• Steadfastness and Unity enjoined

• Enemy demonstrated a show of its strength

• False hopes given by Satan.

Al-Anfaal Verses 45 – 48

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَٱثْبُتُوا۟ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“O’ ye who believe! when ye meet a party (the contingent of the infidels) then be firm, and remember God much1, that ye be successful.” (8:45)

وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَـٰزَعُوا۟ فَتَفْشَلُوا۟ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

“And obey ye God and His Apostle (Muhammad) and quarrel2ye not, for then ye will be weakened in heart, and will depart your power and be patient; Verily God is with the patient ones.” (8:46)

وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بَطَرًا وَرِئَآءَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

“And3be ye not like those who got out from their homes boastfully to be seen of men and (yet) who obstruct others from the way of God; and verily God encompasseth what they do.” (8:47)

وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ وَإِنِّى جَارٌ لَّكُمْ فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَتِ ٱلْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّنكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰ مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱللَّهُ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

“And (remember) when made Satan seem alluring to them their (sinful) deeds and said (unto them) “None among men shall triumph over you today, while I am a protector for you,” but when the two parties came in sight of each other, he turned upon his heels and said: “Verily I disassociate (myself) from you; Verily, I see what ye see not; and Verily God is severe in punishment.” (8:48)

Commentary

Verse 47

On the day of Badr, Satan appeared in the garb of Suraqah Ibn Harith and shook hands with Harith Ibn Hisham and had instigated and encouraged the infidels towards the battle and when Satan saw the angels he fled away. When the Muslims returned to Madina they condemned Suraqah, but he swore he never stepped out of Madina and later when Suraqah embraced Islam, it was disclosed that it was Satan who had that day appeared in the form of Suraqah.

Verses 48 & 49

Some Meccans had embraced Islam in Mecca but for want of proper conviction in their faith, they had not migrated to Madina, and when the Meccans marched for the Battle of Badr, they accompanied the heathens saying that they would join the party which might seem to them as larger. The Muslims numbered only 313. Hence, they stayed away with the infidels. This verse refers to the people’s conduct.

• 1. This indicates that (jehad) is one of the devotional rites which needs the (‘Neeyat al-Qurbat’). Refer to note to verses 8:45 3:12, 8:66.
• 2. Outcome of the disobedience to God and the Holy Prophet.
• 3. The Holy Prophet said: I am not afraid of my followers becoming open polytheists (Shirk al-jali), but I am afraid of their becoming victims of the Shirk al-Khafi i.e. the hidden polytheism of ‘Ria’ - i.e. doing good for show and not for God. Another tradition says, ‘Shirk’ in my followers is more concealed than the movement of the black ant on a black rock in a dark night.