Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)

60. “And prepare against them whatever you can of (military) power and of war-horses, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them. And whatever things you spend in the way of Allah shall be repaid to you in full, and you will not be dealt with unjustly.”

Increase of War Power and Its Aim!

Adapting to the former instruction upon Islamic Struggle, in this verse the Qur'an points to an important principal which must be observed by Muslims in different ages. This principal is the necessity of enough war preparation against the enemy.

At first, it says:

“And prepare against them whatever you can of (military) power and of war-horses...”

That is, do not wait until the enemy attacks you and then make yourselves prepare to fight. You should be prepared enough from before to stand against the probable attacks of the enemy. The concept of the verse is so vast that it quitely adapts to any time and any place.

If this great Islamic instruction which says: “And prepare against them whatever you can of (military) power...” is preached as a common motto everywhere and all Muslims apply it in their own lives, whether they are young or old, educated or uneducated, writer, or speaker, soldier or officer, farmer or merchant, it will be enough to make amends their retardation.

Practical life of the Prophet of Allah (S) as well as the great leaders of Islam, also shows that they never neglected any opportunity of fighting against their enemies.

They would not disregard any matter, small and great, about supplying arms and personals, encouraging their soldiers, choosing a suitable camping-place, deciding on a proper time for attacking the enemy, and utilizing all kinds of military methods.

Next to the statement of this instruction, the Qur'an points to the logical and manly aim of this subject. It implies that the aim is not that you mow the nations of the world, and even the people of your own community, by kinds of distinctive arms.

You should not spoil the towns and lands, or take in possession the properties and lands of others, or expand the principals of slavery and colonialism in the world. But, the aim is that by these means you frighten the enemy of Allah (s.w.t) and those who are the enemy of yours. The verse continues saying:

“...to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy,...”

The reason of it is that usually most of the enemies of the truth do not pay attention to the logical statements and human principals. They do not understand anything but the logic of force.

Then, the Qur’an adds that in addition to these enemies, whom you know, you have some other enemies whom you do not know, but Allah knows them, and with the increase of the military preparation in yourselves they may fear and return back. The verse says:

“...and others besides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them...”

This statement contains an instruction for the Muslims of today, too. It implies that Muslims should not lay emphasis only on their known enemies and confine their preparation to the limit of struggling before them. They should also consider their probable enemies who are in potency, and prepare the utmost power and necessary forces they can.

Finally, the Qur’an points to another important matter. It implies that preparing power, forces, enough military; instruments and different means of defense need a financial source. Therefore, it commands Muslims to supply this capital through a general cooperation.

They must know that whatever they spend in this way they have spent it in the way of Allah, and it will not be decreased. The verse says:

“...And whatever things you spend in the way of Allah shall be repaid to you in full...”

Equal to all that they give and, even more than that, will be repaid to them so that no injustice will be dealt with them. The verse ends as follows:

“...and you will not be dealt with unjustly.”

Explanations

This verse is an instruction upon the Muslims to be prepared before the enemy from all points of view. They are commanded to supply any kind of arms and possibilities, to utilize all means and methods of propagation, even mottoes and poems that may cause the fright of infidels from the military power of Muslims.

When the Prophet (S) was informed that a new weapon had been made in Yemen, he sent someone to Yemen to supply it.

It is narrated from the Prophet (S) that by means of an ‘arrow’ three persons will be sent into Paradise: its constructor, the one who prepares it, and the person who, throws (it toward the enemy of Allah).¹

In Islam, financial winning and losing in the races of shooting, and horsemanship, have been counted permissible in order that military preparation might be supplied.

It is not such that everywhere logic and discussion are enough and effective, but sometimes enforcement and power should come in the scene, too.

That is why Muslims should always supply the most advanced military possibilities for the defense in such a manner that nothing may be neglected, whether they are of the kinds of political and material power, or the possibilities of propaganda and precautions.

In Islam, all people are soldiers and general mobilization is necessary. It is also necessary to cast terror into the hearts of; the enemies. A tradition indicates that even by tinging the beard do frighten the enemy, so that they do not say the Islamic troop is old.²

However, the war-horses are those horses which are kept ready and fed sufficiently in stables, not those which are left free.