Because it details the events of that battle, Ibn ʿAbbās described this text as "Sūrat Badr." Revelation began on the battlefield itself in Ramadan of 2 AH, before the Muslims had departed or divided their wealth. A dispute among the Companions over this distribution prompted the chapter's formal name, Al-Anfāl (The Spoils of War). Spanning 75 verses, it is considered the second chapter to descend in Madinah following Sūrat al-Baqarah.
The text opens with a specific question about the spoils, linking their division directly to a command to rectify internal relations. It then reconstructs the conflict, moving from the initial intent to intercept a caravan to the unexpected confrontation with an army and the divine aid that sustained the believers. After addressing combat ethics, the verses pivot to establish laws for treaties and rulings concerning captives.
The concluding passages shift from the physical clash to the community's social fabric. These final verses define the legal consequences of allegiance, detailing the mutual support required between the Emigrants, the Helpers, and those believers who remained behind in Makkah.