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

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلاَلاً طَيِّبًا وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ...   

8: 69.  But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good:

but fear Allah:

C1236. Enjoy: literally, eat. See 7:19. n. 1004, and 5:66, n. 776.

...إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٦٩﴾

for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُل لِّمَن فِي أَيْدِيكُم مِّنَ الأَسْرَى...   

8: 70.  O Prophet! say to those who are captives in your hands:

...إِن يَعْلَمِ اللّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ خَيْرًا يُؤْتِكُمْ خَيْرًا مِّمَّا أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ...

"If Allah findeth any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you:

...وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿٧٠﴾

for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Transliteration Ya_ ayyuhannabiyyuqulliman fi aidikumminalasra_, iyya'lamilla_hu fi qulu_bikumkhairayyu'tikumkhairammimma_ ukhizaminkumwayagfirlakum, walla_hugafu_rurrahim(un).

Other Versions:

8: 69

Asad

Pickthall Now enjoy what ye have won, as lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Transliteration Fakulu_ mimma_ ganimtumhala_lantayyiba_(w), wattaqulla_h(a), innalla_hagafu_rurrahim(un).

8:70

Asad [Hence,] O Prophet, say unto the captives who are in your hands: “If God finds any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than all that has been taken away from you, and will forgive you your sins: for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.” [note 74]

Pickthall O Prophet, Say unto those captives who are in your hands: If Allah knoweth any good in your hearts He will give you better than that which hath been taken from you, and will forgive you. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

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Ali’s comments:

C1237. This is a consolation to the prisoners of war. In spite of their previous hostility, Allah will forgive them in His mercy if there was any good in their hearts, and confer upon them a far higher gift than anything they have ever lost. This gift in its highest sense would be the blessing of Islam, but even in a material sense, there was great good fortune awaiting them, e.g., in the case of Abbas (see n. 1235).

Note how comprehensive is Allah's care. He encourages and strengthens the Muslims, at the same time condemning any baser motives that may have entered their minds, He consoles the prisoners of war and promises them better things if there is any good in them at all. And He offers comfort to those who have left their homes in His Cause, and knits them into closer fellowship with those who have helped them and sympathized with them.