹۹۵ ] Here, the promise of one thousand angels descending is mentioned, who indeed descended. Rifaa bin Rafi’ Qarzi Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked: "How do you consider the people of Badr among yourselves?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "The best of the Muslims." Or he said something similar in meaning. (Jibreel, peace be upon him) said: "Likewise, those angels who participated in Badr are (the most virtuous)." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب شہود الملائکۃ بدرًا : ۳۹۹۲ ] In Surah Al-Imran, the promise of three thousand and five thousand angels is mentioned; for reconciliation, see Al-Imran (124, 125).
