8:1  They ask you about the spoils [of war]. Say, “The spoils belong to Allah and the Messenger. Therefore, be conscious of Allah, and make whole what you together embody between yourselves and obey Allah and HIS Messenger if you are believers.”

8:2  The believers are only those whose hearts turn timidly pliant whenever Allah is cited. And when HIS verses are recited to them, they add to their faith; and on their Rabb, they rely—

8:3  The ones who maintain the [daily] Prayer for anchor and spend [in God’s way] from what WE have provided as sustenance for them.

8:4  Those are the believers, truly. For them are ranks with their Rabb, and forgiveness, and a generous sustenance—

8:5  Likewise, your Rabb brought you out from your home in [the cause of] the Truth, while indeed, a party among the believers were categorically averse,

8:6  arguing with you about the Truth after what had unfolded before them. [They behaved] as if they were being driven towards death, head-on.

8:7  And [remember] when Allah was promising you one of the two groups—that it would be yours— and you were longing that other than the well-armed one would be yours. While Allah was intending that HE validates the Truth with HIS pronouncements and that HE cuts off the roots of the disbelievers—

8:8  in order that HE validates the Truth and invalidates falsehood— even if the flouters of divine guidance be averse.

8:9  When you were pleading with your Rabb, HE responded to you, “Indeed! I am your augmenter— with a thousand angels, complementing.

8:10  And Allah made it not except a good tiding, and that your hearts may gain solace with it. Whereas the victory is only from Allah. Surely, Allah is almighty, all-wise.

8:11  [And remember] when HE was wrapping you in that deep sleep, under security from HIM, while HE was sending down water from the heavens upon you, to purify you with it, and to rinse away the pestilence of Satan from you, and to strengthen your hearts and steady your feet.

8:12  When your Rabb was inspiring the angels, “I am with you. So, give steadfastness to those who have embraced Faith. I shall cast terror in the hearts of those who disbelieve, so disable their senses, and disable each finger of theirs.”

8:13  That because they breached Allah and HIS Messenger. Whoever breaches Allah and HIS Messenger— Of certain, Allah is firm of requital.

8:14  Thus, it is. So, taste it. And that for the disbelievers is a punishment of the fire.

8:15  O you who have embraced Faith, when you encounter those who disbelieve, advancing in battle, then do not turn your backs to them [in flight].

8:16  Whoever turns his back to them on that day, except to change formation during battle, or to regroup with other troops, he will indeed have incurred the indignation of Allah. His shelter is Jahannam. And wretched is the destination.

8:17  You did not slay them, but it was Allah— HE slew them. You did not throw [at them] when you threw, but it was Allah—HE threw. And [it was to be] so HE could try the believers, with a well-rewarding test from HIM. Behold! Allah is all-hearing, ever knowing.

8:18  Thus, it is. Allah is the ONE WHO renders weak, the scheming of the disbelievers.

8:19  If you were seeking a breakthrough— the breakthrough has indeed come. If you desist, that would be better for you and if you repeat, WE shall repeat. And your troops, even if they are many, will never avail you in any way. And certain is that Allah is with the believers.

8:20  O you who have embraced Faith, obey Allah and HIS Messenger, and do turn away from him while you can hear him.

8:21  And be not like those who say, “We heard,” while they do not pay attention.

8:22  Verily, the worst of the creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb—those who do not care to use their faculty of reason.

8:23  If Allah had seen any good in them, HE indeed would have made them hear. If HE were to make them hear they would still turn away. They are shunners.

8:24  O you who have embraced Faith, respond to Allah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives life to you, and know that Allah interposes between a man and his heart and [know] that unto HIM you will be gathered.

8:25  Navigate conscientiously through a distracting tribulation—it does not exclusively afflict only the unjust amongst you. And know that Allah is firm of requital.

8:26  Remember when you were few and considered weak in the land, and you feared that mere men could sweep you away, HE gave you shelter and aided you with HIS help and sustained you with the pristine [and wholesome] things—to enable you to be grateful.

8:27  O you who have embraced Faith, do not betray Allah and the Messenger and [do not as well] knowingly betray the trust reposed in you.

8:28  And know that your wealth and your children are a false prize and that Allah— [only] with HIM is a transcendent reward.

8:29  O you who have embraced Faith, if you remain conscious of Allah, HE will grant you a moral differentiation and will erase your misdeeds from you and forgive you. Allah is the owner of the transcendent Grace.

8:30  And [remember] when the ones who had disbelieved [secretly] plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or expel you. While they plot, Allah plans [too]. Allah is the best of the planners [foiling all plotters].

8:31  Whenever OUR verses are recited to them, they have said, “We have already heard this. If we were to will so, we could say [something] like this. This here is nothing except fables of the earlier peoples.”

8:32  And [remember] when they said [defiantly], “O Allah if this here be the Truth from YOU, then rain stones upon us from the sky, or award us an agonizing punishment.”

8:33  Allah was not ever to punish them while you were amongst them, and Allah is not ever their punisher while they seek forgiveness.

8:34  Whereas what is there for them [as redemption] that Allah should not punish them while they hinder [others] from the inviolable house of worship. They were not ever its guardians. Its guardians are none except the God-conscious, but most of them know not.

8:35  Their ritual prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and clapping. So, taste the punishment because you were disbelieving.

8:36  The ones who have disbelieved, they spend their wealth to hinder others from the pathway of Allah. Thus, what they spend shall soon become [the source of] their regret; then they shall be overcome. And those who disbelieved will be gathered unto Jahannam.

8:37  So that Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good, and that HE may stack the wicked, one upon another, to make a heap of them all, to place it in Jahannam. They are those who squandered it all.

8:38  Say to those who have disbelieved, if they desist, what has already passed will be forgiven for them. And if they revert, the precedent of the earlier peoples has already taken place.

8:39  And fight them until there is no persecution, and the religion, all of it, is for Allah. Thereupon, if they desist, then surely Allah is all-seeing of what they do.

8:40  And if they turn away, know that Allah is your Protector— the best protector and the best helper.

8:41  And know that of anything which you take in as spoils of war, one fifth of it is for Allah and for the Messenger, and for the close of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer— if you believe in Allah and what WE sent down upon OUR devotee on the Day of Differentiation— a day the two mustered forces came face to face. And Allah is in control over all things and their measure.

8:42  [Remember] when you were on the near side [of the divide] and they were on the far side, and the caravan was below you [in the valley]. And even if had you had committed, you certainly would have reneged from the tryst. But [you fought them], so Allah could bring to conclusion a matter destined for resolution: that he who was destroyed be destroyed, per telling evidence, and he who lived be alive, per telling evidence. Behold! Allah is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing.

8:43  [Remember] when Allah showed them as being few in your dream. And if HE had shown them to you as being many, you [believers] would surely have lost heart, and you would have just as surely disputed over the undertaking. But Allah had granted safety. Indeed, HE is ever knowing of the bosoms’ inner holdings.

8:44  And when HE showed them to you—when you met— through your eyes as being few, and HE minimized you in their eyes, so Allah may conclude a matter which was destined for its fulfilment. And unto Allah are all matters bound to return.

8:45  O you who have embraced Faith, when you meet up with an army [of the enemy], stay firm of footing and remember Allah much, to enable you to attain success.

8:46  Obey Allah and HIS Messenger, and do not be contentious, lest you become disheartened, and your spirit deserts you. And persevere. Hearken! Allah is with the persevering.

8:47  And do not be like those who set out from their homes boastfully, staging a show for people, while they [were on a mission to] hinder [others] from the pathway of Allah. Allah forever encompasses whatsoever they do.

8:48  And Satan made their doings pleasing to them. He said, “No one can overcome you today, and I will indeed attach to you. But when the forces faced each other, he turned on his heels and said, “I absolve myself of all responsibility over you. Surely, I see that which you do not see. I indeed am fearful of Allah. HE is firm of requital.

8:49  [Remember] when the hypocrites— those in whose hearts was a disease, said, “These ones here have been deluded by their faith.” While whoever puts his trust in Allah— [he has come to know] that Allah is almighty, all-wise.

8:50  If you could see when the angels collect the ones who rejected the Truth, exposing their faces and their backs, [saying] “Taste the punishment of the Burning.

8:51  That is because of what your hands sent ahead. And because Allah is not ever in any way an oppressive sovereign to [HIS] subjects.”

8:52  [They were] in the pattern of the ilk of Pharaoh and those before them, who spurned the signs of Allah. Allah seized them for their trespasses. Indeed! Allah is powerful, firm of requital.

8:53  That because Allah is not One who changes a blessing which HE blessed people with, until they change what is in their inner selves. And Allah indeed is all-hearing, ever knowing.

8:54  [They were] in the pattern of the ilk of Pharaoh and those before them—they denied the Signs of their Rabb. So, WE destroyed them for their trespasses, and WE drowned the ilk of Pharaoh. And they all were wrongdoers.

8:55  Verily, the worst of creatures in the sight of Allah are those who had rejected the Truth. So then, they will not believe—

8:56  those of them you have covenanted with, who then break their pledge in every instance. And act without conscience.

8:57  If you encounter them in battle—send an alarm through them to whoever was to follow them, to enable them to be remember.

8:58  Or if you do fear treachery from a people, then renounce [the covenant] openly to them, based on parity. Hearken! Allah does not love the treacherous.

8:59  Let not those who have disbelieved think that they can outrun [what is coming to them]. Surely, they will not thwart that.

8:60  Prepare in proportion to them that which you can muster of force and of cavalry by which to frighten off the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them who you do not know. Allah does know them. Whatever you spend of anything in the way of Allah, HE will repay you fully and you will not be wronged.

8:61  If they lean toward peace, then you lean toward it [too] and place your trust in Allah. Behold! HE alone is all-hearing, ever knowing.

8:62  And if they intend that they dupe you—Allah suffices for you. HE is the One Who has empowered you with HIS help and with the believers.

8:63  And HE has engendered affinity between their hearts. Had you spent whatever is on the earth—all of it— you could not have engendered affinity between their hearts. But Allah, HE engendered affinity between them. Behold HE is almighty, all-wise.

8:64  O Prophet! Allah is sufficient for you and whoever among the believers has followed you.

8:65  O Prophet! Rally the believers to fight. If there be twenty persevering among you, they will overcome two hundred. And if there be a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of the ones who have disbelieved, because they are a people who do not comprehend.

8:66  [For] now, Allah has lightened [the ask of perseverance] from you. HE knows that there is weakness in you, so if there be a hundred persevering ones among you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a thousand of you, they will overcome two thousand, by the leave of Allah. Allah is with the persevering.

8:67  It is not for a Prophet that he takes captives unless he fights a bloody battle in the land. You wish for the temporal gains of the world, while Allah intends the everlasting Hereafter [for you]. Allah is almighty, forever wise.

8:68  Had it not been for a preceding decree from Allah, you would surely have been scrubbed with a tremendous punishment through what you had seized.

8:69  So [by the grace of HIS decree], consume of the purely lawful [of what you won in war], and be conscious of Allah. Indeed, Allah is forgiving, ever merciful.

8:70  O Prophet, say unto those captives who are in your custody, “If Allah knows a good in your hearts, HE will give you better than what was taken away from you, and HE will forgive you. And Allah is most forgiving, ever merciful.

8:71  And if they intend to betray you— then even before [their betrayal takes place] they have already betrayed Allah. So HE has made possible [what comes] from them. And Allah is ever knowing, all-wise.

8:72  The ones who embraced Faith and had to emigrate [as a result], and strove hard with their possessions and their lives in the way of Allah, and the ones who gave shelter and helped— they are friends and allies of each other. The ones who have embraced Faith and have not emigrated, their guardianship is not yours in any way until they emigrate to you. And if they seek help from you in the matter of Faith then that help is incumbent upon you, except if it pits you against a people with whom you have a covenant [which says otherwise]. Allah has complete insight into your doings.

8:73  The ones who have disbelieved are allies unto one another. If you do not do so [i.e., the immigrants and the natives do not ally with each other], there will be persecution in the land and great corruption.

8:74  And the ones who embraced Faith, left their homes, and strove hard in the way of Allah, and the ones who gave shelter and helped [them]—they are the believers, in truth. For them is forgiveness and a generous sustenance.

8:75  And the ones who came to believe later and left their homes and strove hard with you, they belong with you. Blood relatives are higher (in precedence) unto one another in Allah’s timeless decree. Verily! Allah is all-knowing of all things.