Surah Al-Anfal (8:42)

اِذۡ اَنۡتُمۡ بِالۡعُدۡوَةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَهُمۡ بِالۡعُدۡوَةِ الۡقُصۡوٰى وَ الرَّكۡبُ اَسۡفَلَ مِنۡكُمۡؕ وَلَوۡ تَوَاعَدْتُّمۡ لَاخۡتَلَفۡتُمۡ فِى الۡمِيۡعٰدِۙ وَلٰـكِنۡ لِّيَقۡضِىَ اللّٰهُ اَمۡرًا كَانَ مَفۡعُوۡلًا ۙ لِّيَهۡلِكَ مَنۡ هَلَكَ عَنۡۢ بَيِّنَةٍ وَّيَحۡيٰى مَنۡ حَىَّ عَنۡۢ بَيِّنَةٍ ؕ وَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَسَمِيۡعٌ عَلِيۡمٌۙ‏ ۝

Ith antum bilAAudwati addunyawahum bilAAudwati alquswa warrakbuasfala minkum walaw tawaAAadtum lakhtalaftum feealmeeAAadi walakin liyaqdiya Allahuamran kana mafAAoolan liyahlika man halaka AAan bayyinatinwayahya man hayya AAan bayyinatin wa-innaAllaha lasameeAAun AAaleem

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.

Tadabbur (Reflection)

Theme of the Ayat

This verse speaks to the core theme of **Al-Anfal**.

The Insight

Reflect on the meaning: "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.".