وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ ٱلْتَقَيْتُمْ فِىٓ أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلًا وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِىٓ أَعْيُنِهِمْ لِيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ 44
Translations
And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allāh are [all] matters returned.
Transliteration
Wa-idh yureekumuuhum idh iltaqaytum fee a'yunukum qaleelan wa yaqallilukum fee a'yunihim liyaqda Allahu amran kana maf'ula wa-ila Allahi turja'u al-umur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Battle of Badr, where Allah made the Quraysh appear few in number to the Muslims and made the Muslims appear few to the Quraysh, so that the predetermined divine decree would be fulfilled. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, Allah diminished the perception of each side's numbers to the other to strengthen the resolve of the believers and execute His will. The final clause reminds that all affairs ultimately return to Allah's judgment and control.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the context of the Battle of Badr (2 AH), the first major battle between the Muslims and the Quraysh. The Muslims were outnumbered (approximately 313 Muslims against 1000 Quraysh), yet Allah granted them a miraculous victory. This ayah explains one of the divine means by which this victory was achieved, emphasizing that perception itself was manipulated by Allah's will to facilitate the believers' success.
Related Hadiths
The battle itself is referenced in Sahih Bukhari (hadith 3952) where the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions the divine assistance at Badr. Additionally, Sunan Ibn Majah contains accounts of the Battle of Badr where companions testify to seeing angels and experiencing divine support during the conflict.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that Allah's support for the believers transcends physical circumstances and material advantage—perception, morale, and divine decree can overcome numerical or resource disparities. For modern readers, it reinforces that reliance on Allah (tawakkul) and trust in His plan is more valuable than dependence on worldly power, and that victory in any struggle ultimately depends on divine will, not human calculation alone.