إِذْ أَنتُم بِٱلْعُدْوَةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَهُم بِٱلْعُدْوَةِ ٱلْقُصْوَىٰ وَٱلرَّكْبُ أَسْفَلَ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدتُّمْ لَٱخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِى ٱلْمِيعَـٰدِ ۙ وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا لِّيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَىٰ مَنْ حَىَّ عَنۢ بَيِّنَةٍ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَسَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ 42
Translations
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it was] so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.
Transliteration
Idh antum bil-'udwatil-dunya wa hum bil-'udwatil-quswa war-rakbu asfala minkum wa law tawa'adttum lakhtalaftum fil-mi'ad wa lakin liyaqdiyal-lahu amran kana maf'ula liyahlaka man halaka 'an bayyinah wa yahya man hayya 'an bayyinah wa innal-laha lasamiun 'alim
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the miraculous circumstances of the Battle of Badr, where the Muslims and Quraysh were positioned on opposite sides of a valley, with the Quraysh caravan below them. Allah emphasizes that this arrangement was divinely ordained, not coincidental—had the two parties agreed to meet beforehand, they would have disagreed on the time and place, but Allah willed this encounter to occur. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah underscores Allah's perfect wisdom: allowing those destined to be destroyed to perish with clear knowledge and evidence (the truth of Islam), and allowing those destined to be preserved to live with the same clarity, ensuring no one has an excuse before Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Madinah after the Battle of Badr (2 AH), the first major military engagement between Muslims and the Quraysh. It is part of Surah Al-Anfal, which addresses the rules of warfare, spoils of war, and the lessons learned from Badr. The ayah specifically reminds the Muslim community of the divine intervention and miraculous positioning that led to their victory against a numerically superior force.
Related Hadiths
The Battle of Badr is extensively documented in Sahih Bukhari (Book of Jihad) and Sahih Muslim, particularly regarding how the Muslims were positioned near the water source while the Quraysh were disadvantaged. Additionally, numerous hadiths in Sunan Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi discuss how Allah decreed the victory through specific circumstances, reinforcing the theme of divine predestination and wisdom.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's plans transcend human coordination and foresight—believers should trust in divine wisdom even when circumstances seem uncertain or coincidental. For modern readers, it reinforces that true success comes not from human calculation alone, but from sincere faith and adherence to truth, knowing that Allah orchestrates events with perfect knowledge and justice.