Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Anfal Verse 57

Mufti Taqi Usmani

So, if you find them in war, deal with them in a way that those behind them have to disperse fearfully, so that they take a lesson.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

If you ever encounter them in battle, make a fearsome example of them, so perhaps those who would follow them may be deterred.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If you encounter them in battle, make a fearsome example of them for those who are behind them, so that they may be deterred.

A. J. Arberry

So, if thou comest upon them anywhere in the war, deal with them in such wise as to scatter the ones behind them; haply they will remember.

Abdul Haleem

If you meet them in battle, make a fearsome example of them to those who come after them, so that they may take heed.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Wherefore if thou over-takest them in war, disperse thou through them those behind them, that haply they may be admonished.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If ye gain the mastery over them in war, disperse, with them, those who follow them, that they may remember.

Abul Ala Maududi

So if you meet them in war, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them that they may he admonished.

Ahmed Ali

If you meet them in battle, inflict on them such a defeat as would be a lesson for those who come after them, and that they may be warned.

Ahmed Raza Khan

So if you find them in battle, kill them in a manner which makes those behind them scamper back, in the hope that they may learn a lesson.

Ali Quli Qarai

So if you confront them in battle, treat them [in such a wise] as to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may take admonition.

Ali Ünal

If you meet them in war, deal with them in such a manner as to deter those behind them (who follow them and those who will come after them), so that they may reflect and be mindful.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Therefore if you find these (breakers of trust) in battle array, then (by inflicting an exemplary punishment upon them) disperse those behind them so that they may be admonished.

English Literal

So when you defeat/overtake them in the battle/war so expel/separate with them from behind them, maybe/perhaps they mention/remember .118

Faridul Haque

So if you find them in battle, kill them in a manner which makes those behind them scamper back, in the hope that they may learn a lesson.

Hamid S. Aziz

Should you come to war with them, then deal with them so as to strike fear into those who come after them (as an example), that per chance (or possibly) they may remember.

Hilali & Khan

So if you gain the mastery over them in war, punish them severely in order to disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Those with whom thou makest an agreement, then they break their agreement every time, and they keep not their duty.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Therefore if you overtake them in fighting, then scatter by (making an example of) them those who are in their rear, that they may be mindful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember.

Muhammad Sarwar

When you capture the (unbelievers) during a fight, teach them a lesson so that they thereafter will always be aware of the threat of your power.

Qaribullah & Darwish

if you meet them in battle, cause their example to scatter those behind them so that they remember.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So if you gain the mastery over them in war, then disperse those who are behind them, so that they may learn a lesson.

Wahiduddin Khan

Should you encounter them in war, then deal with them in such a manner that those that follow them should abandon their designs and may take warning.

Talal Itani

If you confront them in battle, make of them a fearsome example for those who follow them, that they may take heed.

Tafsir jalalayn

So if (fa-imm; here the letter nn of the conditional particle in, `if', has been assimilated with the extra m) you come upon them, [if] you find them, anywhere in the war, [deal with them so as to] cause those, fighters, behind them to scatter, to disperse, by making an example of them and punishing them, so that they, the ones behind them, might remember, [that they might] take heed from their example.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

فَإِمَّا تَثْقَفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْحَرْبِ

So if you gain the mastery over them in war,

if you defeat them and have victory over them in war,

فَشَرِّدْ بِهِم مَّنْ خَلْفَهُمْ

then disperse those who are behind them,

According to Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Ata' Al-Khurasani and Ibn Uyaynah,

by severely punishing (the captured people).

This Ayah commands punishing them harshly and inflicting casualties on them. This way, other enemies, Arabs and non-Arabs, will be afraid and take a lesson from their end,

لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ




so that they may learn a lesson.

As-Suddi commented,

"They might be careful not to break treaties, so that they do not meet the same end.