Quran Universe
8:75

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنۢ بَعۡدُ وَهَاجَرُواْ وَجَٰهَدُواْ مَعَكُمۡ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ مِنكُمۡۚ وَأُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلَىٰ بِبَعۡضٖ فِي كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمُۢ

Waallatheena amanoo min baAAdu wahajaroo wajahadoo maAAakum faolaika minkum waoloo alarhami baAAduhum awla bibaAAdin fee kitabi Allahi inna Allaha bikulli shayin AAaleemun

And those who believed after [the initial emigration] and emigrated and fought with you - they are of you. But those of [blood] relationship are more entitled [to inheritance] in the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.

Word by word
  1. وَٱلَّذِينَAnd those who
  2. ءَامَنُواْbelieved
  3. مِنۢfrom
  4. بَعۡدُafterwards
  5. وَهَاجَرُواْand emigrated
  6. وَجَٰهَدُواْand strove hard
  7. مَعَكُمۡwith you
  8. فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَthen those
  9. مِنكُمۡۚ(are) of you
  10. وَأُوْلُواْBut those
  11. ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِ(of) blood relationship
  12. بَعۡضُهُمۡsome of them
  13. أَوۡلَىٰ(are) nearer
  14. بِبَعۡضٖto another
  15. فِيin
  16. كِتَٰبِ(the) Book
  17. ٱللَّهِۚ(of) Allah
  18. إِنَّIndeed
  19. ٱللَّهَAllah
  20. بِكُلِّof every
  21. شَيۡءٍthing
  22. عَلِيمُۢ(is) All-Knower
Al-Anfal · 8:75Madinah

Those who came later and strove with you are of you.

Late arrivals belong, and family ties keep their right

The last word
came laterbelieved, emigrated, strove
are
of youfull members
and
blood relativesnearer in Allah's decree
Being late
too late to belongthe first ones got it all
they are of youthe door stays open

The surah ends by welcoming those who believed afterward, emigrated, and strove alongside the first believers: they are of you. It then states that relatives by blood are nearer to one another in Allah's decree, which Ibn Abbas and others said replaced the early inheritance between paired brothers.

You came to practice late: after years away, after university, after your first child. You feel like you missed the start. The verse says: you are of them. And while you embrace your new brothers and sisters, don't neglect your own family.

I came to faith too late to really belong.

Those who come later and strive are fully counted. And my family still has its right.

Try this

Call one relative you've drifted from today, and welcome one newcomer at the mosque this week.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 8:74)

And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the cause of Allah (Al-Jihad), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid – these are the believers in truth, for them is forgiveness and a generous provision (74)And those who believed afterwards, and emigrated and strove hard along with you, they are of you. But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything (75)

Believers in Truth

After Allah affirmed the ruling of loyalty and protection between the believers in this life, He then mentioned their destination in the Hereafter. Allah also affirmed the faith of the believers, just as mentioned in the beginning of this Surah, and that He will reward them with forgiveness and by erasing their sins, if they have any. He also promised them honorable provisions that are abundant, pure, everlasting and eternal; provisions that never end or run out, nor will they ever cause boredom, for they are delightful and come in great varieties. Allah then mentioned that those who follow the path of the believers in faith and performing good deeds, will be with them in the Hereafter. Just as Allah said,

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ

(And the foremost to embrace Islam...)[9:100], until the end of the Ayah. He also said,

وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ

(And those who came after them ...)[59:10].

A Hadith that is in the Two Sahihs, which is Mutawatir and has several authentic chains of narrations, mentions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ

(One will be in the company of those whom he loves.) Another Hadith states,

مَنْ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا فَهُوَ مِنْهُم

(He who loves a people is one of them), and in another narration, he ﷺ said,

حُشِرَ مَعَهُم

(...will be gathered with them (on the Day of Resurrection).)

Inheritance is for Designated Degrees of Relatives

Allah said,

وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ

(But kindred by blood are nearer to one another (regarding inheritance) in the decree ordained by Allah), meaning, in Allah's decision. This Ayah encompasses all relatives, not only the degrees of relative who do not have a fixed, designated share in the inheritance, as some people claim and use this Ayah to argue. According to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and several others, this Ayah abrogated inheriting from those with whom one had ties of treaties or brotherhood, as was the case in the beginning of Islam. So it applies to all relatives, and as for those who do not inherit, then this is supported by the Hadith,

إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ فَلَا وَصِيَّةٍ لِوَارِثٍ

(Indeed Allah had alloted every right to the one who deserves it, so there may be no will for an heir.)

Therefore, this Ayah also includes those who have a fixed share of inheritance. Allah knows best.

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Anfal, all praise and thanks are for Allah, in Him we trust, and He is sufficient for us, what an excellent supporter He is.