8. [al-Anfal, Medina 88, after Badr 2H]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الأَرْضِ...   

8: 67.  It is not fitting for an Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he hath thoroughly subdued the land.

C1234. An ordinary war may be for territory or trade, revenge or military glory, -all "temporal goods of this world."

Such a war is condemned. But a Jihad is fought under strict conditions laid down by Islam, and solely for the cause of Allah. All baser motives, therefore are strictly excluded. The greed of gain in the shape of ransom from captives has no place in such warfare. (R).

At the same time, if there has been heavy loss of life already, captives may be taken, and it would be for the Imam to exercise his discretion as to the time when it was safe to release them, and whether the release should be free or on parole or on a fine by way of punishment.

Destruction and slaughter, however repugnant to a gentle soul like that of Muhammad, were inevitable where evil tried to suppress the good. Even Jesus, whose mission was more limited, had to say: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace but a sword." (Matt. 10:34).

Seventy captives were taken at Badr, and it was decided to take ransom for them. While the general principle of fighting for the purpose of taking captives in order to get their ransom is condemned, the particular action in this case was approved in verses 68-71.

...تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَاللّهُ يُرِيدُ الآخِرَةَ...

Ye look for the temporal goods of this world;

but Allah looketh to the hereafter;

...وَاللّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿٦٧﴾

and Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

Asad’s Version:

8: 67 It is not fitting for an Apostle that he should have prisoners of war until he has thoroughly subdued that land. You look for temporal goods of this world; but God looks to the Hereafter: and God is Exalted in might, Wise.

[asad note 72…………therefore, the acquisition of a slave by “peaceful” means, and the keeping of a slave thus acquired, is entirely prohibited: which, to all practical purposes, amounts to a prohibition of slavery as a “ social institution”. But even with regard to captives taken in a war, the Quran ordains [in 47: 4] that they should be freed after the war is over.]