سورة الاٴنفَال
Surah Al-Anfâl 8:43
The Voluntary Gifts · Verse 43 of 75
إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا ۖ وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ سَلَّمَ ۗ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
Abdul Mannan Omar
(Prophet! recall the time) when Allâh showed these (disbelievers) to you in your dream to be only a few, and had He shown them to you as many (O believers!) you would surely have been demoralised and would have disputed one with another about the matter (of waging war), but Allâh saved (you). Indeed, He has the best knowledge of that which is in (your) hearts.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Remember in thy dream Allah showed them to thee as few: if He had shown them to thee as many, ye would surely have been discouraged, and ye would surely have disputed in (your) decision; but Allah saved (you): for He knoweth well the (secrets) of (all) hearts.
Ahmed Ali
God showed (the Makkans) to be few in your dream, for if He had shown them to be many you would surely have lost courage and disagreed about the (wisdom) of the battle. But God spared you this, for He surely knows what is in the hearts of men.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
(And recall, O Messenger) when God showed them to you in your dream as few. If He had showed them to you as numerous (as they really were), you (O believers) would surely have lost heart, and would surely have disagreed with one another about the matter. But God saved (you from that). God surely has full knowledge of what lies hidden in the bosoms.
Daryabadi
And recall what time Allah shewed them few unto thee in thy dream. And had He shewn them numerous unto thee, surely ye would have flagged and surely ye would have disputed over the affair but Allah saved you. Verily He is the Knower of that which is in the breasts.
Faridul Haque
When O dear Prophet, Allah used to show the disbelievers in your dream as only a few *; and O Muslims, had He shown them to you as many, you would have certainly lost courage and disputed over the affair, but Allah rescued (you); indeed He knows what lies within the hearts. (* They numbered more but their actual strength was equal to only a few.)
Maulana Muhammad Ali
When Allah showed them to thee in thy dream as few -- and if He had shown them to thee as many, you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you). Surely He is Knower of what is in the breasts.
Maulvi Sher Ali
When ALLAH showed them to thee in thy dream as few and if HE had shown them to thee as many, you would certainly have faltered and would have disagreed with one another about the matter; but ALLAH saved you. Surely, HE has full knowledge of what is in your breasts.
Muhammad Asad
Lo! God showed them to thee in a dream as few for, had He shown them to you as many, you would surely have lost heart, and would surely have disagreed with one another about what to do. But God saved [you from this]: verily, He has full knowledge of what is the hearts [of men].
Muhammad Musin Khan
(And remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your (i.e. Muhammad's SAW) dream, if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allah saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.
Muhammad Pickthall
When Allah showed them unto thee (O Muhammad) in thy dream as few in number, and if He had shown them to thee as many, ye (Muslims) would have faltered and would have quarrelled over the affair. But Allah saved (you). Lo! He knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).
Muhammad Sarwar
In your dream, God showed (the pagans' army) as being only a few in number, for if He had showed them as a great number, you would have lost courage and would have started to quarrel among yourselves concerning this matter. But God saved you from that condition; He knows what is in your hearts.
Muhammed ali Shakir
When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts.
Rashad Khalifa
GOD made them appear in your dream (O Muhammad) fewer in number. Had He made them appear more numerous, you would have failed, and you would have disputed among yourselves. But GOD saved the situation. He is Knower of the innermost thoughts.
Shabbir Ahmed
God made them few in your vision. Had He made them appear more numerous (and you got intimidated by their great numbers), you would have been discouraged. And you would have disputed among yourselves (whether fighting them at Badr was a good idea). But God saved you from faltering. He is fully Aware of what is in the hearts.
Commentary 8:43 On his way to Badr the Holy Prophet (pbuh) saw in a dream that the pagan Makkan army was less in number than was truly the case (Jarîr, Kathîr, Râzî). The…
إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا ۖ وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَّفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ سَلَّمَ ۗ
8:43 On his way to Badr the Holy Prophet (pbuh) saw in a dream that the pagan Makkan army was less in number than was truly the case (Jarîr, Kathîr, Râzî). The enemy, as a battle tactic, had kept one third of their number hidden behind a hillock so that at the time of their encounter, the Muslims perceived them as less than their real number.