[Remember, O Muḥammad], when Allāh showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and would have disputed in the matter [of whether to fight], but Allāh saved [you from that]. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
Verse 43 of Surah Al-Anfal (8:43), a Medinan surah, is in juz 10, on page 182 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 43 of Surah Al-Anfal
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Tafsir of verse 43
Al-Mukhtasar
Remember, O Messenger, Allah’s favour upon you, and upon the believers, when He showed you a dream in which the idolaters were few in number. You informed the believers about this and they took it as a good sign, and their determination to face the enemy in battle was strengthened. If Allah had shown the idolaters to you to be many, the determination of your Companions would have become weak and they would have become afraid of fighting. But Allah saved you all from that and protected them from losing courage. He therefore made them seem few in number in the eye of His Messenger (peace be upon him). He knows what the hearts contain and what the souls hide.
[Remember] when Allah showed them to you in your dream as few in number; if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and disputed in the matter. But Allah spared you [of that], for He is All-Knowing of what is in the hearts.
(And remember) when Allâh showed them to you as few in your (i.e. Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم) dream; if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allâh saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.
When Allah showed them unto thee (O Muhammad) in thy dream as few in number, and if He had shown them to thee as many, ye (Muslims) would have faltered and would have quarrelled over the affair. But Allah saved (you). Lo! He knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).
Remember in thy dream Allah showed them to thee as few: if He had shown them to thee as many, ye would surely have been discouraged, and ye would surely have disputed in (your) decision; but Allah saved (you): for He knoweth well the (secrets) of (all) hearts.
When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts.
As Allah showed you them in your sleeping as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you would indeed have been disheartened, and you would indeed have contended together about the Command; but Allah saved (i.e., handed you victory) (you). Surely He is Ever-Knowing of the inmost (thoughts) in the breasts (Literally: what the breasts own).
And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they were doing.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
Unquestionably, they [i.e., the disbelievers] turn away their breasts to hide themselves from him. Unquestionably, [even] when they cover themselves in their clothing, He [i.e., Allāh] knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
If you disbelieve - indeed, Allāh is Free from need of you. And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are grateful, He approves [i.e., likes] it for you; and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you about what you used to do. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
Or do they say, "He has invented about Allāh a lie"? But if Allāh willed, He could seal over your heart. And Allāh eliminates falsehood and establishes the truth by His words. Indeed, He is Knowing of that within the breasts.
