[Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, "I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip."439
Notes
[439] By which they grasp and manipulate their weapons. Also interpreted as "all extremities," i.e., their hands and feet.
Verse 12 of Surah Al-Anfal (8:12), a Medinan surah, is in juz 9, on page 178 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 12 of Surah Al-Anfal
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Tafsir of verse 12
Al-Mukhtasar
Remember O Prophet when Allah inspired the angels, who He reinforced the believers with in the Battle of Badr, telling the angels: I am with you. aiding you with help and support, so strengthen the determination of the believers in fighting their enemy. I will cast great fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Strike then the necks of the disbelievers to kill them and hit their joints and limbs to hinder them from fighting.
[Remember] when your Lord inspired the angels, “I am with you6, so make firm the feet of those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. So strike their necks and strike all their limbs7.”
Notes
[6] Allah’s ‘special withness’ (ma‘iyyah khāssah) is by His support and aid.
[7] i.e., "all extremities,": their hands and feet.
(Remember) when your Lord revealed to the angels, "Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes."
When thy Lord inspired the angels, (saying): I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger.
Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): "I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them."
When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.
As Your Lord was revealing to the Angels, (saying), "I am with you; so make the ones who believe stand firm. I will soon cast into the hearts of the ones who have disbelieved horror; so strike above the necks, and strike every finger-tip of them."
"I was granted five that none before me was granted: I was granted victory through terror from a distance of one month's journey; the earth has been made for me a mosque and a means of purification, so any man from my Ummah who is caught up by the prayer should pray; the spoils of war have been…
So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure [their] bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allāh had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allāh - never will He waste their deeds.
We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allāh of which He had not sent down [any] authority. And their refuge will be the Fire, and wretched is the residence of the wrongdoers.
