Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 2

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Certainly, the believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe when (the name of) Allah is mentioned; and when His verses are recited to them, it makes them more developed in faith; and in their Lord they place their trust.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

The ˹true˺ believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.

Ruwwad Translation Center

The true believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe when Allah is mentioned, and their faith increases when His verses are recited to them, and they put their trust only in their Lord;

A. J. Arberry

Those only are believers who, when God is mentioned, their hearts quake, and when His signs are recited to them, it increases them in faith, and in their Lord they put their trust,

Abdul Haleem

true believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe when God is mentioned, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, who put their trust in their Lord,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

The believers are only those whose hearts thrill with fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His revelations are rehearsed unto them, they increase their faith and who trust in their Lord.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord;

Abul Ala Maududi

The true believers are those who, when Allah's name is mentioned, their hearts quake, and when His verses are recited to them their faith grows, and who put their trust in their Lord;

Ahmed Ali

Only they are true believers whose hearts fill up with awe when the name of God is mentioned; and their faith is further strengthened when His messages are read out to them; and those who place their trust in their Lord,

Ahmed Raza Khan

Only they are the believers whose hearts fear when Allah is remembered, and their faith advances when His verses are recited to them, and who trust only in their Lord.

Ali Quli Qarai

The faithful are only those whose hearts tremble [with awe] when Allah is mentioned, and when His signs are recited to them, they increase their faith, and who put their trust in their Lord,

Ali Ünal

The true believers are only those who, when God is mentioned, their hearts tremble with awe, and when His Revelations are recited to them, it strengthens them in faith, and they put their trust in their Lord.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Verily, the (true) believers are only those whose hearts tremble when the name of Allâh is mentioned before them, and when His Messages are recited to them, it increases them in faith and in their Lord only do they put their trust;

English Literal

But the believers (are) those who if God was mentioned/remembered/praised their hearts/minds become afraid/apprehensive, and if His verses/evidences were read/recited on them, it increased them faith/belief, and on their Lord they depend/trust in .

Faridul Haque

Only they are the believers whose hearts fear when Allah is remembered, and their faith advances when His verses are recited to them, and who trust only in their Lord.

Hamid S. Aziz

Verily, the believers are those who, when Allah´s name is mentioned, their heart sinks with awe; and when His Signs (revelations) are recited to them they increase them in faith; and in their Lord do they trust.

Hilali & Khan

The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Quran) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone);

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They ask thee about voluntary gifts. Say: Voluntary gifts are for Allah and the Messenger. So keep your duty to Allah and set aright your differences, and obey Allah and His Messenger, if you are believers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His communications are recited to them they increase them in faith, and in their Lord do they trust.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They only are the (true) believers whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His revelations are recited unto them they increase their faith, and who trust in their Lord;

Muhammad Sarwar

When God is mentioned, the true believers begin to feel fear of Him in their hearts and when His revelations are recited to them their faith strengthens. In God alone do they trust.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Indeed the believers are those whose hearts quake at the mention of Allah, and when His verses are recited to them it increased them in faith. They are those who put their trust in their Lord.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord;

Wahiduddin Khan

true believers are those whose hearts tremble with awe at the mention of God, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations. They are those who put their trust in their Lord,

Talal Itani

The believers are those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, and when His revelations are recited to them, they strengthen them in faith, and upon their Lord they rely.

Tafsir jalalayn

The believers, those whose faith is complete, are only those who, when God is mentioned, that is, when His threat of punishment [is mentioned], their hearts tremble, fear, and when His verses are recited to them, they increase their faith, their acceptance of the truth, and who rely upon their Lord, [who] put their trust in Him [alone], and not in any other.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Qualities of the Faithful and Truthful Believers

Allah says;

إِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ايَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ




The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith; and they put their trust in their Lord;

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said about the Ayah,
إِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
(The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts),

"None of Allah's remembrance enters the hearts of the hypocrites upon performing what He has ordained. They neither believe in any of Allah's Ayat nor trust (in Allah) nor pray if they are alone nor pay the Zakah due on their wealth. Allah stated that they are not believers. He then described the believers by saying,
إِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
(The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts) and they perform what He has ordained,
وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ايَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا
(and when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith) and conviction,
وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ
(and they put their trust in their Lord), having hope in none except Him."

Mujahid commented on,
وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
(their hearts Wajilat),

"Their hearts become afraid and fearful."

Similar was said by As-Suddi and several others.

The quality of a true believer is that when Allah is mentioned, he feels a fear in his heart, and thus implements His orders and abstains from His prohibitions.

Allah said in a similar Ayah,

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَـحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّواْ عَلَى مَا فَعَلُواْ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ


And those who, when they have committed Fahishah (immoral sin) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; -- and none can forgive sins but Allah -- and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know. (3;135)

and,

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى

فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِىَ الْمَأْوَى

But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from vain desires. Verily, Paradise will be his abode. (79;40-41)

Sufyan Ath-Thawri narrated that As-Suddi commented,
إِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ
(The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts),

"A man might be thinking of committing injustice or a sin. But he abstains when he is told, `Have Taqwa of Allah', and his heart becomes fearful."'
Faith increases when the Qur'an is recited

Allah's statement,

وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ايَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا

And when His Ayat are recited unto them, they increase their faith;

is similar to His statement,

وَإِذَا مَأ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـذِهِ إِيمَـناً فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ

And whenever there comes down a Surah, some of them (hypocrites) say;"Which of you has had his faith increased by it!" As for those who believe, it has increased their faith, and they rejoice. (9;124)

Al-Bukhari and other scholars relied on this Ayah (8;2) and those similar, as evidence that faith increases and varies in strength from heart to heart.

This is also the view of the majority of the scholars of Islam, prompting some scholars, such as Ash-Shafi`i, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Abu Ubayd to declare that this is the consensus of the Ummah, as we mentioned in the beginning of the explanation of Sahih Al-Bukhari. All the thanks and praises are due to Allah.
The Reality of Tawakkul

Allah said,

وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ


And they put their trust in their Lord.

Therefore, the believers hope in none except Allah, direct their dedication to Him alone, seek refuge with Him alone, invoke Him alone for their various needs and supplicate to Him alone. They know that whatever He wills, occurs and that whatever He does not will never occurs, that He alone is the One Who has the decision in His kingdom, without partners; none can avert the decision of Allah and He is swift in reckoning.

Hence the statement of Sa`id bin Jubayr,

"Tawakkul of Allah is the essence of faith.
Deeds of Faithful Believers

Allah said next,

الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ