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Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)

Verse 67of 75

مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ﴿٦٧

Translation (Sahih International)

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah 's enemies] in the land. Some Muslims desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

Word-by-word meaning

مَاNot
كَانَkānais
لِنَبِىٍّlinabiyyinfor a Prophet
أَنanthat
يَكُونَyakūna(there) should be
لَهُۥٓlahufor him
أَسْرَىٰasrāprisoners of war
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
يُثْخِنَyuth'khinahe has battled strenuously
فِىin
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚl-arḍithe land
تُرِيدُونَturīdūnaYou desire
عَرَضَʿaraḍa(the) commodities
ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yā(of) the world
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahubut Allah
يُرِيدُyurīdudesires
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۗl-ākhirata(for you) the Hereafter
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
عَزِيزٌʿazīzun(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌۭḥakīmunAll-Wise

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Prophet asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying,«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُم»(Allah has made you prevail above them.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks,' but the Prophet turned away from him.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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