Al-Anfal

For the genocide of Iraqi Kurds from February to September 1988, see Anfal genocide.
Surah 8 of the Quran
ٱلْأَنْفَال‎
Al-Anfāl
The Bounties
ClassificationMedinan
Other namesThe Spoils of War
PositionJuzʼ 9—10
Hizb no.15—19
No. of verses75
No. of Rukus10
No. of SajdahsNone
No. of words1242
No. of letters5387
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Opening page from the juz' 10 of the Qur'an copied by Ahmad al-Suhrawardi, with verse 41 of the chapter Al-Anfal. Baghdad, ca. 1305–1307. Museum of the Islamic Era
Double-page from the Sultan Barquq's Qur'an with heading for chapter Al-Anfal. Rayhani script. Cairo, c. 1370 - 1375. British Library

Al-Anfal[1] (Arabic: ٱلأنفال, al-ʾanfāl; meaning The Spoils of War,[2] Earnings, Savings, Profits)[3] is the eighth chapter (sūrah) of the Quran, with 75 verses (āyāt). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (asbāb al-nuzūl), it is a "Medinan surah", completed after the Battle of Badr. It forms a pair with the next surah, At-Tawba.[4]

According to the eminent Muslim philosopher Abul A'la Maududi, the chapter was probably revealed in 2 A. H. after the Battle of Badr, the first defensive clash between Meccans and Muslim people of Medina after they fled from persecution in Mecca. As it contains an extensive point-by-point survey of the Battle, it gives the idea that most presumably it was uncovered at very much the same time. Yet, it is additionally conceivable that a portion of the verse concerning the issues emerging because of this Battle may have been uncovered later and joined at the best possible spots to make it a consistent entirety.[5]

  1. ^ George Sale translation
  2. ^ Gerrans, S
  3. ^ Tafsir Ibn Kathir 8:1
  4. ^ Translation and commentary by Javed Ahmad Ghamidi
  5. ^ Abul A'la Maududi - Tafhim-ul-Quran