Surah Ali 'Imran 3:13 — translation and meaning

آل عمران · Verse 13 / 200 · Page 51

ۚ ۗ ۖ قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ آيَةٌ فِي فِئَتَيْنِ الْتَقَتَا فِئَةٌ تُقَاتِلُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَأُخْرَى كَافِرَةٌ يَرَوْنَهُم مِّثْلَيْهِمْ رَأْيَ الْعَيْنِ وَاللَّهُ يُؤَيِّدُ بِنَصْرِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَعِبْرَةً لِّأُولِي الْأَبْصَارِ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۗ
ۖ
قَدْ
qad
Surely
كَانَ
kana
it was
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
آيَةٌ
ayatun
a sign
فِي
fi
in
فِئَتَيْنِ
fi-atayni
(the) two hosts
الْتَقَتَا
al-taqata
which met
فِئَةٌ
fi-atun
one group
تُقَاتِلُ
tuqatilu
fighting
فِي
fi
in
سَبِيلِ
sabili
(the) way
اللَّهِ
al-lahi
(of) Allah
وَأُخْرَى
wa-ukh'ra
and another
كَافِرَةٌ
kafiratun
disbelievers
يَرَوْنَهُم
yarawnahum
They were seeing them
مِّثْلَيْهِمْ
mith'layhim
twice of them
رَأْيَ
raya
with the sight
الْعَيْنِ
al-'ayni
(of) their eyes
وَاللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
يُؤَيِّدُ
yu-ayyidu
supports
بِنَصْرِهِ
binasrihi
with His help
مَن
man
whom
يَشَاءُ
yashau
He wills
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
فِي
fi
in
ذَلِكَ
dhalika
that
لَعِبْرَةً
la'ib'ratan
surely (is) a lesson
لِّأُولِي
li-uli
for the owners
الْأَبْصَارِ
al-absari
(of) vision

Transliteration

Qad kaana lakum Aayatun fee fi'atainil taqataa fi'atun tuqaatilu fee sabeelil laahi wa ukhraa kaafiratuny yarawnahum mislaihim raayal 'ayn; wallaahu yu'ayyidu bi nasrihee mai yashaaa'; innaa fee zaalika la 'ibratal li ulil absaar

Translation

Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met - one fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

There was a clear sign and lesson in the two groups that met to fight in the Battle of Badr. One group was made up of believers, and this was the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions: they were fighting for Allah’s sake and in order to raise His Word against the word of those who disbelieve. The other group consisted of the disbelievers of Makkah, who had come out in pride and for show. The believers actually saw the disbelievers as being double their real number; but Allah helped His allies. Allah gives His support to whomever He wishes. In that there is a lesson and a warning for those of insight to realize that the help of Allah can come to the believers even though they may be few in number; and that defeat can come to those on falsehood even though they may be great in number.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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