سورة الاٴنفَال
Surah Al-Anfâl 8:42
The Voluntary Gifts · Verse 42 of 75
إِذْ أَنْتُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَىٰ وَالرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدْتُمْ لَاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ ۙ وَلَٰكِنْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ ۗ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
Abdul Mannan Omar
When (on that day) you were on the nearer end (-the side nearer to Madînah of the valley of Badr) and those (of the hostile forces of disbelievers) were at its farther end (- the side which was farther from Madînah) and the caravan (of the Quraish from Syria) was on a level lower than yours (- towards the sea-coast). And had you made a mutual appointment beforehand (as to when and where to meet the foe) you would have differed with regard to the place and time of the appointment, (but the encounter did take place), that Allâh brought about that which was already decreed (by Him), so that he who had (already spiritually) perished on the altar of reason might perish (physically also), and he who has (already spiritually) come to life through a clear sign might live (physically also). Most surely, Allâh is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Remember ye were on the hither side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on lower ground than ye. Even if ye had made a mutual appointment to meet, ye would certainly have failed in the appointment: But (thus ye met), that Allah might accomplish a matter already enacted; that those who died might die after a clear Sign (had been given), and those who lived might live after a Clear Sign (had been given). And verily Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things).
Ahmed Ali
(That day) when you were at one end of the valley, (the unbelievers) at the other, and the caravan below you (on the lowland by the coast), you would surely have declined to fight if (the Makkans) had offered you battle. (But the battle did take place) that God may end the matter which had been accomplished, so that he who had to die may perish after a clear demonstration, and he who had to live may survive in the light of positive proof, for God hears all and knows everything.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
(Remember the day) when you were at the nearer end of the valley (of Badr on the Madinah side) and they were at the farther end and the caravan below you (on the coastal plain). If you had mutually made an appointment to meet for battle in such circumstances, indeed you would not have been able to hold to the appointment. But (God caused you to meet for battle in such circumstances) so that God might accomplish a thing that He had already decreed in order that he who was to perish should perish by a clear evidence (of his deserving perishing because he followed falsehood), and he who survived might survive by a clear evidence (of his deserving survival because of his devotion to the truth). Surely God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Daryabadi
And recall what time ye were on the hither side and they were on the yonder side and the caravan below you. And if ye had mutually appointed ye would surely have failed the appointment. But the action wao brought about in order that Allah may decree an affair already enacted, so that he who was to perish, should perish after an evidence and he who was to remain alive may remain alive after an evidence. And verily Allah is Hearing, Knowing.
Faridul Haque
When you were on the near bank and the disbelievers on the far bank, and the caravan below you; and had you made an agreement between one another, you would have failed to reach on the appointed time - but this is in order that Allah may complete a thing that must be done - that he who dies may die by a clear proof and he who lives may live by a clear proof; and indeed Allah is surely, All Hearing, All Knowing.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farther side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you. And if you had tried to make a mutual appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but -- in order that Allah might bring about a matter which had to be done; that he who perished by clear argument might perish, and he who lived by clear argument might live. And surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing:
Maulvi Sher Ali
When you were on the nearer bank of the Valley, and they were on the further bank, and the caravan was below you. And if you had to make an appointment between you, you would have certainly differed with regard to the time of the appointment. But the encounter was brought about without appointment that ALLAH might accomplish the thing that was decreed, so that he, who had already perished by a clear proof, should perish, and he, would had already come to life by a clear proof, should live. And certainly ALLAH is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Muhammad Asad
[Remember that day] when you were at the near end of the valley [of Badr], and they were at its farthest end, while the caravan was below you. And if you had known that a battle was to take place, you would indeed have refused to accept the challenge but [the battle was brought about none the less,] so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done, [and] that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth, and that he who would remain alive might live in clear evidence of the truth. And, behold, God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing.
Muhammad Musin Khan
(And remember) when you (the Muslim army) were on the near side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on the ground lower than you. Even if you had made a mutual appointment to meet, you would certainly have failed in the appointment, but (you met) that Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge); so that those who were to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i.e. believers) might live after a clear evidence. And surely, Allah is All- Hearer, All-Knower.
Muhammad Pickthall
When ye were on the near bank (of the valley) and they were on the yonder bank, and the caravan was below you (on the coast plain). And had ye trysted to meet one another ye surely would have failed to keep the tryst, but (it happened, as it did, without the forethought of either of you) that Allah might conclude a thing that must be done; that he who perished (on that day) might perish by a clear proof (of His Sovereignty) and he who survived might survive by a clear proof (of His Sovereignty). Lo! Allah in truth is Hearer, Knower.
Muhammad Sarwar
Recall when your army was positioned at the less defensible brink of the valley, (the pagans') army had the more defensible higher side of the valley and the caravan was led (out of your reach) below. This situation did not take place according to your previous plans, otherwise, everything would have been different. (It was God's plan ) to place you in a vulnerable position, exposed to the enemy and it was His plan to lead the caravan out of your reach) so that His decree that you would be granted a victory by a miracle would become a doubtless fact and so that those who were to be destroyed would face destruction with a clear knowledge of the Truth and those who were to survive would also survive with a clear knowledge of the Truth. God is All-hearing and All-knowing.
Muhammed ali Shakir
When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farthest side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you; and if you had mutually made an appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but-- in order that Allah might bring about a matter which was to be done, that he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof; and most surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing;
Rashad Khalifa
Recall that you were on this side of the valley, while they were on the other side. Then their caravan had to move to lower ground. Had you planned it this way, you could not have done it. But GOD was to carry out a predetermined matter, whereby those destined to be annihilated were annihilated for an obvious reason, and those destined to be saved were saved for an obvious reason. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.
Shabbir Ahmed
Remember you were on this, (the Madinah)side of the Valley (of Badr), and they were on the farther (Makkah) side of the Valley. And the caravan of the Makkans was on lower ground than you (proceeding south along the low western coast, from Syria to Makkah). Had you attacked the caravan, it would not have accomplished God’s will on a matter already decided, that those who died may die after a clear sign, and those who lived may live after a clear sign. He wanted you to have a decisive victory over the hostile army. God has decreed that the truth shall live and falsehood shall vanish. God is Hearer, Knower.
Commentary 8:42 The verse gives a graphic picture of the position of the different parties at Badr.
إِذْ أَنتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوَىٰ وَالرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لَاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ ۙ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَيَّ عَن بَيِّنَةٍ ۗ
8:42 The verse gives a graphic picture of the position of the different parties at Badr.