And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allāh are [all] matters returned.
Verse 44 of Surah Al-Anfal (8:44), 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 44 of Surah Al-Anfal
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Tafsir of verse 44
Al-Mukhtasar
Remember, O believers, when Allah showed the idolaters to you, when you met them, as few and made you bravely go forward towards fighting them; and He made you seem few in their eyes, so that they came forward to fight you, without thinking of leaving. This was so that Allah could bring about a matter that was predetermined by taking retribution from the idolaters by them being killed or taken prisoners, and by favouring the believers with victory and defeat of their enemies. All matters are returned to Allah alone and He will repay the one who does evil for his wrongdoing and the one who does good for his good deeds.
And [remember] when you met, He made them appear as few in your eyes, and made you appear as few in their eyes, so that Allah may accomplish what was already decreed. And to Allah will return all matters.
And (remember) when you met (the army of the disbelievers on the Day of the battle of Badr), He showed them to you as few in your eyes and He made you appear as few in their eyes, so that Allâh might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge), and to Allâh return all matters (for decision).
And when He made you (Muslims), when ye met (them), see them with your eyes as few, and lessened you in their eyes, (it was) that Allah might conclude a thing that must be done. Unto Allah all things are brought back.
And remember when ye met, He showed them to you as few in your eyes, and He made you appear as contemptible in their eyes: that Allah might accomplish a matter already enacted. For to Allah do all questions go back (for decision).
And when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes and He made you to appear little in their eyes, in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, and to Allah are all affairs returned.
And as He showed you them in your eyes as few, as you encountered, and made you few in their eyes, that Allah might decree a Command that was to be performed, and to Allah all Commands are returned.
Verse 44 word by word
وَإِذْwa-idhAnd when
يُرِيكُمُوهُمْyurīkumūhumHe showed them to youر أ ي
Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met [in combat at Badr] - one fighting in the cause of Allāh and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allāh supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it was] so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
Do they await but that Allāh should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels [as well] and the matter is [then] decided? And to Allāh [all] matters are returned.
