Sura- 8 [ Al-Anfal Median 75]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

وَاذْكُرُواْ إِذْ أَنتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُّسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ...   

8:26.  Call to mind when ye were a small (band), despised through the land,

...تَخَافُونَ أَن يَتَخَطَّفَكُمُ النَّاسُ ...

and afraid that men might despoil and kidnap you;

C1199. On the immediate occasion the Muslims were reminded that;

-        they were a small band in Makkah despised and rejected;

-        living in a state of insecurity for their persons,

-        their lives, their property,

and those of their dependants, persecuted and exiled and how by the grace of Allah they found a safe asylum in Madinah;

-        how they found friends and helpers,

-        how their many needs were cared for, and

-        how at length they gathered strength and numbers enough to defeat the forces of godlessness, injustice, and oppression.

But for every individual, in some form or other, the lesson applies. His spiritual life begins humbly; he is despised and laughed at, perhaps persecuted and shut out from ordinary privileges open to all; but Allah gives him strength; friends spring up for him; and he is sustained until his highest spiritual desires are gradually fulfilled.

... فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُم بِنَصْرِهِ ...

but He provided a safe asylum for you, strengthened you with his aid,

Asad’s Version:

8: 26 [al-Anfal, Medina 88, after Badr, 2H]

Asad And remember the time when you were few [and] helpless on earth, fearful people do away with you [note 26] whereupon He sheltered you, and strengthened you with His succor, and provided for you sustenance out of the good things of life, so that you might have cause to be grateful.

Yusuf Ali Call to mind when ye were a small (band) despised through the land and afraid that men might despoil and kidnap you; but He provided a safe asylum for you strengthened you with his aid and gave you good things for sustenance: that ye might be grateful.

Pickthall And remember, when ye were few and reckoned feeble in the land, and were in fear lest men should extirpate you, how He gave you refuge, and strengthened you with His help, and made provision of good things for you, that haply ye might be thankful.

Transliteration Wazkuru_ iz antum qalilum mustad'afu_na fil ardi takha_fu_na ay yatakhattafakumun na_su faa_wa_kum wa ayyadakum bi nasrihi wa razaqakum minat tayyiba_ti la'allakum tasykuru_n(a).

[[ Ali’s note - 1199 On the immediate occasion the Muslims were reminded that they were a small band in Makkah despised and rejected; living in a state of insecurity for their persons, their lives, their property, and those of their dependents, persecuted and exiled and how by the grace of Allah they found a safe asylum in Madinah how they found friends and helpers, how their many needs were cared for, and how at length they gathered strength and numbers enough to defeat the forces of godlessness, injustice, and oppression. (8.26) ]]

[[ Asad’s note 26 – A reference to the weakness of the believers in the early days of Islam, before their exodus from Mecca to Median. In its wider meaning, it is a reminder to every community of true believers, at all times, of their initial weakness and numerical insignificance and their subsequent growth in number and influence.]]