Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 43

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Recall) when in your dream, Allah showed them to you few in number. And if He had shown them to you many in number, you would have been demoralized and would have disputed in the matter, but Allah saved (you). Surely, Allah is fully aware of what lies in the hearts.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Remember, O  Prophet,˺ when Allah showed them in your dream as few in number. Had He shown them to you as many, you ˹believers˺ would have certainly faltered and disputed in the matter. But Allah spared you ˹from that˺. Surely He knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.

Ruwwad Translation Center

[Remember] when Allah showed them to you in your dream as few in number; if He had shown them to you as many, you [believers] would have lost courage and disputed in the matter. But Allah spared you [of that], for He is All-Knowing of what is in the hearts.

A. J. Arberry

When God showed thee them in thy dream as few; and had He shown them as many you would have lost heart, and quarrelled about the matter; but God saved; He knows the thoughts in the breasts.

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], remember when God made you see them in your sleep as few: if He had shown them to you [believers] as many, you would certainly have lost heart and argued about it, but God saved you. He knows the secrets of the heart.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time Allah shewed them few unto thee in thy dream. And had He shewn them numerous unto thee, surely ye would have flagged and surely ye would have disputed over the affair but Allah saved you. Verily He is the Knower of that which is in the breasts.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Remember in thy dream Allah showed them to thee as few; if He had shown them to thee as many, ye would surely have been discouraged, and ye would surely have disputed in (your) decision; but Allah saved (you); for He knoweth well the (secrets) of (all) hearts.

Abul Ala Maududi

And recall when Allah showed them to you in your dream to be few in number. And had He showed them to you to be numerous, you would have flagged and disagreed with one another about fighting them. But Allah saved you. Surely Allah knows what is hidden in the breasts.

Ahmed Ali

God showed (the Makkans) to be few in your dream, for if He had shown them to be many you would surely have lost courage and disagreed about the (wisdom) of the battle. But God spared you this, for He surely knows what is in the hearts of men.

Ahmed Raza Khan

When O dear Prophet, Allah used to show the disbelievers in your dream as only a few*; and O Muslims, had He shown them to you as many, you would have certainly lost courage and disputed over the affair, but Allah rescued (you); indeed He knows what lies within the hearts. (* They numbered more but their actual strength was equal to only a few.)

Ali Quli Qarai

When Allah showed them to you as few in your dream, and had He shown them as many, you would have lost heart, and disputed about the matter. But Allah spared you. Indeed He knows well what is in the breasts.

Ali Ünal

(And recall, O Messenger) when God showed them to you in your dream as few. If He had showed them to you as numerous (as they really were), you (O believers) would surely have lost heart, and would surely have disagreed with one another about the matter. But God saved (you from that). God surely has full knowledge of what lies hidden in the bosoms.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Prophet! recall the time) when Allâh showed these (disbelievers) to you in your dream to be only a few, and had He shown them to you as many (O believers!) you would surely have been demoralised and would have disputed one with another about the matter (of waging war), but Allâh saved (you). Indeed, He has the best knowledge of that which is in (your) hearts.

English Literal

When God shows them to you in your sleep/dream (as) a few/little , and if He showed them to you (as) many/much you would have weakened and become cowardly/failing and you would have disputed/argued in the matter/affair, and but God delivered/secured (saved), that He (is) knowledgeable with of the chests117(innermosts).

Faridul Haque

When O dear Prophet, Allah used to show the disbelievers in your dream as only a few *; and O Muslims, had He shown them to you as many, you would have certainly lost courage and disputed over the affair, but Allah rescued (you); indeed He knows what lies within the hearts. (* They numbered more but their actual strength was equal to only a few.)

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah showed them unto you (Muhammad) in your dream as few in number. But had He shown them to you as many, you (Muslims) would have been timid (afraid), and you would have quarrelled about the matter. But Allah saved you from this. Verily, He knows well the secret of men´s heart!

Hilali & Khan

(And remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your (i.e. Muhammad's SAW) dream, if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allah saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of what is in the breasts.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

When you were on the nearer side (of the valley) and they were on the farther side, while the caravan was in a lower place than you. And if you had tried to make a mutual appointment, you would certainly have broken away from the appointment, but -- in order that Allah might bring about a matter which had to be done; that he who perished by clear argument might perish, and he who lived by clear argument might live. And surely Allah is Hearing, Knowing:

Mohammad Habib Shakir

When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When Allah showed them unto thee (O Muhammad) in thy dream as few in number, and if He had shown them to thee as many, ye (Muslims) would have faltered and would have quarrelled over the affair. But Allah saved (you). Lo! He knoweth what is in the breasts (of men).

Muhammad Sarwar

In your dream, God showed (the pagans' army) as being only a few in number, for if He had showed them as a great number, you would have lost courage and would have started to quarrel among yourselves concerning this matter. But God saved you from that condition; He knows what is in your hearts.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when Allah made them appear to you in a vision as a small band, had He showed them to you as many, your courage would have failed you and you would have quarreled over the affair. But Allah saved; He knows the inner most thoughts in the chests.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(And remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your dream; if He had shown them to you as many, you would surely have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision. But Allah saved (you). Certainly, He is the All-Knower of that is in the breasts.

Wahiduddin Khan

God showed them to you in your dream as small in number. If He had shown them to you as many, you would have lost heart and disputed about the matter; but God saved you. He has full knowledge of what is in the human heart.

Talal Itani

God made them appear in your dream as few. Had He made them appear as many, you would have lost heart, and disputed in the matter. But God saved the situation. He knows what the hearts contain.

Tafsir jalalayn

Remember, when God showed them to you in your dream, in your sleep, as few, and so you informed your companions of this, and they were delighted, and had He shown them to you as many, you would have faltered, shrunk in cowardice, and quarrelled, fallen into disagreement, over the matter, the matter of fighting; but God saved, you, from faltering and quarrelling. He knows that which is in the breasts, that which is in the hearts.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah made each Group look few in the Eye of the Other

Allah said,

إِذْ يُرِيكَهُمُ اللّهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلً

(And remember) when Allah showed them to you as few in your dream;

Mujahid said,

"In a dream, Allah showed the Prophet the enemy as few. The Prophet conveyed this news to his Companions and their resolve strengthened."

Similar was said by Ibn Ishaq and several others.

Allah said,

وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَّفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الَامْرِ

If He had shown them to you as many, you would surely, have been discouraged, and you would surely have disputed in making a decision.

you would have cowardly abstained from meeting them and fell in dispute among yourselves,

وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ سَلَّمَ

(But Allah saved), from all this, when He made you see them as few,

إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ



Certainly, He is the All-Knower of that is in the breasts.

Allah knows what the heart and the inner-self conceal,

يَعْلَمُ خَأيِنَةَ الاٌّعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى الصُّدُورُ

Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal. (40;19)

Allah's statement