73. Rub’ el-Hizb ربع ٧٣

Know that one-fifth of your battle gains belongs to God and the Messenger, to close relatives and orphans, to the needy and travellers, if you believe in God and the revelation We sent down to Our servant on the day of the decision, the day when the two forces met in battle. God has power over all things.

Remember when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the far side and the caravan was below you. If you had made an appointment to fight, you would have failed to keep it [but the battle took place] so that God might bring about something already ordained, so that those who were to die might die after seeing a clear proof, and so that those who were to live might live after seeing a clear proof- God is all hearing and all seeing.

[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.

When you met He showed them to you as few, and He made you few in their eyes, so that He might bring about what has been ordained: everything goes back to God.

Believers, when you meet a force in battle, stand firm and keep God firmly in mind, so that you may prosper.

Obey God and His Messenger, and do not quarrel with one another, or you may lose heart and your spirit may desert you. Be steadfast: God is with the steadfast.

Do not be like those who came out of their homes full of conceit, showing off to people, and barring others from the way of God- God has full knowledge of all that they do.

Satan made their foul deeds seem fair to them, and said, ‘No one will conquer you today, for I will be right beside you,’ but when the armies came within sight of one another he turned on his heels, saying, ‘This is where I leave you: I see what you do not, and I fear God- God is severe in His punishment.’

The hypocrites and those who have sickness in their hearts said, ‘These people [the believers] must be deluded by their religion,’ but if anyone puts his trust in God, God is mighty and wise.

If only you [Prophet] could see, when the angels take the souls of the disbelievers, how they strike their faces and backs: it will be said, ‘Taste the punishment of the Fire.

This is caused by what your own hands have stored up for you: God is never unjust to His creatures.’

They are like Pharaoh’s people and those before them who ignored God’s signs, so God punished them for their sins: God is strong and severe in His punishment.

[He did] this because God would never change a favour He had conferred on a people unless they changed what was within themselves. God is all hearing, all knowing.

They are indeed like Pharaoh’s people and those before them, who denied the signs of their Lord: We destroyed them for their sins, and We drowned Pharaoh’s people- they were all evildoers.

The worst creatures in the sight of God are those who reject Him and will not believe;

who, whenever you [Prophet] make a treaty with them, break it, for they have no fear of God.

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

And if you learn of treachery on the part of any people, throw their treaty back at them, for God does not love the treacherous.

The disbelievers should not think they have won; they cannot escape.

Prepare whatever forces you [believers] can muster, including warhorses, to frighten off God’s enemies and yours, and warn others unknown to you but known to God. Whatever you give in God’s cause will be repaid to you in full, and you will not be wronged.