Disclaimer: These notes are my personal reflections on the Quran and have been organised in a way that identifies and groups different themes that emerge from each chapter, with the intention to help facilitate a deeper understanding, help pinpoint where key messages are located in the Quran, and foster a closer relationship with Allah. May this effort please Him, ameen. I hope that these notes will assist others in their own study and reflection.  Feel free to leave a comment and spark a discussion. If I have made any errors, I apologise and would appreciate it if you could correct me in the comments. These notes are not intended to be authoritative or definitive – please do refer to the original text and do your own research.

Opening verse

• They ask you regarding the spoils of war. Say, “The spoils of war are for Allah and the Messenger. So be conscious of Allah and set right that which is between you, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are believers.” [8:1]

The believers

• The believers are only those whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned and increase in faith when His verses are recited to them and upon their Lord they put their trust. [8:2]
• Those who establish the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them. [8:3]
• Those are the believers in truth. For them are ranks with their Lord and forgiveness and a noble provision. [8:4]

Observation: This is a surah/chapter that delves straight into the subject matter that relates to its title, i.e. ‘the spoils of war’, whereas we’ve seen in other surahs that the title’s subject matter is mentioned towards the end, e.g. 5: Surat al Mai’idah.

The Battle (of Badr)

Note: Verses relating to the battle (of Badr) are referenced and is a key theme of this surah – this was the first battle that the Muslims fought in against the Mecca army, against great odds – approximately 300 vs 1,000 soldiers respectively.

• When your Lord brought you out of your home in truth, a group of believers certainly disliked it. [8:5]
• They dispute with you concerning the truth after what was made clear, as if they were driven to death while they were looking. [8:6]
• When you were seeking help of your Lord and He answered to you “Indeed, I am going to reinforce you with a thousand angles – one after another.” [8:9]
• And it was good tidings made by Allah so that your hearts might be at rest with it. And there is no victory except from Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [8:10]
• O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve advancing, then do not turn your backs to them. [8:15]
• And remember when you were few and deemed weak in the earth fearing that the men might do away with you, then He sheltered you with His help, and provided you of the good things so that you may be thankful. [8:26]
• And fight against them until there is no oppression and all of the religion is for Allah. But if they cease, then indeed Allah is All-Seer of what they do. [8:39]
• When you were on the near side of the valley and they were on the other side and the caravan was below you. And if you had made an appointment you would have certainly failed in their appointment. Still it transpired so Allah may establish what He had destined – that those who were to perish and those who were to survive might do so after the truth had been made clear to both. Surely Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. [8:42]
• And when Shaitaan made their deeds appealing to them, and said, “No one can overcome you today. I am surely by your side.” But when the two forces faced off, he turned away and said, “I am free of you. Indeed I see what you do not see. Indeed I fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment.” [8:48]
• And prepare for them whatever you are able to of force and cavalry to terrify Allah’s enemies and your enemies as well as other enemies unknown to you but known to Allah. Whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be paid to you in full and you will not be wronged. [8:60]
• And if they incline to peace then you also incline to peace and put your trust in Allah. Indeed He is All-Hearer All-knower. [8:61]
• O Prophet! Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are one hundred of you, they will overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve, for they are a people who do not understand. [8:65]

More on the spoils of war

• And know that anything you obtain as spoils of war, then one fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for the near relatives, and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer/traveller, if you believe in Allah and and what We sent down to our slaves on that decisive day when the two forces met. And Allah is All-Powerful of everything. [8:41]
• It is not fit for a prophet that he should take captives until he has battled strenuously in the land. You desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires the Hereafter for you. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. [8:67]
• Had it not been for a prior decree from Allah, you would have certainly been disciplined with a great punishment for whatever you took. [8:68]
• So eat from what you have taken, for it is lawful and good. And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [8:69]
• O Prophet! Tell the captives in your custody, “If Allah finds goodness in your hearts, He will give you better than what has been taken from you, and forgive you. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [8:70]
• But if their intention is only to betray you, they sought to betray Allah before. But He gave you power over them. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. [8:71]
• And those who later believed, emigrated, and strove hard with you, then those are with you. But those blood relatives are now entitled to inherit from one another, in the book of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Knower of everything. [8:75]

Warning

• O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger. And do not turn away from him while you hear. [8:20]
• And do not be like those who say “We heard”, while they do not hear. [8:21]
• Indeed, the worst of the living creatures near Allah are the deaf, the dumb – those who do not use their intellect. [8:22]
• And fear a trial which will not exclusively afflict those among you who do wrong. And know that Allah is severe in the penalty. [8:25]
• O you who believe! Do not betray Allah and His Messenger, or betray your trusts while you know. [8:27]
• Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who disbelieve and will not believe. [8:55]

Reminder

• And know that your wealth and your children are a trial. And that with Allah is a great reward. [8:28]
• O  Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and whoever follows you of the believers.[8:64]
• Indeed, those who believed, emigrated, and strove hard with their wealth and lives in the cause of Allah, as well as those who gave shelter and helped—some of them are allies of one another. But those who believed and did not emigrate, you have no obligations to them until they emigrate. But if they seek your help in the religion, it is your obligation to help them, except against people bound with you in a treaty. Allah is All-Seeing of what you do. [8:72]
• And those who believed, emigrated, and strove hard in the cause/way of Allah, and those who gave shelter and helped, they are the believers in truth. They will have forgiveness and a noble provision. [8:74]

Advice

• O you who believe! If you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion and remove your evil deeds from you and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of Bounty, the Great. [8:29]
• O you who believe! When you meet a force, then be firm and remember Allah a lot, so that you may be successful. [8:45]
• And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute lest you lose courage and depart your strength, and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient ones. [8:46]
• And do not be like those who left their homes boastfully and showing off to the people and hinder them from the way of Allah. And Allah is All-encompassing of all they do. [8:47]

The Disbeliever’s plots

• And when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or drive you out. And they were planning and Allah was also planning. And Allah is the Best of the Planners. [8:30]
• Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder people from the way of Allah. So they will spend it then will be overcome with regret. And those who disbelieve, they will be gathered to Hell. [8:36]

Reflection: Those who wish to plot against the believers forget that their plan is bound to ultimately fail.. Also, this reminds us that Allah always has a plan and that his plan is the best of plans – so if your plan is ‘going to plan’ then that’s because it is aligning with Allah’s plan. But if things are not going to plan, that’s because it is not aligning with Allah’s plan and we put our trust in Allah that it is better than our ‘plan’.

The Disbelievers

• And if you could see when the angles take away the souls of those who disbelieve, striking their faces and their back saying “taste the punishment of the blazing fire. [8:50]
• This is what your hands have done. And Allah is never unjust to His slaves.” [8:51]
• Their fate is that of the people of Pharaoh and those before them—they all disbelieved in Allah’s signs, so Allah seized them for their sins. Indeed, Allah is All-Strong, severe in punishment. [8:52]
• As for those who disbelieve, some of them are allies to one another. If you do not do it, there will be great oppression and corruption in the land. [8:73]

The sacred mosque (the Kaba’a in Mecca)

• And why should Allah not punish them while they hinder pilgrims from the Sacred Mosque, while they are not its guardians? None can be its guardian except those who fear Allah, but most of the do not know. [8:34]
• And their prayer at the House was not except whistling and clapping. So taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve. [8:35]