سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 17
فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَمَىٰ ۚ وَلِيُبْلِىَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ بَلَآءً حَسَنًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
You killed them not, but Allâh killed them. And you (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) threw not when you did throw, but Allâh threw, that He might test the believers by a fair trial from Him. Verily, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَمْ
falam
And not
تَقْتُلُوهُمْ
taqtulūhum
you kill them
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
قَتَلَهُمْ ۚ
qatalahum
killed them
وَمَا
wamā
And not
رَمَيْتَ
ramayta
you threw
إِذْ
idh
when
رَمَيْتَ
ramayta
you threw
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
رَمَىٰ ۚ
ramā
threw
وَلِيُبْلِىَ
waliyub'liya
and that He may test
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
مِنْهُ
min'hu
from Him
بَلَآءً
balāan
(with) a trial
حَسَنًا ۚ
ḥasanan
good
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
سَمِيعٌ
samīʿun
(is) All-Hearing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knowing
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
17. (In the Battle of Badr) It was not you who killed them, but Allah killed them. And when you threw (a handful of sand), it was not you [16] who threw, but Allah threw. And this was so that He might test the believers with a good trial from Himself. Surely, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
[16]
The Miracle of the Handful of Sand:
The fourth form of Allah’s help in the field of Badr was that when the battle was at its peak, the Prophet ﷺ took a handful of sand and pebbles and threw it towards the army of the disbelievers, saying, "Shāhat al-wujūh." The particles of this sand struck the eyes of the disbelievers, causing them to keep rubbing their eyes and rendering them unable to see anything. In this way, Allah Almighty gave the Muslims an opportunity to kill the disbelievers without restraint. Some rationalists say that at the time of throwing the handful, the wind was blowing towards the disbelievers, which is why this incident happened to them. Now, the point to ponder is how the particles of a handful of sand could reach all the disbelievers. Then, why did these particles strike only their eyes? They could have struck elsewhere. The eye is a very small part of the body. It must be accepted that this was the act of Allah Almighty, which was manifested as a miracle at the hands of His Prophet. That is why Allah Almighty has attributed this act directly to Himself.
[16]
The Miracle of the Handful of Sand:
The fourth form of Allah’s help in the field of Badr was that when the battle was at its peak, the Prophet ﷺ took a handful of sand and pebbles and threw it towards the army of the disbelievers, saying, "Shāhat al-wujūh." The particles of this sand struck the eyes of the disbelievers, causing them to keep rubbing their eyes and rendering them unable to see anything. In this way, Allah Almighty gave the Muslims an opportunity to kill the disbelievers without restraint. Some rationalists say that at the time of throwing the handful, the wind was blowing towards the disbelievers, which is why this incident happened to them. Now, the point to ponder is how the particles of a handful of sand could reach all the disbelievers. Then, why did these particles strike only their eyes? They could have struck elsewhere. The eye is a very small part of the body. It must be accepted that this was the act of Allah Almighty, which was manifested as a miracle at the hands of His Prophet. That is why Allah Almighty has attributed this act directly to Himself.
