سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 65
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَـٰبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفًا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ ﴿65﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O Prophet (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome two hundreds, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are people who do not understand.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O
ٱلنَّبِىُّ
l-nabiyu
Prophet
حَرِّضِ
ḥarriḍi
Urge
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
عَلَى
ʿalā
to
ٱلْقِتَالِ ۚ
l-qitāli
[the] fight
إِن
in
If
يَكُن
yakun
(there) are
مِّنكُمْ
minkum
among you
عِشْرُونَ
ʿish'rūna
twenty
صَـٰبِرُونَ
ṣābirūna
steadfast
يَغْلِبُوا۟
yaghlibū
they will overcome
مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ
mi-atayni
two hundred
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
يَكُن
yakun
(there) are
مِّنكُم
minkum
among you
مِّا۟ئَةٌۭ
mi-atun
a hundred
يَغْلِبُوٓا۟
yaghlibū
they will overcome
أَلْفًۭا
alfan
a thousand
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieve
بِأَنَّهُمْ
bi-annahum
because they
قَوْمٌۭ
qawmun
(are) a people
لَّا
lā
(who do) not
يَفْقَهُونَ
yafqahūna
understand
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.
O Prophet! Urge the believers [67] to fight. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are a hundred, they will overcome a thousand of the disbelievers, because the disbelievers [68] are people who do not understand.
[67]
Encouragement for Jihad:
The way the Prophet ﷺ encouraged the Muslims for jihad in accordance with this command can be seen in the following ahadith:
1. Sayyiduna Anas ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "To go out in the way of Allah in the morning or evening is better than the world and whatever is in it." [بخاري، كتاب الجهاد، باب الغدوة والروحة، فى سبيل الله- مسلم، كتاب الامارة، باب فضل الغدوة والروحة فى سبيل الله]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of the one who strives in the way of Allah—and Allah knows best who strives in His way—is like that of one who fasts continuously and stands in prayer at night. Allah has guaranteed for the one who strives in His way that if he dies, He will admit him to Paradise, or He will return him safe and sound with reward and spoils." [بخاري، كتاب الجهاد، باب افضل الناس مومن مجاهد بنفسه وماله]
3. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever acquires a horse for jihad in the way of Allah, and his motive is faith in Allah and affirmation of His promises, then surely the horse's food, drink, dung, and urine will be placed in the scale (as good deeds) for that mujahid on the Day of Judgment." [ بخاري، كتاب الجهاد من احتبس فرسا]
[68]
The Reason a Muslim Can Overcome Ten Disbelievers?
That is, the purpose of the disbelievers in fighting is nothing but tribal or national prejudice. Whereas the purpose of the believers in sacrificing even their lives is the elevation and supremacy of Allah's word and the attainment of Allah's pleasure. In addition, they also firmly believe that upon death, they will go straight to Paradise, while death is always unpleasant for the disbelievers, and they try every possible way to save their lives in battle. On the other hand, the believer strives to give his life and attain the rank of martyrdom. This is the strength of faith due to which a believer does not shrink from facing ten disbelievers of equal strength, nor should he lose courage; rather, they should overcome disbelievers ten times their number.
[67]
Encouragement for Jihad:
The way the Prophet ﷺ encouraged the Muslims for jihad in accordance with this command can be seen in the following ahadith:
1. Sayyiduna Anas ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "To go out in the way of Allah in the morning or evening is better than the world and whatever is in it." [بخاري، كتاب الجهاد، باب الغدوة والروحة، فى سبيل الله- مسلم، كتاب الامارة، باب فضل الغدوة والروحة فى سبيل الله]
2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "The example of the one who strives in the way of Allah—and Allah knows best who strives in His way—is like that of one who fasts continuously and stands in prayer at night. Allah has guaranteed for the one who strives in His way that if he dies, He will admit him to Paradise, or He will return him safe and sound with reward and spoils." [بخاري، كتاب الجهاد، باب افضل الناس مومن مجاهد بنفسه وماله]
3. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever acquires a horse for jihad in the way of Allah, and his motive is faith in Allah and affirmation of His promises, then surely the horse's food, drink, dung, and urine will be placed in the scale (as good deeds) for that mujahid on the Day of Judgment." [ بخاري، كتاب الجهاد من احتبس فرسا]
[68]
The Reason a Muslim Can Overcome Ten Disbelievers?
That is, the purpose of the disbelievers in fighting is nothing but tribal or national prejudice. Whereas the purpose of the believers in sacrificing even their lives is the elevation and supremacy of Allah's word and the attainment of Allah's pleasure. In addition, they also firmly believe that upon death, they will go straight to Paradise, while death is always unpleasant for the disbelievers, and they try every possible way to save their lives in battle. On the other hand, the believer strives to give his life and attain the rank of martyrdom. This is the strength of faith due to which a believer does not shrink from facing ten disbelievers of equal strength, nor should he lose courage; rather, they should overcome disbelievers ten times their number.
