Page 186
yā-ʾayyuhā n-nabiyyu qul li-man fī ʾaydīkum mina l-ʾasrā ʾin yaʿlami llāhu fī qulūbikum khayran yuʾtikum khayran mimmā ʾukhidha minkum wa-yaghfir lakum wa-llāhu ghafūrun raḥīmun
O Prophet! Say to the captives who are in your hands, ‘If Allah finds any good in your hearts, He will give you [something which is] better than what has been taken away from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Al-Anfal – Verse 70
70 . “O Prophet! Say to the captives in your hands: ‘If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you better than what has been taken away from you, and He will forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
In the occasion of revelation of the verse, it has been cited that ‘Abbas,, Aqil, and Nufil were captured as captives of war in the Battle of Badr. By taking ransom, the Prophet (S) emancipated them, and they embraced Islam. Later, the money which was taken as their ransom was returned to them, too.1 (Most commentary books indicate that in the Battle of Badr some Muslims said that: for observing the respectability of the Prophet (S) ‘Abbas, the Prophet's uncle, should not be taken ransom from.
The Prophet (S) said:
“By Allah, I do not renounce a dirham (a silver coin) of it.”
Then, the Prophet (S) told his uncle:
“You are wealthy; then pay ransom for yourself and for your brother's son, Aqil.”
‘Abbas said:
“If I pay ransom, I will become empty of money.”
The Prophet (S) answered:
“You can spend out of money you have in Mecca with your wife, ‘Umm-ul- ‘Fadl.”
‘Abbas said:
“None knew this matter. I understood that you are tru1y a prophet.”
And, at once, he became a Muslim at his presence.) In the Islamic system, there are three choices of designs for war captives: 1- Emancipating them without ransom; like what happened in the conquest of Mecca, where no captive was taken. 2- Emancipation of captives of war by taking ransom in cash, or by exchange of captives. 3- Keeping captives under the control of Muslims in order to hinder the enemy of Islam to be strengthened, and to teach Islam gradually to them both, maybe they be guided to it.
Choosing either of these three choices to be practically acted is in the authority of the Islamic judge. Captives must be treated in such a manner that it prepares them to be guided. Thus, the aim of war is guiding people and defeating the legitimate ruler, not slaughtering, spoiling, taking captives d taking ransom. That is why preaching and guiding captives is necessary. The verse says:
And, the true ‘good’ is Faith. The holy verse continues saying:
Footnotes