Surah Al-'Anfāl (The Spoils of War) in English

1. ذلك بأن الله لم يك مغيرا نعمة أنعمها على قوم حتى يغيروا ما بأنفسهم وأن الله سميع عليم

   53

   That is because Allah never changes a blessing that He has bestowed on a people unless they change what is in their own souls, and Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing:

   dhālika bi-ʾanna llāha lam yaku mughayyiran niʿmatan ʾanʿamahā ʿalā qawmin ḥattā yughayyirū mā bi-ʾanfusihim wa-ʾanna llāha samīʿun ʿalīmun

2. كدأب آل فرعون والذين من قبلهم كذبوا بآيات ربهم فأهلكناهم بذنوبهم وأغرقنا آل فرعون وكل كانوا ظالمين

   54

   Like the precedent of Pharaoh’s clan and those who were before them, who denied the signs of their Lord; so We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned Pharaoh’s clan; and they were all wrongdoers.

   ka-daʾbi ʾāli firʿawna wa-lladhīna min qablihim kadhdhabū bi-ʾāyāti rabbihim fa-ʾahlaknāhum bi-dhunūbihim wa-ʾaghraqnā ʾāla firʿawna wa-kullun kānū ẓālimīna

3. إن شر الدواب عند الله الذين كفروا فهم لا يؤمنون

   55

   Indeed the worst of beasts in Allah’s sight are those who are faithless; so they will not have faith.

   ʾinna sharra d-dawābbi ʿinda llāhi lladhīna kafarū fa-hum lā yuʾminūna

4. الذين عاهدت منهم ثم ينقضون عهدهم في كل مرة وهم لا يتقون

   56

   —Those with whom you made a treaty, and who violated their treaty every time, and who are not Godwary.

   alladhīna ʿāhadta minhum thumma yanquḍūna ʿahdahum fī kulli marratin wa-hum lā yattaqūna

5. فإما تثقفنهم في الحرب فشرد بهم من خلفهم لعلهم يذكرون

   57

   So if you confront them in battle, treat them [in such a wise] as to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may take admonition.

   fa-ʾimmā tathqafannahum fī l-ḥarbi fa-sharrid bihim man khalfahum laʿallahum yadhdhakkarūna

6. وإما تخافن من قوم خيانة فانبذ إليهم على سواء إن الله لا يحب الخائنين

   58

   And if you fear treachery from a people, break off [the treaty] with them in a like manner. Indeed Allah does not like the treacherous.

   wa-ʾimmā takhāfanna min qawmin khiyānatan fa-nbidh ʾilayhim ʿalā sawāʾin ʾinna llāha lā yuḥibbu l-khāʾinīna

7. ولا يحسبن الذين كفروا سبقوا إنهم لا يعجزون

   59

   Let the faithless not suppose that they have outmanoeuvred [Allah]. Indeed, they cannot frustrate [His power].

   wa-lā yaḥsabanna lladhīna kafarū sabaqū ʾinnahum lā yuʿjizūna

8. وأعدوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوة ومن رباط الخيل ترهبون به عدو الله وعدوكم وآخرين من دونهم لا تعلمونهم الله يعلمهم وما تنفقوا من شيء في سبيل الله يوف إليكم وأنتم لا تظلمون

   60

   Prepare against them whatever you can of [military] power and war-horses, awing thereby the enemy of Allah, and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you do not know, but Allah knows them. And whatever you spend in the way of Allah will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.

   wa-ʾaʿiddū lahum mā staṭaʿtum min quwwatin wa-min ribāṭi l-khayli turhibūna bihī ʿaduwwa llāhi wa-ʿaduwwakum wa-ʾākharīna min dūnihim lā taʿlamūnahumu llāhu yaʿlamuhum wa-mā tunfiqū min shayʾin fī sabīli llāhi yuwaffa ʾilaykum wa-ʾantum lā tuẓlamūna

9. وإن جنحوا للسلم فاجنح لها وتوكل على الله إنه هو السميع العليم

   61

   If they incline toward peace, then you [too] incline toward it, and put your trust in Allah. Indeed He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

   wa-ʾin janaḥū li-s-salmi fa-jnaḥ lahā wa-tawakkal ʿalā llāhi ʾinnahū huwa s-samīʿu l-ʿalīmu