Transliteration:( Wa iz yureekumoohum izil taqaitum feee a'yunikum qaleelanw wa yuqallilukum feee a'yunihim liyaqdiyal laahu amran kaana maf'oolaa; wa ilal laahi turja'ul umoor )
"And when, at the time of the encounter, Allah made them appear few in your eyes and made you appear few in their eyes [99], so that Allah might accomplish the matter destined to be fulfilled [100]. And to Allah all matters return [101]."
Allah created a temporary illusion in the minds of both parties. The Muslims saw the enemy as only around seventy men, while the infidels perceived the Muslims as no more than twenty. This deliberate minimization of numbers served to encourage both sides to proceed with battle. Had the true numbers been perceived, fear or hesitation might have disrupted the confrontation. After the battle began, Allah reversed the perception—causing the infidels to see the Muslims as numerous, filling them with dread. This reflects divine psychological strategy to fulfill His decree.
The illusion was part of Allah’s greater design to fulfill the decree that Islam would triumph. The goal was not merely to engage in combat, but to manifest the victory and superiority of Islam, and the disgrace and downfall of infidelity. The divine orchestration of events ensured this outcome was achieved without human manipulation.
The verse concludes with a reminder that all outcomes ultimately belong to Allah. Muslims are taught not to rely solely on visible resources or numbers. Success is not in swords or strategy alone, but in placing trust in Al-Mudabbir—the One who manages all affairs. This reinforces spiritual conviction and reliance upon divine support rather than worldly measures.
The tafsir of Surah Al-Anfal verse 44 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Anfal ayat 43 which provides the complete commentary from verse 43 through 44.
(8:44) And recall when He made them appear as few in your eyes when you met them in the battle just as He lessened you in their eyes so that Allah might accomplish what had been decreed. To Allah are all matters referred for decision.
There is no commentary by Abul Maududi available for this verse.
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