Surah Al-Anfal (الأنفال) • The Spoils of War

Quran 8:67

8:67

مَا كَانَ لِنَبِىٍّ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥٓ أَسْرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ يُثْخِنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱللَّهُ يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

mā kāna linabiyyin an yakūna lahu asrā ḥattā yuth'khina fī l-arḍi turīdūna ʿaraḍa l-dun'yā wal-lahu yurīdu l-ākhirata wal-lahu ʿazīzun ḥakīmun

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allāh's enemies] in the land. You [i.e., some Muslims] desire the commodities of this world, but Allāh desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.

— Saheeh International

It is not right for a prophet to take captives before he has conquered the battlefield. You [people] desire the transient goods of this world, but God desires the Hereafter [for you]- God is mighty and wise-

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allâh desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allâh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

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Word by Word

مَاmāNot
كَانَkānais
لِنَبِىٍّlinabiyyinfor a Prophet
أَنanthat
يَكُونَyakūna(there) should be
لَهُۥٓlahufor him
أَسْرَىٰasrāprisoners of war
حَتَّىٰḥattāuntil
يُثْخِنَyuth'khinahe has battled strenuously
فِىfīin
ٱلْأَرْضِۚl-arḍithe land
تُرِيدُونَturīdūnaYou desire
عَرَضَʿaraḍa(the) commodities
ٱلدُّنْيَاl-dun'yā(of) the world
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahubut Allah
يُرِيدُyurīdudesires
ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَۗl-ākhirata(for you) the Hereafter
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
عَزِيزٌʿazīzun(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌۭḥakīmunAll-Wise