184 Page Notes

08 Surah Al-Anfal (continued)

Page 184 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

8:53

8:54

8:55

8:56

8:57

8:58

8:59

8:60

8:61

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 184 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 184 of the Quran encompasses Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter 8), verses 53 through 61.

This section covers vital geopolitical rules, treaty laws, military preparation, and the ultimate pursuit of peace. It explores why nations fall from grace, how the Prophet (ﷺ) was instructed to handle consistent treaty violators, and concludes with a definitive command regarding the balance between military readiness and accepting a declaration of peace.

1. Hadiths Related to Verse 53 (How Blessings Change)

"That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is in themselves..."

This verse states a universal spiritual law: Allah does not strip individuals or civilizations of their peace, security, or wealth arbitrarily. Blessings are only lost when a people systematically swap gratitude and morality for arrogance and sin.

The Sunnah maps out this internal decay, explaining how hearts shift to the point that a community changes its core values, triggering a loss of divine favor.

Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Zuhd, Hadith 2306:

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When a believer commits a sin, a black spot is engraved on his heart. If he repents, asks for forgiveness, and leaves the sin, his heart is polished. But if he increases his sins, the black spots increase until they cover his entire heart. That is the 'Ran' (rust) which Allah mentioned in the Quran: 'No! Rather, the rust of what they used to earn has covered their hearts.'"

2. Hadiths Related to Verses 55–58 (Handling Treason and Breached Treaties)

"Indeed, the worst of living creatures in the sight of Allah are those who have disbelieved... Ones with whom you made a treaty but then they break their pledge every time..." (Verses 55–56)

"If you fear treachery from a people, throw back [their treaty] to them on equal terms..." (Verse 58)

These verses explicitly address the treacherous political landscape in Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) had signed non-aggression treaties with several local factions, particularly the Jewish tribe of Banu Qaynuqa and later Banu Nadheer. Despite these agreements, these groups repeatedly leaked intelligence to the pagan Quraysh, weaponized poetry against Muslim women, and ultimately attempted to assassinate the Prophet (ﷺ).

Verse 58 provides a strict law of statecraft: if a leader has overwhelming intelligence proving an allied party is planning treachery, they cannot launch a surprise attack. They must explicitly inform the other party that the treaty is officially terminated ("throw back their treaty to them on equal terms").

The Practice of Dissolving Treaties

The Sunnah demonstrates the meticulous care taken by the Companions to avoid violating this rule. Decades later, a companion stopped a Muslim ruler from launching a pre-emptive strike against an empire before their peace treaty had legally expired.

**Jamiat-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Jihad, Hadith 1580 (Authenticated by Al-Albani):** Sulaym binAmir narrated: "There was a peace treaty between Mu'awiyah and the Romans. Mu'awiyah was marching his army toward their territory so that the moment the treaty period expired, he could attack them instantly. A companion named 'Amr bin 'Abasah came riding on a horse, shouting: 'Allah is Almighty! Keep your promise and do not practice treachery!' Mu'awiyah called him over to explain. 'Amr said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Whoever has a treaty between him and a people, let him not tighten a knot nor untie it (i.e., don't break or alter it) until its term has passed, or he throws it back to them on equal terms.”’ Hearing this, Mu'awiyah immediately ordered his entire army to turn around and return home."

3. Hadiths Related to Verse 60 (Deterrence and Military Strength)

"And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy..."

This verse forms the bedrock of Islamic military doctrine: peace through strength. To prevent wars and discourage tyrants from invading a peaceful state, the community is commanded to maintain high military readiness and deterrence capability.

The Prophetic Definition of "Power" (Quwwah)

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) explicitly defined what the word "power" meant for his era in a famous sermon, highlighting that technological proficiency and projectile accuracy are paramount.

Sahih Muslim, Book 33, Hadith 76:

Uqbah ibn Amir reported: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say while he was standing on the pulpit: 'And prepare against them whatever you are able of power. Behold! Verily, power is shooting! Behold! Verily, power is shooting! Behold! Verily, power is shooting!''

In his time, this referred to archery; by extension, the Sunnah establishes that Muslims must always stay proficient in the advanced defensive technologies of their respective eras to act as an effective deterrent against aggression.

4. Hadiths Related to Verse 61 (The Mandate for Peace)

"And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing."

This verse places an absolute boundary on warfare. If an opposing nation genuinely seeks a ceasefire or a peace treaty, the Muslim state is legally obligated to accept it and halt hostilities, even if they suspect the enemy might have ulterior motives.

The Peace Treaty of Hudaybiyyah

The grandest implementation of this verse occurred at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (6 AH). The Meccans offered a peace treaty containing conditions that appeared heavily biased against the Muslims. Many companions, including Umar ibn al-Khattab, were deeply upset and felt the terms were humiliating. However, because the enemy was inclining to peace, the Prophet (ﷺ) strictly followed Verse 61 and signed the treaty.

Sahih al-Bukhari, Book 54, Hadith 2731:

Al-Bara bin Azib narrated: "When the Prophet (ﷺ) made the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Ali ibn Abi Talib wrote the document. He wrote: 'This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has agreed upon.' The polytheists objected, saying: 'If we accepted that you were the Messenger of Allah, we wouldn't have fought you! Write your name as Muhammad bin Abdullah.' The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered Ali to erase it. Ali said: 'By Allah, I will never erase your title!' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took the document himself, erased it with his own hand, and wrote 'Muhammad bin Abdullah.'"

The Prophet accepted every difficult condition because he valued the ceasefire over pride. This treaty allowed Islam to spread rapidly through peaceful dialogue, proving to be the greatest political victory of his lifetime.