Sūrat al-Anfāl
Section 17 of 17 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Twenty Against Two Hundred
And there is one more verse to point out, which is verse 65.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ حَرِّضِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقِتَالِ ۚ إِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَـٰبِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفًا مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ
“O Prophet, rouse the believers to fighting. If there are twenty among you, who are patient, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one hundred among you, they will overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand.” (8:65)
Initially the position was that Allah tells them in yakun minkum ʿishrūna ṣābirūna yaghlibū miʾatayn: if there are but twenty of you, with great perseverance, you may take on a force ten times your size. Twenty may overcome a force of two hundred. And He gives another instance: if you are a hundred, you may deal with a thousand.
ٱلْـَٔـٰنَ خَفَّفَ ٱللَّهُ عَنكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضَعْفًا ۚ فَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُم مِّا۟ئَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا۟ مِا۟ئَتَيْنِ ۚ وَإِن يَكُن مِّنكُمْ أَلْفٌ يَغْلِبُوٓا۟ أَلْفَيْنِ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“Now Allah has lightened your burden, and He knew that there is weakness in you. So, if there are one hundred among you, who are patient, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one thousand among you, they will overcome two thousand by the will of Allah. Allah is with the patient.” (8:66)
But then: al-āna khaffafa Allāhu ʿankum. Allah (swt) has now lightened it for you. The position had been that if the Muslims had to face an enemy ten times their size, it was obligatory for them to fight, and they were not permitted to withdraw — for every army has its own laws as to when one retreats and when one withdraws. So He says that if it were ten times your size, you must still go forward. But then Allah says: no, now We have made it easier for you. Fa-in yakun minkum miʾatun ṣābiratun yaghlibū miʾatayn: now, if you are a hundred, you may overcome two hundred. So if they are double your size, you must fight; but if they are beyond double your size, you are not obliged to fight.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَـٰيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ ۚ وَإِنِ ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَـٰقٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
“Surely those who believed and emigrated and carried out Jihād in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives, and those who gave refuge and help (to the emigrants), both are close friends to each other. And those who believed and did not emigrate, you have no friendship with them at all, unless they emigrate. However, if they seek your help in the matter of faith, then, you are bound to help, except against a people with whom you have a treaty. Allah is watchful over what you do.” (8:72)
Then the sūrah closes by speaking of the many virtues of those who took part in the migration — who believed, who migrated, who strove with their wealth and their persons in the path of Allah — and of those who supported Allah and His Messenger; and everyone is included, and their rewards are mentioned. And with that the discussion ends.
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* Kept as said. He says that Allah addresses the believers with yā ayyuhā alladhīna āmanū six times in this sūrah and then sets out five: verses 15, 20, 24, 29 and 27. The sixth he does not name.