ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ

2:144.

3:105, 115; 7:158; 9:71; 31:18.

Commentary:

The verse not only claims that the Muslims are the best people—a great claim indeed—but also gives reasons for it. These reasons are: (1) Muslims have been raised for the good of others; (2) they have been raised not for the good of any one people or any one country but for the good of all mankind; (3) it has been made their duty to enjoin what is good and forbid evil and believe in one God. The history of Islam bears ample testimony to the fact that Muslims fulfilled all the hopes expressed in this verse. They were not only the torch-bearers of Islam to the four corners of the world but they also contributed to the betterment of other peoples in a most remarkable manner. The renaissance of the west was mostly, if not entirely, due to their influence (The Making of Humanity by Robert Briffault).

The greatness of a people is proportionate to the magnitude of their work. As Muslims were to bring about the good of all mankind, they have been declared the greatest of all peoples. In fact, the real purpose of a Muslim’s life is to do good for humanity. As Islam is the greatest good, so Muslims have been enjoined to convey its message to the whole world. They are also required to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil. There are other people also who claim to enjoin good and forbid evil, but their aim in doing so is to contribute to the strength or betterment of their own respective communities. The Quran warns Muslims against having such restricted motives by adding the words, and you believe in Allah, i.e. your preaching should only be for God’s sake Who is the Lord of the worlds.

The assignment of this great task to Muslims also implies the appearance of Divine Messengers among them from time to time, for it is heavenly Messengers alone who can best perform this duty; and it is through them that we can properly realize the true significance of this task.

It may also be pointed out here that, according to this verse, the excellence of the Muslim people is governed by, and is subject to, the above conditions, i.e. preaching Islam to mankind and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil; mere lip-profession of Islam cannot entitle anyone to claim excellence.

3:119; 4:140, 145.

Important Words:

نفسه (His punishment). نفس is the noun-infinitive from نفس (nafusa) which literally means, it was or became loved and highly esteemed. نفس به (nafisa) means, he was tenacious or niggardly of it. نفس means, the soul; the spirit; the mind; the body; a person or being; a person’s or being’s self; brother or relative, or one belonging to one’s own religion; purpose, will or desire; punishment, etc. (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

With the advent of political power to Islam, as promised in the preceding verses, the contracting of political alliances became necessary for the Muslim State. The verse under comment embodies the guiding principle that no Muslim state should enter into any treaty or alliance with a non-Muslim state which should in any way injure, or conflict with, the interests of other Muslim states. The interests of Islam should transcend all other interests.

The phrase, in preference to believers, means: (1) that Muslims should not form friendly relations with disbelievers in preference to believers, shunning the latter and seeking the former; (2) that they should not form any connection with disbelievers in a way that may harm the interests of Muslims. They are, however, free to contract friendly relations with such non-Muslims as are friendly to them, according to the exigencies of time and circumstances (60:9, 10).

The verse also instructs Muslims to be on their guard against the plots and machinations of disbelievers. The expression, except that you cautiously guard against them, refers not to the power of the enemy but to his cunning against which Muslims should always be on their guard.

The clause ویحذرکم الله نفسه rendered as And Allah cautions you against His punishment, may also be translated as "and Allah cautions or warns you concerning Himself", meaning that if you do not faithfully accept the guidance of God, and make friends with disbelievers in preference to believers, you will lose God, Who will in that case have no connection with you.

Important Words:

یتوکل (should rely) is derived from وکل (wakala). They say وکل الیه الامر i.e. he left the matter to him for disposal as he might think fit. وکله بكذا (wakkalahu) means, he appointed him his وکیل or agent for the disposal or management of such and such a matter. توکل بالامر means, he became responsible, or accepted responsibility, for the management of the affair. توکل علی الله means, he relied on God; he put his trust in Him; he submitted himself to Him. The infinitive noun توکل signifies relying on, and trusting in, God alone, to the exclusion of worldly means (Aqrab & Lane).

Commentary:

The two groups mentioned here were, as stated above, the two tribes of Banu Salmah and Banu Harithah, belonging respectively to Aus and Khazraj. Their idea of returning (referred to in the note under the preceding verse) was not due to any doubt on their part with regard to the truth of Islam, but was merely due to weakness born of attending circumstances. But as they were sincere believers, God saved them from yielding to this weakness. See also note on 3:122.

The clause, upon Allah should the believers rely, does not mean that a Muslim should neglect material means and confine himself to praying to God and waiting for His help. This is a misguided conception of توکل (trusting in God) which finds no support in Islamic teachings. What Islam teaches is this, that true believer should use all the available means of attaining an object but should, at the same time, not rely upon them. He should trust in God alone looking upon worldly means as only being effective under the will of God. "Tie the knees of your camel and then trust in God", says the Holy Prophet—an extremely difficult position but nevertheless the only right way of demonstrating true faith in God!

Commentary:

The words من بعدہ translated as, beside Him, literally mean "after Him" and may also be rendered as "in opposition to Him". The verse throws further light on the philosophy of توکل (trust in God). In spite of making use of the necessary means, a true believer should, and in fact does, put his trust in God alone.

5:111.

Commentary:

The verse is considered by some commentators to refer to an incident which took place when the Holy Prophet was returning from Tabuk. It is said that on this occasion six hypocrites lay in ambush to kill him, but God saved him by disclosing the plot to him. The verse may, however, not necessarily be applied to any particular incident. It may be taken to refer generally to the protection which God vouchsafed to Muslims from the aggressive attacks of their enemies. By "a people" is here primarily meant the disbelievers of Mecca, who spared no pains to extirpate Islam and the Muslims, but the word is also general in its application.

22:36.

9:124.

Commentary:

The preceding verse ended with the words, if you are believers, and the present fittingly describes a sure sign of true belief necessary for the fulfilment of the promise of victory contained in the previous verse. If a person claims to be a believer in God, but in practical life the name of God means nothing to him and quickens no chords in his heart, his belief is not a true one. Belief should be something real and living.

8:75.

Commentary:

The verse declares that only those who possess the qualities, mentioned in the foregoing two verses, are true believers in the sight of God, and then proceeds to say that true believers never go unrewarded. They will surely attain three things: (1) grades of rank with their Lord; (2) forgiveness of sins; and (3) an honourable provision.

The verse also hints that the booty obtained during the war need not be consigned to flames, as the Law of Moses enjoined, but may be gladly consumed, for spoils lawfully obtained form "an honourable prov-ision."

2:219; 9:20; 61:12.

Commentary:

Two classes of believers have been commended here: firstly, those who, being persecuted, flee from a country where they are not free to follow their faith; secondly, those who give shelter to and help the immigrants. The Muslims of the former class are called Muhajirin (Refugees), while those of the second class are known as Ansar (Helpers). Both these classes have been called true believers, for both are active believers and make sacrifices for the cause of religion; and the verse promises them forgiveness and honourable provision. This also shows that those, who do not migrate from their homes where they do not enjoy religious freedom, and set worldly good above religion, do not have an "honourable provision," i.e. their worldly gains are not honourable in the sight of God. Similarly, the verse hints that those who help and give shelter to the immigrants will, in spite of freely spending on their needy brethren, find their possessions ever increasing, and God will continue to grant them honourable provision.

Commentary:

The expression, save that which Allah has ordained for us, means that victory as ordained by God will always be attained, however great the intervening difficulties. The words that follow, viz. He is our Protector, support this interpretation and also 58:22 which says, Allah has decreed: Of a certainty I will prevail, and My Messengers.

3:105.

Commentary:

As weakness of faith and works resulted from lack of knowledge and training, the present verse speaks of the way in which such a weakness could be removed. The Arabs of the desert were quite ignorant of the teachings of Islam (9:97). The verse suggests a practical method of instructing them in the tenets and principles of the Faith. A certain number from every tribe or section were required to come to Medina for instruction in the teachings of Islam, and then go back to their respective people and teach them what they had themselves learned. It was indeed the easiest, the most effective and practical method of learning the principles and teachings of the new Faith and imparting them to others.

18:111; 41:7.

3:165; 6:125.

Commentary:

This verse constitutes a reply to the objections of disbelievers mentioned in the preceding verse.

The reply is to the effect that a Messenger of God who is sent for the guidance of men and to serve as a model or exemplar for them must be a man like themselves; for, without being a human being like themselves, he could not be a model for them. If he were a "co-partner" of God or a so-called "son" or an angel or any other superhuman being, he could not be a model for men. So God chooses of His servants whom He pleases. There is none to set limits to His powers and choice.

The words, And it is not for us to bring you a proof except by the command of Allah, do not mean that the Messengers of God could not adduce a proof in support of their claim. They are meant only to answer the demand of disbelievers that the Prophets should prove their power and superiority over them. They are told by the Messengers that power and victory all come from God and that, as human beings, they (the Messengers) possess no superiority over them.

Commentary:

By "the believers" in this verse are meant believers of a very high spiritual caliber whose characteristics and special marks have been mentioned in the following verses. The verse says that the believers will achieve فلاح i.e. success, and not that they will get نجاة i.e. salvation, because the achievement of فلاح (success), which is the object of one’s life, is a much higher stage than the attainment of salvation or نجاة which only signifies getting rid of hardships and privations.

Important Words:

خمرھن (their head-coverings). خمر is the plural of خمار which is derived from خمر which means, he veiled, covered or concealed a thing. خمار means, a woman’s muffler or veil with which she covers her head and the lower part of the face leaving exposed only the eyes and part of the nose; a woman’s head-covering; a piece of cloth with which a woman covers her head; also a man’s turban (Lane & Aqrab).

جیوبھن (their bosoms). جیوب is the plural of جیب which is derived from جاب. They say جابه i.e. he made a hole in it; he rent it or tore it; he pierced or bored it; he cut it. جاب القمیص means, he hollowed out the جیب of the shirt, he cut the جیب of the shirt or he made a جیب in the shirt. جیب means, the opening at the neck and bosom of a shirt and the like; a pocket; the heart; the bosom (Lane & Aqrab).

إربة (sexual appetite) is derived from أرب (aruba), or أرب (ariba). The former means he was or became cunning, intelligent, sagacious or excellent in judgement and the latter, i.e. ariba, means, he wanted it, he was or became in want of it and sought it or desired it. إربة and إرب (irbun) and أرب (arabun) mean the same thing, viz. cunning, intelligence, excellence of judgement, sagacity; want of need. About the Holy Prophet it is said in a hadith کان أملککم لاربه i.e. he had the greatest control over his want, desire or sexual desire (Bukhari). The Quranic words غیر اولی الاربه mean, idiots, or persons deficient in intellect or such men as have no need of women; or have no sexual desire (Lane & Mufradat).

عورات (private parts or nakedness) is the plural of عورة which is derived from عور which means, he was or became blind in one eye. عورة means, the pendulum or pudenda of a man and of a woman; the part or parts of a person which are indecent to expose; parts between the navel and the knee; anything that a man veils or conceals by reason of disdainful pride or of shame or prudency; anything of which one is ashamed when it appears; a woman; any place of concealment; a gap, an opening or a breach in the frontier of hostile country, or in war from which one fears slaughter; cleft or fissure; disgrace or disfigurement; blindness of one eye (Lane & Aqrab).

نسائھن (their women) signifies known or familiar decent women.

Commentary:

As a good deal of misunderstanding and lack of proper knowledge as to what constitutes Islamic "purdah" prevails even among Muslims, a somewhat detailed note on this much-vexed question is called for. Here are the relevant Quranic verses that embody necessary commandments about "purdah":

(i) O Prophet, tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers that they should let down over them their loose outer garments. It is more likely that they will thus be distinguished and not molested (33:60).

The Arabic word used in this verse is جلابیب of which the singular is جلباب meaning, an outer or wrapping garment; a head-covering; the garment with which a woman covers her head and bosom.

(ii) And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof, and that they cast their head-coverings over their bosoms, and that they disclose not their beauty…(24:32 i.e. the verse under comment.)

(iii) O wives of the Prophet, you are not like any other women if you are righteous. So be not soft in speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease should feel tempted; and speak a decent speech. And stay in your houses with dignity and do not show off yourselves like the showing off of the former days of ignorance (33:33-34).

(iv) O ye who believe, let those whom your right hands possess, and those of you who have not attained to puberty, ask permission of you three times before coming into your presence: before the morning Prayer, and when you take off clothes at noon in summer and after the night Prayer (24:59).

The following inferences are clearly deducible from the verses quoted above:

(i) When they go out, Muslim women are to wear an outer and wrapping garment which should cover their heads and bosoms in such a manner that the garment should come down from the head to the bosom covering the whole body including the face. This is the significance of the Quranic words یدنین علیھن من جلابیبھن (33:60). The outer garment is intended to make known the fact that while a Muslim woman goes about her business she may be spared the mental anguish of being stared at by persons of questionable character.

(ii) Muslim men and women are to restrain their eyes when they happen to face each other.

(iii) The third commandment though apparently applying to the wives of the Prophet, includes, as is the practice of the Quran, other Muslim women also. The words "And stay in your houses" imply that whereas women may go out when necessary, the principal and primary sphere of their activities is inside the house.

(iv) At three stated hours, even children are not allowed to enter the private apartments of their parents nor are domestic servants or female slaves allowed to enter the sleeping room of their masters.

The first commandment applies to women when they go out. Then they are to use an outer garment which should cover their whole body including the face. The second commandment relates to "purdah" primarily inside the four walls of the house when near male relatives frequently come and go. In that case men and women are only to restrain their looks and as an additional precaution women are to take care that their زینة i.e. beauty of person, dress and ornaments, is not displayed. They are not required to use جلباب (outer garment) because that would be very irksome and even impracticable in view of the free and frequent visits of near blood relations such as cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, etc. The context shows that this commandment relates to "purdah" inside the four walls of the house, because all the persons mentioned in the verse are very near relations who generally visit the houses of their relatives. The special mention in it of four categories of persons besides near relatives, viz. decent women, old servants, female slaves and minor boys, lends additional weight to the inference that the commandment in this verse relates to "purdah" within the four walls of the house.

The fact that the first commandment refers to "purdah" outside the house and the second commandment basically refers to "purdah" within the four walls of the house is also apparent from the different words that have been used to express the two forms of "purdah" in the relevant verses i.e. 33:60, and the verse under comment. Whereas in 33:60 the garment which a woman is to use when she goes out is جلباب the garment which she has to use inside the house when relatives visit is خمار. Moreover, whereas in 33:60 the words used are یدنین علیھن من جلابیبھن i.e. they should let down over them their outer garments (for a detailed discussion of جلباب and یدنین see 33:60); in the verse under comment the words used are یضربن بخمرھن علی جیوبھن i.e. they should cast their head-coverings over their bosoms. It is clear that in the former case the garment will cover the head, the face and the bosom while in the latter case only the head and the bosom will become covered and the face may remain uncovered.

It may also be noted in passing that the shape and form of the outer-garment which, as mentioned above, a woman must wear when she goes out and which covers her whole body including the face will vary according to the customs, habits, social status, family traditions and usages of various classes of the Muslim community. The commandment with regard to "purdah" within the four walls of the house will also apply to shops, fields, etc. where women of certain sections of Muslim society have to work to earn their living. There a woman will not be required to veil her face. She will have only to restrain her eyes and to cover her زینة i.e. her ornaments and other embellishments, as women within the house have to do when their relatives visit them.

The third commandment requires women to behave with dignity bordering on austerity when talking to stranger men; and they are also required to give their full attention to the discharge of their serious and important duties in regard to the affairs connected with the well-being of their own sex and the management of the household affairs and to looking after and bringing up of children and kindred matters. The fourth commandment enjoins husband and wife to have, as far as possible, sleeping apartments separate from those of other members of the family which even minor boys are not allowed to enter at stated hours.

In the expression لا یبدین زینتھن i.e. they display not their زینة (beauty), the word زینة includes both natural and artificial beauty. It signifies the beauty of person, and includes the beauty of dress and ornaments which women wear on their hands, feet, ears, arms, necks, bosoms, etc. The expression, "except that which is apparent thereof," contains all those things which it is not possible for a woman to cover such as her voice, gait or stature and also certain parts of her body which remain uncovered according to her social status, her family traditions, her avocation and the customs of the society. The permission to keep certain parts of the body uncovered will be subject to certain variations. Thus the words, "they display not their beauty" will have different connotations with regard to women belonging to different sections and grades of society and the connotation will change with the change in the customs and modes of living and professions of the people.

The words "and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may become known," show that public dancing which is so much in vogue in certain countries is definitely not allowed by Islam.

This is the Islamic conception of "purdah." According to it Muslim women may go out as often as it is legitimately necessary for them to do so, but their primary and principal functions are confined to their homes which are as important and serious, if not more, as the avocations of men are. If women take to men’s avocations they seek to defy nature and nature does not allow its laws to be defied with impunity.

If would be noticed that the incident about ‘A’ishah which forms one of the principal subjects of this Surah sheds a flood of light on the form of "purdah" which Islam enjoins its followers to observe. According to tradition when Safwan came to the place where ‘A’ishah was lying asleep with her face uncovered, he recognized her because he had seen her, as he himself afterwards said, before the verse about "purdah" was revealed (Bukhari, Kitabut-Tafsir).

Important Words:

جامع (which has brought them together) is derived from جمع which means, he collected; assembled; brought together; it comprised, comprehended or contained. They say جمع امرہ i.e. he arranged or settled his affair. The Arabs say جمع اللّٰه شمله i.e. may God unite his disorganised state of affairs. امر جامع means, an affair that brings people together; or a momentous or important affair on account of which people gather together as though the affair itself gathers them (Lane, Mufradat & Aqrab).

Commentary:

The several preceding verses contained directions for Muslims as how to conduct themselves in affairs of social importance. The present verse, however, deals with affairs of national importance. The Muslims are enjoined that when they are with the Holy Prophet, engaged in transacting a business of national importance, they are not to leave the assembly without his permission. It may also be inferred from this verse that in affairs concerning a whole nation or community, the individual loses his independence of action. He must abide by the decision arrived at by the assembly of Muslims presided over by the Prophet, his Successor or their accepted and elected leader. When a person withdraws himself from such assembly, he, in fact, deprives himself of the opportunity to contribute his share to the good of Islam and Muslims and consequently to that extent he becomes deprived of God’s grace and mercy. The Holy Prophet, therefore, has been told to ask forgiveness of Allah for such an individual for an inadvertent lapse on his part. Islam is very sensitive about the maintenance of a living relationship between an individual Muslim and the central authority of the Muslim community.

3:155; 13:32.

Important Words:

بضع (a few) is derived from بضع (bada‘a). They say بضعه i.e. he cut it; he cut it into pieces; he cut it length-wise. بضعmeans, a part or portion of the night; a time thereof. They say مضی بضع من اللیل i.e. a part of the night passed. The word also denotes a variety of numbers such as five, seven, ten, etc., but is generally understood to mean from three to nine. بضع رجال means from three to nine men. بضع سنین means, from three to nine years (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

In order fully to appreciate the significance of this and the preceding two verses it is necessary to cast a cursory glance over the political conditions that obtained in the two great Empires that lay on the borders of Arabia—the Persian and the Roman Empires—shortly before the advent of the Holy Prophet of Islam. They were at war with each other. The first round had gone in favour of the Persians whose tide of conquest began in 602 A.D., when in order to avenge the death of Maurice, his patron and benefactor, at the hands of Phocas, Chosroes II started the war with Rome. For twenty years the Roman Empire was overrun by Persian armies as it had never been before. The Persian armies plundered Syria and Asia Minor and in 608 A.D. advanced to Chalcedon. Damascus was taken in 613. The surrounding country on which no Persian had ever set foot since the founding of the Empire was utterly and completely laid waste. In June 614 Jerusalem was also captured. The whole of Christendom was horrified by the news that together with the Patriarch the Persians had carried off the cross of Christ. Christianity had been humbled in the dust. The flood of Persian conquest, however, did not stop with the capture of Jerusalem. Egypt was next conquered, Asia Minor again overrun, and the Persian armies were knocking at the very gates of Constantinople. The Romans could offer but little resistance as they were torn by internal dissensions. The humiliation of Heraclius was so complete that "Chosroes wanted to see him brought in chains to the foot of his throne and was not prepared to give him peace till he had abjured his crucified god and embraced the worship of the sun" (Historians’ History of the World, vol. 7, p. 159, vol. 8, pp. 94-95 & Enc. Brit. under "Chosroes" II & "Heraclius"). This state of affairs very much grieved the Muslims as they had much in common with the Romans who were the "People of the Book". But the Quraish of Mecca who, like the Persians, were idolaters, feigned to see in this discomfiture of Christian armies a happy augury for the overthrow and destruction of Islam. It was shortly after this complete debacle of Roman forces that in 616 A.D., came the revelation to the Holy Prophet which forms the subject-matter of the verse under comment and the two preceding verses. The verses possessed a twofold significance. They foretold, in circumstances then quite inconceivable, that the whole position would be completely reversed within the short space of eight or nine years and the erstwhile victorious Persian armies would suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of the utterly defeated, prostrated and humbled Romans. The Arabic word used in the verse to denote this period is بضع (bid‘un) which as shown under "Important Words," signifies a period from three to nine years. The significance of the prophecy embodied in the verses, however, lay in the fact that, within this short period, the foundations of the ultimate triumph of Islam and that of the defeat and discomfiture of the forces of disbelief and darkness would be firmly laid. The prophecy was fulfilled in circumstances beyond human calculation or comprehension. Regarding the extreme improbability of fulfilment of the prophecy under the prevailing circumstances, the following observation of Gibbon may be read with interest:

In the midst of the Persian triumphs he (the Holy Prophet) ventured to foretell that before many years should elapse victory would return to the banners of the Romans…At the time when this prediction is said to have been delivered, no prophecy could be more distant from its accomplishment, since the first twelve years of Heraclius announced the approaching dissolution of the Empire (Rise, Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. 5, p. 74).

After licking his wounds for several years, Heraclius was at last able to take the field against the Persians in 622, the year of the Holy Prophet’s Migration to Medina. In 624 he advanced into northern Media, where he destroyed the great fire-temple of Gandzak (Gazaca) and thus avenged the destruction of Jerusalem. This happened exactly within nine years, the period foretold in the verse, and to add to its importance and significance it happened in the year when the power of the Quraish also suffered a very serious reverse in the Battle of Badr, which recalled a Biblical prophecy foretelling the fading of the glory of Kedar (Isa. 21:17). In 627, Heraclius defeated the Persian army at Nineveh and advanced towards Ctesiphon. Chosroes fled from his favourite residence Dastgerd (near Baghdad), and after dragging on an inglorious existence was murdered by his own son, Siroes, on 19th February, 628. A.D.; and thus the Persian Empire, from the apparent greatness which it had reached a few years earlier sank into hopeless anarchy (Enc. Brit.).

The fulfilment of the prophecy was so remarkable and unforeseen that prejudiced Christian writers have been hard pressed to explain it away. Rodwell says that the vowel points of the Arabic expression سیغلبون were left undecided so that it would read either way, i.e. sa-yaghlibun meaning, "they will be victorious" or as sa-yughlabun meaning, "they will be defeated." He even adds that the ambiguity was intentional. The Rev. gentleman pretends not to understand this simple fact that the vowels of an expression which had been recited hundreds of times in daily Prayers and otherwise could hardly be left undecided. Mr. Wherry goes a step further. He says: "Our daily newspapers constantly forecast political events of this kind." The less said about this futile attempt to explain away and belittle the importance of this mighty prophecy, the better. If in the circumstances when Christianity lay humbled in the dust and Persian armies were knocking at the very gates of Constantinople and Heraclius had in vain sued for peace, a person situated as the Holy Prophet was, could forecast that within the short space of only eight or nine years the victors would become vanquished and the forces of Chosroes would receive a crushing defeat at the hands of the same Heraclius who only a few years back had very humbly but unsuccessfully sued for peace and the proud and mighty Persians would lie prostrate and exhausted, the forecast must indeed be considered to have proceeded from a superhuman source. What added to the remarkable character of the prophecy was the fact that the news of the victory of the Romans over the Persians reached the Muslims exactly at the time when they were themselves rejoicing over their own victory in the Battle of Badr.

The words: "Allah’s is the command before and after that," mean that it is God’s eternal and unalterable decree that disbelief is always defeated and humbled, and truth triumphs and progresses.

8:18.

Commentary:

This verse shows that whereas the hypocrites and the weak of faith as mentioned in the preceding verses were greatly disheartened and dismayed by the very difficult situation in which Islam was placed at the time of the Battle of the Ditch, the faith of the sincere and true Muslims became stronger since they found that what the Holy Prophet had foretold, had come out true. The history of Islam bears ample testimony to the fact that the more difficult and critical the situation that confronted the Muslims, the greater their resolve and the will to fight, and greater their confidence and trust in God. They always rose equal to the occasion.

The reference in the words, "This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us," is to the prophecy about the defeat and discomfiture of the hosts of disbelief and the victory of Islam (38:12 & 54:46).

Commentary:

The verse lays special stress on Islamic brotherhood. Islam tolerates no discord or dissensions between brothers. If there happens to arise a quarrel or dispute between two Muslim individuals or groups, other Muslims are bound at once to bring about reconciliation between the quarrelling parties. Islam’s real strength lies in this ideal of brotherhood which transcends all barriers of caste, colour or clime.

9:20; 61:12.

Commentary:

True and sincere belief to which reference has been made in the preceding verse consists of three important ingredients—strong and firm faith in Allah, absolute freedom from doubt and misgiving as to the truth of Islam and striving with all means within one’s power in the cause of God. It is only those sincere and steadfast Muslims who possess these qualifications who are entitled to be called "the truthful ones" i.e. those who have fulfilled their pledged word to God.

Commentary:

The disbelievers are warned that their secret societies and assemblies would not in any way harm the cause of truth, try as they might.