Surah Anfal (41)
۞ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُۥ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءَامَنتُم بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا يَوْمَ ٱلْفُرْقَانِ يَوْمَ ٱلْتَقَى ٱلْجَمْعَانِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ٤١
“Know that one-fifth of whatever booty you may acquire in war is for God and the Messenger, and for the near of kin, the orphans, the needy and the traveller in need. [This you must observe] if you believe in God and what We revealed to Our servant on the day when the true was distinguished from the false, the day when the two hosts met in battle. God has power over all things.” (8:41)
If You Truly Believe
True faith has certain essential indicators to prove it. Allah makes His recognition of true faith for the fighters in Badr conditional on their acceptance of His ruling on the question of the spoils of war. If they accept then they are truly believers in Allah and what He revealed to His Messenger. In fact such acceptance is a practical demonstration of faith.
The divine faith is clear, well defined, free from ambiguity and extremism. The Prophet says: “To be a true believer does not come about through wishful thinking. True faith is that which is firmly rooted in one’s heart and to which credence is given by practice.” To be a true believer presupposes acceptance of Allah’s law and its implementation in real life. Conversely, the rejection of Allah’s law and the implementation of a law other than the one He has laid down, in matters large or small, constitutes unbelief. Allah’s law provides rulings that are clear and decisive. One example of these is provided in this verse: “Know that one-fifth of whatever booty you may acquire in war is for Allah and the Messenger, and for the near of kin, the orphans, the needy and the traveller in need. [This you must observe] if you believe in Allah and what We revealed to Our servant on the day when the true was distinguished from the false, the day when the two hosts met in battle.” (Verse 41) The same applies to all categorical statements that delineate the nature of true faith and its framework which we read in the divine book. Allah has taken away the ownership of the spoils of war from those who actually collected them on the battlefield, and assigned that ownership to Allah and His Messenger, as stated clearly at the opening of the sūrah. His purpose was that those who fight for Allah’s cause may have only pure motives. Thus, they would be able to remove from their minds all thoughts and temptations that relate to the life of this world. They would be able then to submit themselves totally to Allah, fighting the battle for Allah’s cause, under His banner, in obedience to Him and to earn His pleasure. They accept His rule over their lives as they accept it over all their affairs, making no dissent or objection. This is the practical meaning of true faith. When they accepted Allah’s ruling, demonstrating that faith is deeply rooted in their hearts, Allah gave them back four-fifths of the spoils of war, and retained onefifth in its original ownership, i.e. belonging to Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet was then to dispense with it for the welfare of those in the Muslim community who needed help, be they near of kin, orphans, needy or wayfarers. When the share of four- fifths was given back to them, the Muslims were well aware that they did not own it by right of fighting or victory. They went to war for Allah’s sake, and achieved victory for His faith. They only deserved this share of four-fifths because Allah granted it to them, just as He determined the outcome of the battle and indeed all their affairs, and just as He granted them victory. They are reminded here anew that obeying this new order is a manifestation of faith. It is indeed both the condition and the outcome of being true believers: “Know that one- fifth of whatever booty you may acquire in war is for Allah and the Messenger, and for the near of kin, the orphans, the needy and the traveller in need. [This you must observe] if you believe in Allah and what We revealed to Our servant on the day when the true was distinguished from the false, the day when the two hosts met in battle.” (Verse 41) We see clearly how Qur’ānic statements support one another in confirming an essential and decisive principle of Islam that relates to the true meaning of having faith.
