Tafsir of Surah Al-Anfal - Verse 74

Believers in Truth

After Allah affirmed the ruling of loyalty and protection between the believers in this life, He then mentioned their destination in the Hereafter. Allah also affirmed the faith of the believers, just as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah, and that He will reward them with forgiveness and by erasing their sins, if they have any. He also promised them honorable provisions that are abundant, pure, everlasting and eternal; provisions that never end or run out, nor will they ever cause boredom, for they are delightful and come in great varieties. Allah then mentioned that those who follow the path of the believers in faith and performing good deeds, will be with them in the Hereafter. Just as Allah said,

وَالسَّـبِقُونَ الاٌّوَّلُونَ

(And the foremost to embrace Islam...) 9:100, until the end of the Ayah. He also said,

وَالَّذِينَ جَآءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ

(And those who came after them ...) 59:10.

A Hadith that is in the Two Sahihs, which is Mutawatir and has several authentic chains of narrations, mentions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَب»

(One will be in the company of those whom he loves.) Another Hadith states,

«مَنْ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا فَهُوَ مِنْهُم»

(He who loves a people is one of them), and in another narration, he said,

«حُشِرَ مَعَهُم»

(...will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).)

Inheritance is for Designated Degrees of Relatives

Allah said,

وَأُوْلُواْ الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَـبِ اللَّهِ

(But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah), meaning, in Allah's decision. This Ayah encompasses all relatives, not only the degrees of relative who do not have a fixed, designated share in the inheritance, as some people claim and use this Ayah to argue. According to Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others, this Ayah abrogated inheriting from those with whom one had ties of treaties or brotherhood, as was the case in the beginning of Islam. So it applies to all relatives, and as for those who do not inherit, then this is supported by the Hadith,

«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقَ حَقَّهُ فَلَا وَصِيَّةٍ لِوَارِث»

(Indeed Allah had alloted every right to the one who deserves it, so there may be no will for an heir.)

Therefore, this Ayah also includes those who have a fixed share of inheritance. Allah knows best.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal, all praise and thanks are for Allah, in Him we trust, and He is sufficient for us, what an excellent supporter He is.

Mentioned in the third verse (74) are words of praise for the Sahabah who emigrated from Makkah and for the Ansar of Madinah who helped them, as well as the attestation to their being true Muslims and the promise of forgiveness and respectable provision made to them. When it was said: أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا (those are the believers in truth), the hint given was in the direction that those who did not migrate were though Muslims, but their Islam was neither perfect, nor certain - because there existed the probability that they may really be hypocrites professing Islam only outwardly. After that, it was said: لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَ‌ةٌ (For them there is forgiveness) - as it has been explained in sound (Sahih) Ahadith: اَلاِسلَامُ یَھدِمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَہ (Islam demolishes what was before it) and: والھِجرَۃُ تَھدِمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَھَا (Hijrah razes what was before it). In short, this means that the act of becoming a Muslim goes on to demolish the entire edifice of past sins. Similarly, the making of Hijrah razes all past sins.

Having faith in God means deciding to lead one’s life purely for His sake. People who do so, frequently become strangers among those who live for things other than God. This alienation sometimes leads to the decision to migrate due to a wholly inimical atmosphere; one’s whole life thus becomes one of struggle and sacrifice. These migrants are the true believers in the eyes of God—their faith being of the highest order. Next come those who support these migrants in God’s cause. In order to become a real Muslim, at least one of the following courses of action should be entered upon. Either the potential devotee should attach himself to Islam to such an extent that, if required, he will forsake his well-established life. Or he should loosen his purse strings in order to come to the aid of those who choose to migrate. If necessary he should even invite them to share in his earnings and property. True faith will thus become a reality for people on their becoming either muhajirs (migrants in God’s cause) or ansars (helpers or supporters). These are the two kinds of people for whom, before God, there is pardon or forgiveness (maghfirah) and respectable sustenance (rizq karim). The Paradise of the Hereafter is an extremely refined world; it is a perfect world; and the people eligible to be settled in a perfect world should also be perfect. No human being can attain such perfection in view of human weaknesses. However, God has promised that one who fulfils one test out of the two tests mentioned above shall have allowances made for his shortcomings and, by His grace, will be sent to Paradise. Helping and supporting those who become brothers through religion is very important. However, this will not affect the rights of blood relations and the distribution of inheritance among them. Under the influence of personal desire, a man may treat some things as essential for his family members, but this has no importance in the eyes of God. However, God himself has laid down in His Book laws regarding the rights of family members and rules of inheritance applicable to them. These will in any case hold good, and nothing can become an excuse for violating them.