They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the bounties [of war]. Say, "The [decision concerning] bounties is for Allāh and the Messenger." So fear Allāh and amend that which is between you and obey Allāh and His Messenger, if you should be believers.
Verse 1 of Surah Al-Anfal (8:1), a Medinan surah, is in juz 9, on page 177 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 1 of Surah Al-Anfal
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Tafsir of verse 1
Al-Mukhtasar
Your Companions ask you O Messenger about the gains of war and how to distribute it, and who it should be for. Say to them: 'The gains of war are for Allah and His Messenger to distribute, and it is only incumbent on you to accept and comply in the matter, so be mindful of Allah, following what He instructed and staying away from what He had prohibited, correct disagreements between yourselves and mend bad relations, and develop good terms with each other through treating each other in a good way and forgiving each other. Follow Allah and His Messenger if you are true believers, for surely faith leads to doing good and staying away from disobedience.' This matter came up after the Battle of Badr.
They ask you [O Prophet] about the spoils of war1. Say, “The spoils of war belong to Allah and the Messenger. So fear Allah, settle your affairs among yourselves, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are [true] believers.”
Notes
[1] Referring to the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) who asked him about the distribution of the of war booty.
They ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) about the spoils of war. Say: "The spoils are for Allâh and the Messenger." So fear Allâh and adjust all matters of difference among you, and obey Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), if you are believers.
They ask thee (O Muhammad) of the spoils of war. Say: The spoils of war belong to Allah and the messenger, so keep your duty to Allah, and adjust the matter of your difference, and obey Allah and His messenger, if ye are (true) believers.
They ask thee concerning (things taken as) spoils of war. Say: "(such) spoils are at the disposal of Allah and the Messenger: So fear Allah, and keep straight the relations between yourselves: Obey Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe."
They ask you about the windfalls. Say: The windfalls are for Allah and the Messenger. So be careful of (your duty to) Allah and set aright matters of your difference, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are believers.
They ask you about the spoils. (The Arabic word nafl originally means: supererogatory prayer, or gift) Say, "The spoils (belong) to Allah and the Messenger; so be pious to Allah, and act righteously among yourselves (Or: make a reconciliation after differences) and obey Allah and His Messenger, in case you are believers."
نَزَلَتْ فِيَّ أَرْبَعُ آيَاتٍ أَصَبْتُ سَيْفًا فَأَتَى بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَفِّلْنِيهِ . فَقَالَ " ضَعْهُ " . ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم…
O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allāh], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.
And know that anything you obtain of war booty - then indeed, for Allāh is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have believed in Allāh and in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of criterion [i.e., decisive encounter] - the day when the two armies met [at Badr]. And Allāh, over all things, is competent.
