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mā kāna li-nabiyyin ʾan yakūna lahū ʾasrā ḥattā yuthkhina fī l-ʾarḍi turīdūna ʿaraḍa d-dunyā wa-llāhu yurīdu l-ʾākhirata wa-llāhu ʿazīzun ḥakīmun
A prophet may not take captives until he has thoroughly decimated [the enemy] in the land. You desire the transitory gains of this world, while Allah desires [for you] [the reward of] the Hereafter, and Allah is all-mighty, all-wise.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Anfal – Verse 67
67 . “It is not (fit) for any prophet to have captives unless he has thoroughly triumphed in the land. You desire the transitory world, while Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter; and Allah is the Mighty the Wise.”
Allah has allowed no prophet to take the members of the enemy as captives and to keep them as pledge in order to take money from them, or hold them under obligation and let them go; unless that he exaggerates in killing the heathens an destroying them so that it becomes as a warning to others and that he gains authority. The verse says:
The next phrase of the verse addresses the Muslims, not the Prophet (S) because their desire was that they could take money from the captives and let them go. The purpose is that, in the first battle, i.e. the Battle of Badr, before gaining authority on the earth, they took ransom. The Arabic phrase: /’arad-ad-dunya/ means the property of the world which is something vanishable. The verse continues saying:
You pursue the wealth of the world while Allah desires the rewards of the Hereafter for you. The verse says:
The helpers of Allah will never be defeated, and verily Allah acts wisely; then, do perform whatever He commands you, so that you enjoy the help of Allah. The verse ends: