Surah Al-Anfal is one of the Mathani given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Gospel. It is “the surah of Badr”, revealed about the fighters of Badr, and Uthman joined it to Bara’ah among the seven long ones, without the basmalah between them, since their stories are alike. It is reported that at Al-Qadisiyyah the Muslims recited it facing the enemy and found tranquillity.
The Prophet ﷺ said he was given the Mathani in place of the Gospel, and Ibn Abbas said to Uthman: “Al-Anfal, which is one of the Mathani”. The Mathani are the surahs of fewer than a hundred verses that are not part of the Mufassal.
Good (hasan)At-Tayalisi (Musnad, 1012) and Ahmad (Al-Musnad, 4/107) Authentic (sahih)Abu Dawud (786), At-Tirmidhi (3086) and Al-Hakim
Uthman explained that Al-Anfal was among the first revealed in Medina and Bara’ah among the last, that their stories were alike, and that he placed them among the seven long ones without writing the basmalah between them. Az-Zarkashi notes that they used to count Al-Anfal and Bara’ah as one surah.
Authentic (sahih)Abu Dawud (786), At-Tirmidhi (3086) and Al-Hakim
Revealed about the Battle of Badr and its fighters, and called “the surah of Badr” by Ibn Abbas, it recounts the events of this decisive battle and the tidings of victory, and sets out the laws of victory and defeat.
It is reported, in the accounts of the Battle of Al-Qadisiyyah, that Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas had Al-Anfal recited before the battalions: hearts were gladdened and found tranquillity; Mus’ab ibn Sa’d said its recitation was a Sunnah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting it when advancing on the enemy.
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
أعطيت مكان التوراة السبع الطوال، ومكان الزبور المئين، ومكان الإنجيل المثاني، وفضِّلت بالمفصل
“I was given the seven long ones in place of the Torah, the Mi’un in place of the Psalms, the Mathani in place of the Gospel, and I was favoured with the Mufassal.”
قلت لعثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه: ما حملكم أن عمدتم إلى براءة وهي من المئين، وإلى الأنفال وهي من المثاني فجعلتموهما في السبع الطوال، ولم تكتبوا بينهما سطر بسم اللّه الرحمن الرحيم؟ قال عثمان: … وكانت الأنفال من أول ما نزل عليه بالمدينة، وكانت براءة من آخر ما نزل من القرآن، وكانت قصتها شبيهة بقصتها فظنت أنها منها، فمن هناك وضعتهما في السبع الطوال ولم أكتب بينهما سطر بسم اللّه الرحمن الرحيم
Ibn Abbas said to Uthman ibn Affan: “What led you to take Bara’ah, which is one of the Mi’un, and Al-Anfal, which is one of the Mathani, and place them among the seven long ones without writing between them the line ‘In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy’?” Uthman said: “… Al-Anfal was among the first revealed to him in Medina and Bara’ah among the last of the Qur’an to be revealed; their content was similar, and I thought it belonged to it. That is why I placed them among the seven long ones and did not write that line between them.”
Main purpose: To remind the believers of Allah’s favour in granting them victory at Badr, and to set out the laws of victory and defeat.
Al-Anfal, entirely Medinan according to the preferred view, is the eighth surah of the Qur’an, with 75 verses (Kufan count). It is named after the spoils (al-anfal) it discusses; Ibn Abbas called it “the surah of Badr”, and Al-Biqa’i lists among its names “the surah of Jihad”. Al-Bukhari reports from Ibn Abbas that it was revealed at Badr, and Ubadah ibn as-Samit said: “It was revealed about us, the people of Badr, when we disagreed over the spoils: Allah took them out of our hands and gave them to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
Tafsir of Surah Al-Anfal Listen to Al-Anfal by other reciters
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
