Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Sir,

Salam O Alaikom,

A urdu language sentance "Loot ka mall" ? what`s is real meaning of that words ?

I read these wors in a favourite "Islamic Book Sahee Bhukhari " version 2 written by Moulana Kaseer as Tafseer ibn Kaseer published by Maktaba Rehmania Lahore.

With due regards,

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Answer:

War booty

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

We assume that by the Urdu term ‘loot ka maal’, it refers to the Arabic term ‘Anfaal’ or ‘war-booty’. The term ‘Anfaal’ is the plural of the Arabic term ‘Nafl’ which basically means extra; thus the exact meaning of the term ‘Anfaal’ when used in Islamic terminology would mean the ‘excess wealth’ provided by Allah Subhanah. The Urdu term ‘loot ka maal’ used as a synonym for ‘Anfaal’ or war-booty has a completely different and wrong connotation; a better and more correct translation of ‘Anfaal’ in the Urdu language would be ‘maal-e-ganeemat’.

When any enemy is defeated in a state of war, all the possessions of the losing party is taken by the victorious party; and it is these possessions which are known as ‘Anfaal’ or ‘war-booty’ in Islam. In the days of the Prophet (saws) it used to be the horses, the swords, the shields, the food, etc. which the vanquished enemies left behind in the battle grounds, which were then collected and deposited in the ‘bayt-ul-maal’ or ‘State Treasury’ and distributed amongst the muslims. If one witnesses the wars of today, the guns, planes, tanks, bombs, artillery, etc. which the losing army leaves behind is taken over by the victorious army, and this would be known as the ‘war-booty’.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 8 Surah Anfaal (War Booty) verse 1: They ask thee concerning (things taken as) ‘Spoils of War’. Say: "(Such) Spoils are at the disposal of Allah and the Messenger: so fear Allah and keep straight the relations between yourselves: obey Allah and His Messenger if ye do believe."

In a state of war, when the enemy is defeated whatever the vanquished enemy leaves behind in the battle ground becomes the legal possession of the victorious army. The intention of the believers when they fight a war is never to earn ‘booty’ from the war, but rather they fight only to defend themselves and to make the Word of Allah Supreme in the land. The distribution they receive from the ‘Bayt-ul-Maal’ or ‘State Treasury’ from the ‘War Booty’ is thus extra, and thus ‘Anfaal’.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan