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 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.
Those who believed and emigrated and strove with their wealth and their lives in the way of Allah, and those who gave them shelter and helped them—these are allies [74] of one another. But as for those who believed but did not emigrate, you have no obligation of alliance with 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. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.
[74]
The Meaning of Wali, Brotherhood, and Inheritance:
The word "wali" in the Arabic language is very broad in meaning, and it is used in the sense of friend, supporter, helper, guardian, heir, patron, and close relative—all these meanings are included. Generally, it refers to a person who, at the time of someone's death or calamity, is the closest in terms of help, payment of blood money, or inheritance. In these verses, the rulings regarding the mutual relations of Muslims living in Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb are being explained. The Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madinah had a fundamental issue regarding their settlement and livelihood. To solve this issue, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established the system of brotherhood (mu’akhah) between the Muhajirin and the Ansar, and according to the narration of Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ, the Prophet ﷺ, in his house, in three gatherings at different times, connected about forty-three Muhajirin and Ansar in the bond of brotherhood. That is, one Muhajir was paired with one Ansari, making them brothers, and the issues and basic needs of the Muhajir were placed upon the Ansari, which the Ansar accepted with great generosity and happiness. This brotherhood or "wilayah" reached such a level that, leaving aside the real heirs, these brothers became each other's wali and heirs. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير زير آيت : __QUR_0__]
Now, it is evident that at that time, Dar al-Islam was only Madinah, where Muslims from Makkah and other areas were migrating, and except for Madinah, the rest of Arabia was Dar al-Harb or Dar al-Kufr, while Muslims were also present in Makkah and other areas. In this background, in the last four verses of Surah Al-Anfal, rulings are given regarding the relations among Muslims of Dar al-Islam, their relations with external Muslims, and intergovernmental treaties, which are presented here.
Various Forms of Mutual Relations Among Muslims Living in Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam and the Foreign Policy of Islam:
1. The Ansar and Muhajirin who have come to Madinah—all of them, by virtue of brotherhood (mu’akhah), are each other's wali and heirs, as is also clear from Surah An-Nisa, verse 33.
2. And those Muslims who have not migrated to Madinah—they are neither your wali nor heirs, nor can you be their wali or heirs, unless they migrate and come to you. This means that a Muslim living in Dar al-Harb cannot be the heir of a Muslim living in Dar al-Islam, and vice versa, just as a Muslim cannot be the heir of a disbeliever, nor a disbeliever the heir of a Muslim.
3. No responsibility is placed upon the Muslims or their government living in Dar al-Islam regarding the Muslims living in Dar al-Harb. According to this ruling, the root of all international disputes is cut off, where one government assumes responsibility for minorities living in another government.
4. If Muslims living in Dar al-Harb are subjected to excess and oppression, and they seek help from the Muslims or their government in Dar al-Islam in response, then it becomes obligatory upon the Muslims of Dar al-Islam to help them.
5. And if the Muslims seeking help are living in a country with which the Islamic government has a treaty of peace and reconciliation, then in this case, it is more important to honor the international treaty rather than help the Muslims, and even if they seek help, they will not be helped.
6. However, such Muslims who live outside the borders of the treaty-making Islamic government are not bound by this additional restriction. If they wish, they can help such oppressed Muslims in any way they want. The treaty-making Islamic government will not be responsible for them.
[74]
The Meaning of Wali, Brotherhood, and Inheritance:
The word "wali" in the Arabic language is very broad in meaning, and it is used in the sense of friend, supporter, helper, guardian, heir, patron, and close relative—all these meanings are included. Generally, it refers to a person who, at the time of someone's death or calamity, is the closest in terms of help, payment of blood money, or inheritance. In these verses, the rulings regarding the mutual relations of Muslims living in Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb are being explained. The Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madinah had a fundamental issue regarding their settlement and livelihood. To solve this issue, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ established the system of brotherhood (mu’akhah) between the Muhajirin and the Ansar, and according to the narration of Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik ؓ, the Prophet ﷺ, in his house, in three gatherings at different times, connected about forty-three Muhajirin and Ansar in the bond of brotherhood. That is, one Muhajir was paired with one Ansari, making them brothers, and the issues and basic needs of the Muhajir were placed upon the Ansari, which the Ansar accepted with great generosity and happiness. This brotherhood or "wilayah" reached such a level that, leaving aside the real heirs, these brothers became each other's wali and heirs. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير زير آيت : __QUR_0__]
Now, it is evident that at that time, Dar al-Islam was only Madinah, where Muslims from Makkah and other areas were migrating, and except for Madinah, the rest of Arabia was Dar al-Harb or Dar al-Kufr, while Muslims were also present in Makkah and other areas. In this background, in the last four verses of Surah Al-Anfal, rulings are given regarding the relations among Muslims of Dar al-Islam, their relations with external Muslims, and intergovernmental treaties, which are presented here.
Various Forms of Mutual Relations Among Muslims Living in Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam and the Foreign Policy of Islam:
1. The Ansar and Muhajirin who have come to Madinah—all of them, by virtue of brotherhood (mu’akhah), are each other's wali and heirs, as is also clear from Surah An-Nisa, verse 33.
2. And those Muslims who have not migrated to Madinah—they are neither your wali nor heirs, nor can you be their wali or heirs, unless they migrate and come to you. This means that a Muslim living in Dar al-Harb cannot be the heir of a Muslim living in Dar al-Islam, and vice versa, just as a Muslim cannot be the heir of a disbeliever, nor a disbeliever the heir of a Muslim.
3. No responsibility is placed upon the Muslims or their government living in Dar al-Islam regarding the Muslims living in Dar al-Harb. According to this ruling, the root of all international disputes is cut off, where one government assumes responsibility for minorities living in another government.
4. If Muslims living in Dar al-Harb are subjected to excess and oppression, and they seek help from the Muslims or their government in Dar al-Islam in response, then it becomes obligatory upon the Muslims of Dar al-Islam to help them.
5. And if the Muslims seeking help are living in a country with which the Islamic government has a treaty of peace and reconciliation, then in this case, it is more important to honor the international treaty rather than help the Muslims, and even if they seek help, they will not be helped.
6. However, such Muslims who live outside the borders of the treaty-making Islamic government are not bound by this additional restriction. If they wish, they can help such oppressed Muslims in any way they want. The treaty-making Islamic government will not be responsible for them.
