Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 30

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And (recall) when the disbelievers were conspiring against you to hold you as a captive, or to kill you, or to expel you. They were planning, and Allah was planning, and Allah is the best planner.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember, O  Prophet,˺ when the disbelievers conspired to capture, kill, or exile you. They planned, but Allah also planned. And Allah is the best of planners.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And [remember] when the disbelievers plotted against you, to take you as captive, kill you or expel you. They plan, and Allah also plans, but Allah is the Best of those who plan.

A. J. Arberry

And when the unbelievers were devising against thee, to confine thee, or slay thee, or to expel thee, and were devising, and God was devising; and God is the best of devisers.

Abdul Haleem

Remember [Prophet] when the disbelievers plotted to take you captive, kill, or expel you. They schemed and so did God: He is the best of schemers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time those who disbelieved were plotting against thee to confine thee or to slay thee or to drive thee forth: they were plotting and Allah was plotting, and Allah is the Best of plotters.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Remember how the Unbelievers plotted against thee, to keep thee in bonds, or slay thee, or get thee out (of thy home). They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah.

Abul Ala Maududi

And recall how those who disbelieved schemed against you to take you captive, or kill you, or drive you away. They schemed and Allah did also scheme. Allah is the best of those who scheme.

Ahmed Ali

Remember, when the infidels contrived to make you a prisoner or to murder or expel you, they plotted, but God also planned; and God's plan is the best.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And remember O dear Prophet when the disbelievers were scheming against you to either imprison you, or to kill you or to banish you; and they were scheming, and Allah was making His secret plan; and Allah’s secret plan is the best.

Ali Quli Qarai

When the faithless plotted against you to take you captive, or to kill or expel you—they plotted and Allah devised, and Allah is the best of devisers.

Ali Ünal

And (recall, O Messenger,) how those who disbelieve schemed against you to take you captive, or kill you, or drive you away (from Makkah). Thus were they scheming, but God put His will into effect (and brought their scheme to nothing). God wills what is the best (for His believing servants) and makes His will prevail.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (O Prophet! recall the time) when those who disbelieved plotted (evil) against you, (and when so devised) they might confine you or kill you or turn you out. And even now they are devising (means and methods to harm you), and Allâh also devised (to counteract their evil designs); and Allâh is the Best of devisers.

English Literal

And when those who disbelieved deceive/scheme at you to affix/affirm you, or kill you, or bring you out, and they scheme/deceive , and God deceives/schemes and God (is) best (of) the deceivers/schemers .

Faridul Haque

And remember O dear Prophet when the disbelievers were scheming against you to either imprison you, or to kill you or to banish you; and they were scheming, and Allah was making His secret plan; and Allah’s secret plan is the best.

Hamid S. Aziz

And when those who disbelieved plotted against you to detain you in bonds, or slay you, or drive you forth - they plotted, but Allah also plotted, for Allah is best of Plotters.

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad SAW) to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out (from your home, i.e. Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was planning, and Allah is the Best of the planners.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

O you who believe, if you keep your duty to Allah, He will grant you a distinction and do away with your evils and protect you. And Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away; and they devised plans and Allah too had arranged a plan; and Allah is the best of planners.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when those who disbelieve plot against thee (O Muhammad) to wound thee fatally, or to kill thee or to drive thee forth; they plot, but Allah (also) plotteth; and Allah is the best of plotters.

Muhammad Sarwar

The unbelievers planned to imprison, murder or expel you (Muhammad) from your city. They make evil plans but God too plans and God's plans are the best.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when the unbelievers plotted against you (Prophet Muhammad). They sought to either take you captive or have you killed, or expelled. They plotted but Allah (in reply) also plotted. Allah is the Best in plotting.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expel you (from your home, Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters.

Wahiduddin Khan

Remember how those who bent on denying the truth plotted against you to imprison you or kill you or expel you: they schemed -- but God also schemed. God is the best of schemers.

Talal Itani

When the disbelievers plotted against you, to imprison you, or kill you, or expel you. They planned, and God planned, but God is the Best of planners.

Tafsir jalalayn

And, remember, O Muhammad (s), when the disbelievers -- who had gathered to discuss your affair at the council assembly -- were plotting against you, to confine you, to chain you up and imprison you, or slay you -- all of them [acting as] assassins of one man -- or to expel you, from Mecca, and they were plotting, against you, and God was plotting, against them, by devising a way [out] for you, when He revealed to you what they had devised and commanded you to leave [Mecca]; and God is the best of those who plot, the most knowledgeable among them about it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

The Makkans plot to kill the Prophet, imprison Him or expel Him from Makkah

Allah reminds;

وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ

And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expel you (from your home, Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters.

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said,
لِيُثْبِتُوكَ
(Liyuthbituka),

means "to imprison you."

As-Suddi said,

"Ithbat is to confine or to shackle."

Imam Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar, the author of Al-Maghazi, reported from Abdullah bin Abi Najih, from Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas,

"Some of the chiefs of the various tribes of Quraysh gathered in Dar An-Nadwah (their conference area) and Iblis (Shaytan) met them in the shape of an eminent old man. When they saw him, they asked, `Who are you?'

He said, `An old man from Najd. I heard that you are having a meeting, and I wished to attend your meeting. You will benefit from my opinion and advice.'

They said, `Agreed, come in.'

He entered with them. Iblis said, `You have to think about this man (Muhammad)! By Allah, he will soon overwhelm you with his matter (religion).'

One of them said, `Imprison him, restrained in chains, until he dies just like the poets before him all died, such as Zuhayr and An-Nabighah! Verily, he is a poet like they were.'

The old man from Najd, the enemy of Allah, commented, `By Allah! This is not a good idea. His Lord will release him from his prison to his companions, who will liberate him from your hands. They will protect him from you and they might expel you from your land.'

They said, `This old man said the truth. Therefore, seek an opinion other than this one.'

Another one of them said, `Expel him from your land, so that you are free from his trouble! If he leaves your land, you will not be bothered by what he does or where he goes, as long as he is not among you to bring you troubles, he will be with someone else.'

The old man from Najd replied, `By Allah! This is not a good opinion. Have you forgotten his sweet talk and eloquence, as well as, how his speech captures the hearts By Allah! This way, he will collect even more followers among Arabs, who will gather against you and attack you in your own land, expel you and kill your chiefs.'

They said, `He has said the truth, by Allah! Therefore, seek an opinion other than this one.'

Abu Jahl, may Allah curse him, spoke next, `By Allah! I have an idea that no one else has suggested yet, and I see no better opinion for you. Choose a strong, socially elevated young man from each tribe, and give each one of them a sharp sword. Then they would all strike Muhammad at the same time with their swords and kill him. Hence, his blood would be shed by all tribes. This way, his tribe, Banu Hashim, would realize that they cannot wage war against all of the Quraysh tribes and would be forced to agree to accept the blood money; we would have brought comfort to ourselves and stopped him from bothering us.'

The old man from Najd commented, `By Allah! This man has expressed the best opinion, and I do not support any other opinion.'

They quickly ended their meeting and started preparing for the implementation of this plan.

Jibril came to the Prophet and commanded him not to sleep in his bed that night and conveyed to him the news of their plot. The Messenger of Allah did not sleep in his house that night, and Allah gave him permission to migrate. After the Messenger migrated to Al-Madinah, Allah revealed to him Surah Al-Anfal reminding him of His favors and the bounties He gave him,

وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللّهُ وَاللّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ


And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to expel you (from Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters.

Allah replied to the pagans' statement that they should await the death of the Prophet, just as the poets before him perished, as they claimed,

أَمْ يَقُولُونَ شَاعِرٌ نَّتَرَبَّصُ بِهِ رَيْبَ الْمَنُونِ

Or do they say;"He is a poet! We await for him some calamity by time!" (52;30)

As-Suddi narrated a similar story.

Allah next tells;

وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللّهُ وَاللّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ


they were plotting and Allah too was plotting, and Allah is the best of plotters.

Muhammad bin Ishaq reported from Muhammad bin Jafar bin Az-Zubayr, from Urwah bin Az-Zubayr who commented on Allah's statement,

"I (Allah) plotted against them with My sure planning, and I saved you (O Muhammad) from them.