8:60

وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُم مَّا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن قُوَّةٖ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ ٱلۡخَيۡلِ تُرۡهِبُونَ بِهِۦ عَدُوَّ ٱللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمۡ وَءَاخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُهُمۡۚ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيۡءٖ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيۡكُمۡ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تُظۡلَمُونَ

WaaAAiddoo lahum ma istataAAtum min quwwatin wamin ribati alkhayli turhiboona bihi AAaduwwa Allahi waAAaduwwakum waakhareena min doonihim la taAAlamoonahumu Allahu yaAAlamuhum wama tunfiqoo min shayin fee sabeeli Allahi yuwaffa ilaykum waantum la tuthlamoona

And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.

Word by word
  1. وَأَعِدُّواْAnd prepare
  2. لَهُمfor them
  3. مَّاwhatever
  4. ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُمyou able (to)
  5. مِّنof
  6. قُوَّةٖforce
  7. وَمِنand of
  8. رِّبَاطِtethered
  9. ٱلۡخَيۡلِhorses
  10. تُرۡهِبُونَ(to) terrify
  11. بِهِۦtherewith
  12. عَدُوَّ(the) enemy
  13. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  14. وَعَدُوَّكُمۡand your enemy
  15. وَءَاخَرِينَand others
  16. مِنfrom
  17. دُونِهِمۡbesides them
  18. لَاnot
  19. تَعۡلَمُونَهُمُ(do) you know them
  20. ٱللَّهُ(but) Allah
  21. يَعۡلَمُهُمۡۚknows them
  22. وَمَاAnd whatever
  23. تُنفِقُواْyou spend
  24. مِنfrom
  25. شَيۡءٖ(any) thing
  26. فِيin
  27. سَبِيلِ(the) way
  28. ٱللَّهِ(of) Allah
  29. يُوَفَّit will be fully repaid
  30. إِلَيۡكُمۡto you
  31. وَأَنتُمۡand you
  32. لَا(will) not
  33. تُظۡلَمُونَbe wronged
Al-Anfal · 8:60Madinah

Prepare what you can. What you spend for Allah returns.

Doing your part, then trusting


Two halves
prepareall you are able
and
spend for Allahrepaid in full
and
no injusticeyou will not be wronged
Trust and effort
trust means sitting backAllah will handle it
prepare, then trusteffort is part of faith

Ibn Kathir explains the verse as preparing as much as possible, according to what is affordable and available. The Prophet ﷺ said of three people keeping horses: one keeps it for pride and show, and it is a burden on him. The verse ends: whatever you spend in Allah's cause will be repaid in full.

You pray for the job but haven't updated your CV. You want to raise strong kids but haven't read with them in weeks. The verse asks you to prepare what you can. Effort is not the opposite of trust. It is how trust looks in practice.

If I trust Allah enough, I don't need to prepare.

I prepare all I can, and trust Allah with what I can't.

Try this

Pick one thing you've been praying about. Take one practical step to prepare for it today.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 8:59)

And let not those who disbelieve think that they can outstrip (escape from the punishment). Verily, they will never be able to save themselves (from Allah's punishment)(59)And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides them, whom you may not know but whom Allah does know. And whatever you shall spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not be treated unjustly (60)

Making Preparations for War to strike Fear in the Hearts of the Enemies of Allah

Allah says to His Prophet ﷺ, in this Ayah,

الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا سَبَقُوا

(those who disbelieve think that they can outstrip), Do not think that such disbelievers have escaped Us or that We are unable to grasp them. Rather, they are under the power of Our ability and in the grasp of Our will; they will never escape Us.' Allah also said,

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

(Or think those who do evil deeds that they can outstrip Us (escape Our punishment)? Evil is that which they judge!)[29:4],

لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ ۖ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ

(Consider not that the disbelievers can escape in the land. Their abode shall be the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination.)[24:57], and,

لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ تَقَلُّبُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ - مَتَاعٌ قَلِيلٌ ثُمَّ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَبِئْسَ الْمِهَادُ

(Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. A brief enjoyment; then their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest.)[3:196-197]

Allah commands Muslims to prepare for war against disbelievers, as much as possible, according to affordability and availability. Allah said,

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم

(And make ready against them all you can) whatever you can muster,

مِّن قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ

(of power, including steeds of war). Imam Ahmad recorded that 'Uqbah bin 'Amir said that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, while standing on the Minbar;

وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن قُوَّةٍ

(And make ready against them all you can of power,)

أَلَا إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْيُ أَلَا إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْيُ

(Verily, Power is shooting! Power is shooting.)

Muslim collected this Hadith.

Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

الْخَيْلُ لِثَلَاثَةٍ، لِرَجُلٍ أَجْرٌ، وَلِرَجُلٍ سِتْرٌ، وَعَلَى رَجُلٍ وِزْرٌ، فَأَمَّا الَّذِي لَهُ أَجْرٌ، فَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَأَطَالَ لَهَا فِي مَرْجٍ أَوْ رَوْضَةٍ، فَمَا أَصَابَتْ فِي طِيَلِهَا ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَرْجِ أَوِ الرَّوْضَةِ، كَانَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَاتٍ وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا قَطَعَتْ طِيَلَهَا، فَاسْتَنَّتْ شَرَفًا أَوْ شَرَفَيْنِ كَانَتْ آثَارُهَا وَأرْوَاثُهَا حَسَنَاتٍ لَهُ، وَلَوْ أَنَّهَا مَرَّتْ بِنَهَرٍ فَشَرِبَتْ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يَسْقِيَ بِهِ، كَانَ ذَلِكَ حَسَنَاتٍ لَهُ، فَهِيَ لِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ أَجْرٌ، وَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا تَغَنِّيًا وَتَعَفُّفًا، وَلَمْ يَنْسَ حَقَّ اللهِ فِي رِقَابِهَا وَلَا ظُهُورِهَا فَهِيَ لَهُ سِتْرٌ، وَرَجُلٌ رَبَطَهَا فَخْرًا وَرِيَاءً وَنِوَاءً، فَهِيَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وِزْرٌ

(Horses are kept for one of three purposes; for some people they are a source of reward, for some others they are a means of shelter, and for some others they are a source of sin. The one for whom they are a source of reward, is he who keeps a horse for Allah's cause (Jihad) tying it with a long tether on a meadow or in a garden. The result is that whatever it eats from the area of the meadow or the garden where it is tied, will be counted as good deeds for his benefit; and if it should break its rope and jump over one or two hillocks then all its dung and its footmarks will be written as good deeds for him. If it passes by a river and drinks water from it, even though he had no intention of watering it, then he will get the reward for its drinking. Therefore, this type of horse is a source of good deeds for him. As for the man who tied his horse maintaining self-sufficiency and abstinence from begging, all the while not forgetting Allah's right concerning the neck and back of his horse, then it is a means of shelter for him. And a man who tied a horse for the sake of pride, pretense and showing enmity for Muslims, then this type of horse is a source of sins.)

When Allah's Messenger ﷺ was asked about donkeys, he replied,

مَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ عَلَيَّ فِيهَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ الْجَامِعَةَ الْفَاذَّةَ

(Nothing has been revealed to me from Allah about them except these unique, comprehensive Ayat:

فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ - وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ

(Then anyone who does an atom's weight of good, shall see it. And anyone who does an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.)) [99:7-8]"

Al-Bukhari and Muslim collected this Hadith, this is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Imam Ahmad recorded that 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud said that the Prophet ﷺ said,

الْخَيْلُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: فَفَرَسٌ لِلرَّحْمَنِ، وَفَرَسٌ لِلشَّيْطَانِ، وَفَرَسٌ لِلْإِنْسَانِ، فَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الرَّحْمَنِ فَالَّذِي يُرْبَطُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ، فَعَلَفُهُ وَرَوْثُهُ وَبَوْلُهُ - وَذَكَرَ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ - وَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الشَّيْطَانِ، فَالَّذِي يُقَامَرُ أَوُ يُرَاهَنُ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَمَّا فَرَسُ الْإِنْسَانِ، فَالْفَرَسُ يَرْبِطُهَا الْإِنْسَانُ يَلْتَمِسُ بَطْنَهَا، فَهِيَ لَهُ سِتْرٌ مِنَ الْفَقْرِ

(There are three reasons why horses are kept: A horse that is kept for Ar-Rahman (the Most Beneficent), a horse kept for Shaytan and a horse kept for the man. As for the horse kept for Ar-Rahman, it is the horse that is being kept for the cause of Allah (for Jihad), and as such, its food, dung and urine, etc., (he made mention of many things). As for the horse that is for Shaytan, it is one that is being used for gambling. As for the horse that is for man, it is the horse that one tethers, seeking its benefit. For him, this horse will be a shield against poverty.)

Al-Bukhari recorded that 'Urwah bin Abi Al-Ja'd Al-Bariqi said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

الْخَيْلُ مَعْقُودٌ فِي نَوَاصِيهَا الْخَيْرُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، الْأَجْرُ وَالْمَغْنَمُ

(Good will remain in the forelocks of horses until the Day of Resurrection, (that is) reward, and the spoils of war.)

Allah said next,

تُرْهِبُونَ 

(to threaten), or to strike fear,

بِهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ وَعَدُوَّكُمْ

(the enemy of Allah and your enemy), the disbelievers,

وَآخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ

(and others besides them), such as Bani Qurayzah, according to Mujahid, or persians, according to As-Suddi.

Muqatil bin Hayyan and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that this Ayah refers to hypocrites, as supported by Allah's statement,

وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ الْأَعْرَابِ مُنَافِقُونَ ۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ ۖ مَرَدُوا عَلَى النِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْ ۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ

(And among the bedouins around you, some are hypocrites, and so are some among the people of Al-Madinah who persist in hypocrisy; you know them not, We know them.)[9:101]

Allah said next,

وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِن شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تُظْلَمُونَ

(And whatever you shall spend in the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you, and you shall not be treated unjustly.)

Allah says, whatever you spend on Jihad will be repaid to you in full.

We also mentioned Allah's statement,

مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

(The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is that of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.)[2:261]