History of surah The Spoils of War

Name
The first verse is where the Surah gets its name, Al-Anfal (The Bounties).

The Revelation Period
After the Battle of Badr, the initial conflict between Islam and Kufr, it was revealed in the 2 A.H. It indicates that it was most likely revealed at the same time because it provides a thorough and in-depth analysis of the Battle. However, it's also conceivable that some of the verses addressing the issues brought on by this Battle may have been disclosed later and added where necessary to create a coherent whole. In any case, nothing in the entire Surah suggests that it is a compilation of many discourses that have been pieced together.

Historical Background
Consider the occasions leading up to the Battle of Badr before going through the Surah.
About ten years into the Prophethood at Makkah, the Message had already proven to be robust and stable. There were two factors that led to this. First, the Messenger was carrying out his Mission with knowledge, insight, and magnanimity because he possessed the finest moral traits. He had demonstrated through his actions that he was committed to seeing the movement through to its successful conclusion and was prepared to face any threats or challenges that could arise. Second, the Message was so endearing that it drew people's thoughts and hearts inexorably toward it. It has progressed to the point that all barriers of ignorance, superstition, and small-minded prejudice have failed to stop it. ЄThe Arab defenders of the traditions of During the last period of the Holy Prophet's stay in Makkah "ignorance", who had initially looked down upon it, had grown to consider it a serious threat and was determined to crush it with all the might at their disposal. But despite the aforementioned strength, the movement lacked a few factors that would have helped it win:
First, it had not yet been conclusively demonstrated that it had attracted a significant number of supporters who were prepared to give their all in the fight for its creation and success. These supporters had to believe in its truth and have a deep devotion to its tenets. So much so that, despite the fact that they ought to be their own closest relatives, they were willing to give their lives in the battle against the entire world. It is true that the Quraish of Makkah had subjected the adherents of Islam to the harshest persecution, and they had provided a strong demonstration of the firmness of their faith and their strong ties to Islam. However, more trials were necessary to demonstrate that Islam had succeeded in obtaining such a group of adherents who held nothing dearer than its ideal and were willing to give their lives for it.
Second, even while Islam's voice had permeated the entire nation, its effects were still dispersed and its growing power was dispersed throughout the country; it had not yet amassed the necessary numbers for a decisive fight with the previously dominant system of "ignorance".
Thirdly, Islam did not yet have a permanent residence or a stronghold in which to establish its authority and use it as a springboard for further activity. Because of this, the Muslims were dispersed throughout the nation and coexisted with the atheists as strangers that their vengeful adversaries sought to drive out of their own homes.
Fourthly, the Muslims had not yet had the chance to put the benefits of the Islam-based way of life into practice. No Islamic social, economic, or political structure existed, and no codified rules of war and peace existed to provide as a guide. As a result, the Muslims were unable to demonstrate the moral values that they meant to base their entire way of life on, and it was also unproven that the Muslims as a group were serious in their proclamation of the Message.
Allah provided an opportunity to make up for these shortfalls.
The voice of Islam had been heard at Yathrab for the last four or five years of the Prophet's stay in Makkah, and for a variety of reasons, the community had been more receptive to the message than other clans in Arabia. So much so that a delegation of 75 people encountered the Holy Prophet in the dead of night during Haj in the twelfth year of Prophethood. These people not only embraced Islam but also made him and his adherents an offer of a place to live. The Holy Prophet seized this historic opportunity since it had been given to him by Allah.
The inhabitants of Yathrab understood the significance of this offer very well, and they were well aware that it wasn't an invitation to a simple runaway but rather to the Messenger of Allah in order for him to become their leader and king. They also understood that they were not gathering the Muslim refugees from throughout the nation to provide them with protection from persecution, but rather to integrate them into themselves in order to create a structured society. As a result, Yathrab's residents proposed that Yathrab become the "City of Islam." As a result, the Holy Prophet accepted their request and established it as the first Arabian "City of Islam."
And the Yathrabians understood the significance of this proposition completely. In addition to being an invitation to their own social and economic boycott, it was in fact a proclamation of war against all of Arabia. And they were completely aware of the repercussions when the Ansar from Yathrab pledged their allegiance to the Holy Prophet at Aqabah. The youngest delegate from Yathrab, Asad-bin-Zurarah, rose up and spoke during the formal declaration of loyalty "There are none in Yathrab. Just pay attention to what I have to say and give the situation careful thought. Even if we only see him as Allah's Messenger when we visit him, we should be aware that by doing so, we will be inviting all of Arabia's hostility. Because if we take him to Yathrab, we'll be attacked and our kids might get killed. Because of this, you should only pledge your loyalty to him if you have the fortitude to do so, and Allah will reward you for doing so. However, if you value your lives more than he does and his message, then leave the situation and sincerely excuse yourself; Allah may still accept your justifications at this point."
Another delegation member, Abbas bin Ubadah bin Naalah, echoed the same sentiment by adding,
Do you comprehend what your statement of fealty to this person means?" (Says, "Yes, we are aware of that.") "By pledging fealty to him, you are inviting all of humanity to war. There is a strong likelihood that your life and properties will be seriously threatened. Therefore, give it some thought. It is much preferable to leave him alone now if you have any thoughts of later turning him over to his adversaries. Doing so will bring shame and humiliation upon you both in this life and the next. However, if you have truly decided that you will accept all of the repercussions that will ensue from accepting this offer, it would be better for you to swear allegiance to him because, by God, doing so will undoubtedly benefit you both in this life and the next."
The group yelled out in unison at this point, saying, "We are ready and prepared to risk all our money and our noble kin for his sake."
The infamous "Second Oath of Allegiance at Aqabah," as it is often known, was taken at that point.
The inhabitants of Makkah, on the other hand, were fully aware of the ramifications of this situation from their own perspective. They understood that with this allegiance, Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him), who they knew well to have a remarkable personality and extraordinary qualities, would obtain a strong footing. Because doing so would facilitate the incorporation of his adherents—whose steadfastness, resolve, and unflinching commitment to the Messenger had been tested—into a structured society under his astute leadership and direction. And they were aware that their previous patterns of life would perish as a result. They were also aware of Al-strategic Madinah's significance for their trade, which was their main source of income.
Because of its geographic location, the Muslims were able to effectively attack the economic foundation of other pagan tribes as well as the caravans that traveled along the trade route between Yemen and Syria. Without including trade from Raif and other locations, the value of trade conducted on this route by the people of Makkah alone amounted to roughly 200,000 dinars per year.
The Quraish were quite upset when they learned of the oath of allegiance in Aqabah that same night because they were fully aware of its ramifications. They initially made an effort to persuade Al-Madinah residents to support them. The Holy Prophet was also going to depart from there shortly, they understood when they observed the Muslims moving to Al- Madinah in tiny groups. Then they made the decision to take drastic action to avoid this risk.
The Quraish gathered in a council a few days prior to his departure to discuss the situation. After much debate, they concluded that in order to end the life of the Holy Prophet, one individual should be selected from each of the Quraish families aside from the Banu Hashim family. By Allah's grace, their plot to kill the Holy Prophet failed because of his admirable foresight and unwavering faith in Allah, and he arrived in Al- Madinah in good health. This was done to make it difficult for the family of the Holy Prophet to fight alone against all the other families of the Quraish and thus force them to accept blood-money for his murder-instead of taking revenge from them. When they were unable to stop him from leaving, they decided to take advantage of Abdullah bin Ub'ai, who had started harboring resentment toward the Holy Prophet ever since he arrived in Al-Madinah. The inhabitants of Al-Madinah had decided to make him their king because he was a powerful chief in the city. His dreams of becoming a king, however, were dashed when the majority of the Aus and Khazraj tribe converted to Islam and embraced the Holy Prophet as their leader, guide, and ruler. As a result, the Quraish sent him a letter in which they warned him: "We swear by God that we will conquer your city, murder your males, and make your ladies our slave girls as you have given shelter to our adversary." He was more motivated to cause trouble after reading this letter since it fanned the flames of his jealously, but the Holy Prophet stopped him in his tracks by taking prompt action.
Another chance for the Quraish to threaten people presented itself. Another Al-Madinah chief named Sa'ad bin Mu'az traveled to Makkah to perform the Umrah when Abu Jahl interrupted him at the Kabah's entrance by stating, "Do you believe that we will permit you to perform Umrah in peace while you provide refuge and assistance to outlaws from us? You wouldn't have survived from here if you weren't Ummayyah bin Khalf's guest." "By Allah, if you stop me from doing this, I will retaliate in a terrible way and block your passage to Al-Madinah," Sa'ad retorted. This episode essentially resulted in the people of Makkah making the declaration that they would stop Muslims from making the pilgrimage to the Kabah, and the people of Al- Madinah declaring that they would block their trade route to Syria in revenge against the enemies of Islam. In actuality, the Muslims had little choice but to maintain a firm hold on this road in order to pressure the Quraish and other clans, whose interests were inextricably linked to this route, to change their hostile and adversarial attitude toward them. Because of this, the Holy Prophet gave this issue the utmost priority. As soon as he was free from preparing the groundwork for organizing the newly formed Muslim Community and reaching an agreement with the nearby Jewish settlements, he took two actions in this regard:
He started by negotiating with the clans that lived between the Red Sea and this road in an effort to forge alliances with them or, more likely, convince them to sign neutrality agreements with the Muslims. He was successful in doing this, and as a result, he signed a non-alignment contract with Juhainah, a significant tribe from the mountainous region near the coast. Then, at the conclusion of the first year of Hijrah, he signed an alliance pact with Bani Damrah, a group that resided close to Yanb'u and Zawal Ushairah. Bani Mudlij, who were Bani Damrah's neighbors and allies, also joined the alliance in 2 A. H. Then it so happened that many of these individuals were converted to Islam as a result of the Muslims' missionary work.
Second, he gradually dispatched small units of his soldiers along this path to warn the Quraish, and he himself went with some of them. Four expeditions were dispatched there in the first year of Hijrah: those led by Hamzah, Ubaidah bin Harith, Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas, and the Al-Abwa' mission, which was led by the Holy Prophet himself. Two other incursions were made along the same route in the first month of the following year. These are referred to as the Zawal Ushairah Expedition and the Buwat Expedition. These voyages are notable for two reasons. First, none of these excursions resulted in any bloodshed or caravan plunder. This demonstrates that the Quraish were intended to be shown the direction of the wind as the true goal of these missions. Second, on none of these expeditions did the Holy Prophet send a single man from the inhabitants of Al-Madinah. The Quraish people were the only participants in all of the bands, preventing the conflict from spreading by involving other clans. This was done to ensure that the fight remained amongst the Quraish themselves. The Quraish of Makkah attempted to include additional parties in the fight on the other side. They did not think twice about pillaging the populace when they dispatched gangs to Al-Madinah. For instance, an expedition led by Kurz bin Jabir al-Fihrl stole animals from the residents of Al-Madinah in the immediate area of the city to expose their true motivations.
This was the situation when, on its journey back from Syria to Makkah in Sha'aban, 2 A. H. (February or March, 623 A. D.), a large commerce caravan of the Quraish, carrying goods worth around $50,000, reached the region from where it could be readily attacked from Al-Madinah. Because the caravan was carrying trade goods worth thousands of pounds and was poorly secured, Abu Sufyan, who was in command of it, naturally feared an attack by the Muslims based on his prior experiences. So, as soon as he reached the perilous area, he sent a camel rider to Makkah with an urgent cry for assistance. Following an ancient Arabian custom, the rider tore open his camel's ears, cut open his nose, and turned the saddle over when he arrived in Makkah. He then tore his shirt in two places, from the front and the back, and started screaming "O Quraish, send help to safeguard your caravan from Syria under the direction of Abu Sufyan; otherwise, I doubt you will ever receive your goods. Muhammad and his supporters are pursuing your caravan. Run, run for assistance." All of Makkah was greatly enraged and excited about this, and the major Quraish commanders began preparing for battle. A battle was about to begin when an army of 600 armored warriors and 100 mounted cavalrymen marched out. In addition to saving the caravan, they also wanted to permanently neutralize the new threat posed by the Muslims who had concentrated at Al-Madinah. To make the road completely safe for future trade, they sought to subdue that growing force and intimidate the clans nearby.
Now that the pivotal moment had arrived, the Holy Prophet—who always kept himself well-informed of the situation—felt that it was the perfect time for him to make a strong move, or else the Islamic Movement would perish for good and have no possibility of reviving. Because the chances would be against the Muslims if the Quraish attacked Al-Madinah. Because the immigrants (Muhajirin) had only been in Al-Madinah for a short period (less than two years), they had not been able to stabilize their economy; their helpers (the Ansar) had not yet been tested; and the neighboring Jewish clans were hostile, the condition of the Muslim Community was still very precarious. Then, in Al- Madinah proper, there was a sizable group of hypocrites and mushriks; moreover, the neighboring tribes held the Quraish in the highest regard and had all of their religious affections with them. Therefore, the Holy Prophet believed that the effects of this potential invasion would not be in the Muslims' favor.
The second alternative was that they would merely attempt to lead their caravan safely and securely while making a show of force rather than attacking Al-Madinah. The Muslim's reputation would suffer if they remained inactive in that situation as well. Naturally, this cowardly stance in the conflict would embolden the other Arabs as well and make the Muslims' position in the nation extremely precarious. The neighboring clans would initiate hostilities against them on the orders of the Quraish, and the Jews, hypocrites, and mushriks of Al- Madinah would openly rise against them, endangering not only their security of life, property, and honor but also making it difficult for them even to live there.
To protect their lives, property, and honor from the adversary, the Muslims would not be able to create awe in them. The Holy Prophet decided to take a decisive action and enter the conflict with what little power he could gather after carefully analyzing the circumstances. Only by doing this would he be able to demonstrate whether the Muslim Community had a chance of surviving or was destined to perish.
When he made this crucial choice, he gathered the Muhajirin and the Ansar and presented the entire situation to them without any reservations. He stated: "Allah has guaranteed that you will face either the Quraish army heading from the south or the merchant caravan coming from the north. Please specify which of the two you want to attack now." The vast majority of those in attendance said that they desired to attack the caravan. However, the Holy Prophet, who was preceded by something else, asked the same query. A Muhajir named Miqdad bin 'Amr stepped up and exclaimed, "0 Prophet of Allah! We will go with you wherever you go; just march to the side to which your Lord directs you. We won't respond as the Israelites did and say, "Go, let you and your Lord battle; we'll wait." They hear us saying, "Let you and your Lord battle; we will fight by your side till our last breath," in contrast to them." Even then, he held off on making any announcements and instead awaited a response from the Ansar, who had not yet participated in any Islamic battles. He repeated the query without addressing them directly because this was their first chance to demonstrate that they were prepared to keep their word and fight for the cause of Islam. "Sir, it looks that you are asking the question to us," replied Sa'ad bin Mu'az, an Ansar, standing up at this point. The Holy Prophet's words, "Yes, we have trusted you and affirmed that what you have conveyed is the Truth. We have also made a solemn commitment to you that we will pay attention to you and follow your instructions. We vow by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth that we are prepared to go with you to the seashore and if you enter it, we will also jump in. So, 0 Messenger of Allah, do whatever you wish to do. We promise you that not one of us will leave you behind or desert you; we won't even think twice about going into combat if you were to take us to the front lines tomorrow. We will fight unwaveringly and lay down our lives for the cause. We sincerely hope that, with Allah's blessing, our actions would make you happy. So, lead us to the front lines while you rely on Allah's grace."
Following these speeches, it was determined that they should advance toward the Quraish army rather than the commerce caravan. However, it should be mentioned that the choice was rather routine. Only slightly more than three hundred people really stepped forward to enter the battle (86 Muhajirs, 62 from Aus and 170 from Khazraj). The small force was then inadequately armed and prepared for fight. Out of the total of 70 of them, only a few had horses to ride, so the others had to take turns riding camels in groups of three or four. They lacked sufficient weaponry for the fight, and just 60 of them wore armor. It is so understandable why the majority of people who had joined the expedition were so overcome with terror that they felt as though they were willfully stepping into the jaws of death, with the exception of those who were willing to give their lives in the name of Islam. Then there were those who were purely self-centered at all times. Despite having accepted Islam, they were unaware that it would require them to sacrifice their lives and possessions; they believed that it was a crazy mission driven by irrational fervor for religion. However, the Holy Prophet and the sincere Believers knew how urgent that moment was and that they had to march directly to the southwest, where the army of the Quraish was approaching, even at the cost of their lives. This is unequivocal evidence that they had been out to fight alongside the army from the outset, not to rob the caravan. Because they would have taken the north-western route rather than the south-western one if they had intended to loot the convoy.
On the seventeenth day of Ramadan, the two sides engaged in action at Badr. The Holy Prophet raised his hands in supplication and offered this sincere prayer with much humility when he saw that the Quraish army was far better armed and outnumbered the Muslims by a ratio of three to one "Oh Allah The Quraish have arrived to demonstrate the falsity of Your Messenger, and they are proud of their battle equipment. Send me the success that You have promised to grant me, O Allah. Oh Allah There won't be anyone left in the nation to worship Thee if this small army of Thy followers is wiped out."
The emigrants from Makkah were put to the harshest test in this battle since they had to contend with their own close relatives and kill their fathers, sons, paternal and maternal uncles, and brothers. It is apparent that only those who had honestly accepted the Truth and severed all ties to deception could have prevailed in this most difficult of tests. Additionally, the test that the Ansar were put to was equally challenging in another sense. By providing sanctuary to the Muslims against their will up to this point, they had only served to enrage the Quraish and their allies, but now, for the first time, they intended to engage them in combat and lay the groundwork for a protracted conflict. This was a particularly difficult test because it implied that a little town with a few thousand residents would go to war with all of Arabia. It is apparent that only those who had such a strong conviction in the Truth of Islam and were willing to put aside all other considerations in order to uphold it could have taken such a daring action.
Due to their genuine faith, Allah accepted the Muhajirin and the Ansar's self-giving and rewarded them with success. These ill-equipped adherents of Islam routed the arrogant, well-armed Quraish. Their army lost 70 soldiers, had an additional 70 taken prisoner, and their weapons and equipment were taken as war loot by the Muslims. In this battle, all of their powerful chiefs—who were also their best troops and had spearheaded the resistance to Islam—were slain. It is understandable why this resounding triumph elevated Islam to a position of prominence. According to a researcher from the West, Islam was only a state and a religion before the Battle of Badr, but after the Battle it became the state religion, if not the state itself.

Topics of Conversation
This Surah has described this epic Battle in detail. But it should be observed that this appraisal differs significantly from those that worldly commanders typically write after a significant win.

• Instead of celebrating the victory, the moral flaws that had surfaced during that trip have been highlighted so that the Muslims can make every effort to change.
• In order for Muslims to learn to rely on Him and to obey only Allah and His Messenger, it has been drilled into them that the triumph was due to Allah's success rather than to their own bravery and valour.
• The moral lesson of the fight between Truth and lying has been stated, and the characteristics that contribute to conflict resolution success have been described.
• Then, in a very impressive way that should teach them a valuable lesson, the Surah addresses the mushriks, the hypocrites, the Jews, and the war prisoners.
• It also provides guidance on how to handle war booty. Muslims have been instructed to view these as a gift from Allah rather than as their legal entitlement. As a result, they ought to gladly embrace the portion of it that has been allotted to them as well as the portion that Allah has put aside for the benefit of the poor and His cause.
• The normal instructions for the laws of peace and war are also provided since, at the point the Islamic Movement had reached, it was critical that these be clarified. It commanded Muslims to abstain from acts of "ignorance" in both peace and war in order to demonstrate their moral superiority to everyone else. It also meant to put the morality that Islam had been preaching to the world from the very beginning into actual practice and to encourage people to base their daily lives on that morality.
• Additionally, it cites a few Islamic constitutional provisions that help distinguish between Muslims who reside within the boundaries of Dar-ul-Islam (the Abode of Islam) and those who do not.

Subject: Problems of Jihad
In this surah, which examines the Battle of Badr, broad ideas of battle (one part of jihad) and peace are laid out and applied to moral upbringing of Muslims.

Topics and their Interconnection
The issues with the "Spoils of War" are covered in this section. The Quran demonstrates that the victory at Badr (and in all subsequent conflicts, too) was gained by His assistance and not by the efforts of the Muslims, proving that these are "Bounties of Allah" rather than "spoils of war." Additionally, it states in verse 40 that the Muslims' goal in battle should be to destroy all obstacles to the spread of Islam rather than to take spoils. Furthermore, since the prizes are God's gifts, only Allah and His Messenger have the right to divide them. Then, in verse 41, the various shares have been assigned after training the Muslims to accept these things.
Allah planned the Battle of Badr in order for Islam to triumph against "ignorance." The moral from this is that Muslims should put their faith in God, arm themselves for battle, and avoid falling prey to Satan's tricks like unbelievers did. 42-54
The Muslims have been commanded to uphold treaty sanctity as long as the opposing side does not violate it. 55-59
The Muslims must constantly be ready for war on all fronts, but they must also be prepared to make peace if the opposing side is amenable to it. 60-66
Instructions regarding captives of war have been provided in these scriptures. 67-71
Muslims have been instructed to treat one another with respect in order to keep them together against their adversaries. 72-75