Surah Al Anfal Tafseer

لِيَمِيزَ اللّهُ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ

In order that Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good,

meaning recognize the difference between the people of happiness and the people of misery, according to Ibn Abbas, as Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from him.

Allah distinguishes between those believers who obey Him and fight His disbelieving enemies and those who disobey Him.

Allah said in other Ayat,

مَّا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَأ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ

Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen). (3:179)

and,

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ

Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah (tests) those of you who fought (in His cause) and (also) tests those who are the patient. (3:142)

Therefore, the Ayah (8:37) means,

`We tried you with combatant disbelievers whom We made able to spend money in fighting you,'

لِيَمِيزَ اللّهُ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ وَيَجْعَلَ الْخَبِيثَ بَعْضَهُ عَلَىَ بَعْضٍ فَيَرْكُمَهُ جَمِيعاً

in order that Allah may distinguish the wicked from the good, and put the wicked one over another, heap them together,

put in a pile on top of each other,

فَيَجْعَلَهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ أُوْلَـيِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

and cast them into Hell. Those! It is they who are the losers.

in this life and the Hereafter