Tafseer of The Spoils of War · Al-Anfaal · 8:4
Those are the believers, truly. For them are degrees [of high position] with their Lord and forgiveness and noble provision.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
15695 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya ibn Ṣāliḥ related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "Those who perform the ritual prayer (ṣalāh)" — he says: the five prayers — "and who spend of that with which We have provided them" — he says: the obligatory alms (zakāh) from their possessions — "they are the true believers" — he says: they have freed themselves from unbelief. Then Allah described hypocrisy (nifāq) and its people, and said: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ("Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to make a distinction between Allah and His messengers"), up to His word: أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَ حَقًّا ("they are the true disbelievers") [Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 150-151]. Thus Allah made the believer a true believer, and made the disbeliever a true disbeliever, and that is His word: هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنْكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنْكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ ("He it is who created you; among you is a disbeliever and among you is a believer") [Sūrah al-Taghābun: 2].
15696 — Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "they are the true believers," he said: they have truly merited faith, and Allah has granted it to them.
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The explanation of His word: لَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ (4) ("For them are ranks with their Lord, and forgiveness, and a noble provision.")
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted, whose praise is exalted, means by His word: "for them are ranks" — for these believers whose attribute the Exalted, whose praise is exalted, has described — "ranks" (darajāt), and these are elevated levels.
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Then the exegetes differed concerning these "ranks" which Allah has mentioned are theirs with Him: what are they? Some of them said: these are exalted deeds and virtues which they sent ahead during the days of their lives.
* Mention of who said that:
15697 — Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to me, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Isrāʾīl related to us, on the authority of Abū Yaḥyā al-Qattāt, on the authority of Mujāhid: "for them are ranks with their Lord," he said: exalted deeds.
* * *
Others said: rather they are levels in the Garden (janna).
* Mention of who said that:
15698 — Aḥmad ibn Isḥāq related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Hishām, on the authority of Jabala, on the authority of ʿAṭiyya, on the authority of Ibn Muḥayrīz: "for them are ranks with their Lord," he said: the ranks are seventy ranks; the distance between each rank is the run of a noble, trained racehorse for seventy years.
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And His word: "and forgiveness" — He says: and pardon for their sins, and the covering thereof — "and a noble provision" — it has been said: it is the Garden. But according to me it is: what Allah has prepared for them in the Garden of abundant foods and drinks and pleasant life.
15699 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, on the authority of Hishām, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of Saʿīd, on the authority of Qatāda: "and forgiveness," he said: for their sins — "and a noble provision," he said: the Garden.
