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Victory and Strength: Lessons from Surat al-Anfal

ByShaykh Haytham Tamim

The Battle of Badr took place on the 17th of Ramadan, a pivotal moment in Islamic history. In Surah Al-Anfal, Allah teaches the believers the principles of attaining victory and maintaining it, while in Surah Aal-e-Imran, revealed after the Battle of Uhud, Allah dedicates over 70 verses—nearly one-third of one of the longest surahs—to addressing the lessons learned from defeat. 

In Surah Al-Anfal, Allah outlines the key elements that bring victory: 

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا لَقِيتُمۡ فِئَةٗ فَٱثۡبُتُواْ وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ

“O you who believe! When you meet an enemy force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allah much (both with tongue and mind), so that you may be successful.” (8:45) 

Here, Allah commands the believers to stay firm, not just in battle, but in all challenges—whether they be in community affairs, politics, or social struggles. How does one attain such strength? The answer lies in Allah’s command: “Remember Allah much.” 

The more you remember Allah, the more He strengthens your heart and resolve. 

The scholar, Ibn Ashur highlights that this remembrance of Allah is not meant to be silent or concealed in the heart, but rather: 

1. It should be spoken aloud, as vocal remembrance awakens the heart. 

2. Hearing it reinforces faith, not only for oneself but also for those around you. 

The four keys to victory

In the next verse, Allah lays out the four essential principles for victory: 

وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَٰزَعُواْ فَتَفۡشَلُواْ وَتَذۡهَبَ رِيحُكُمۡۖ وَٱصۡبِرُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ

“And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (8:46) 

1. Obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him)

 Victory is only possible when we follow the commands of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). The motto of the Ummah should always be “Sami‘na wa ata‘na” (We hear, and we obey).  We are Muslims—those who submit to Allah’s will, and through submission comes strength. 

2. Avoid disunity and disputes 

Internal conflict leads to weakness. Allah warns that disputes will cause failure and division, making the Ummah vulnerable. Unfortunately, our Ummah is over two billion strong, yet we are ineffective because we are not united. 

History has shown that internal strife is more dangerous than any external enemy. Creating division only leads to weakness, and weakness leads to defeat and subjugation. 

3. Loss of strength (rīḥ – wind/power) 

Allah uses the metaphor of “wind” (rīḥ) to symbolise power and influence. When the Ummah is divided, instead of defending itself against external threats, its energy and resources are wasted on internal conflicts. Rather than protecting our borders, we turn against one another—this is the cause of our weakness. 

4. Patience (Sabr) in difficulties 

Patience is required not for things we enjoy, but for things that challenge us. True sabr means enduring hardships, challenges, and sacrifices for the sake of Allah and the Ummah.  If you only do what is easy, you will achieve nothing.  To regain strength and honour, we must learn to tolerate one another, seek reconciliation, and remain steadfast. 

The power of unity

Allah reminds us in another verse: 

وَأَلَّفَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِهِمۡۚ لَوۡ أَنفَقۡتَ مَا فِي 

ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِيعٗا مَّآ أَلَّفۡتَ بَيۡنَ قُلُوبِهِمۡ

 وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ أَلَّفَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٞ

“And He brought their hearts together. If you had spent all that is on the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but Allah united them.” (8:63) 

True unity comes only through Allah. The Muslim world has tried nationalism, socialism, capitalism, and countless other ideologies—all have failed. The only solution is to return to Allah’s guidance. 

Today, despite our massive numbers, we are dominated by a much smaller force because we are divided. Allah has already given us the formula for success, yet we continue to ignore it. 

We ask Allah to unite our Ummah, to bring our hearts together, and to inspire us to reclaim our honour, strength, and victory. These trials and tribulations are not the end

Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 15th Ramadan 2025.

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