Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:207

(And of the people is he who sells his soul), meaning he sells it by sacrificing it in Jihad, according to what has been narrated from Ibn Abbas and al-Dahhak—may Allah be pleased with them both—that the verse was revealed concerning the expedition of al-Raji‘, or concerning enjoining good and forbidding evil. This is based on what Ibn Jurayj extracted from Abu al-Khalil, who said: Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—heard a man reciting this verse, so he uttered the istirja’ (saying: "Indeed we belong to Allah...") and said: "A man rose up to enjoin good and forbid evil, and he was killed."

(Seeking the pleasure of Allah), meaning in pursuit of His satisfaction. Thus, ibtigha' (seeking) is a causative object (maf’ul lahu). Mardat (pleasure) is a verbal noun constructed—as stated in al-Bahr—upon the ta’ (tā marbūṭah), like mad’ah; the standard rule is to strip it of that. It was written in the Mushaf with the ta’, and it is stopped upon with both ta’ and ha’.

Most narrations state that the verse was revealed concerning Suhayb al-Rumi—may Allah be pleased with him. A group has reported that Suhayb was coming as an emigrant toward the Prophet—may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him—and a group of polytheists pursued him. He dismounted from his riding beast, emptied what was in his quiver, took his bow, and said: "O assembly of Quraysh, you know that I am among the most skilled of you in archery. By Allah, you shall not reach me until I shoot what is in my quiver, then strike with my sword as long as something remains in my hand of it; then do as you wish." They said: "Direct us to your wealth and property in Mecca, and we will let you go." They made a covenant with him that if he directed them, they would leave him be, so he did. When he arrived to the Prophet—may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him—the Prophet said: "O Abu Yahya, the transaction has profited, the transaction has profited," and he recited the verse to him. According to this, the shira’ (selling/trading) is taken in its apparent meaning of purchasing.

In al-Kawashi, it is mentioned that it was revealed concerning al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and his companion al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad, when the Prophet—upon him be prayer and peace—said: "Whoever brings Khubayb down from his wooden post shall have Paradise." He replied: "I and my companion al-Miqdad." Khubayb had been crucified by the people of Mecca.

The Imamiyyah and some of our own scholars said: It was revealed concerning Ali—may Allah ennoble his countenance—when the Prophet—may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him—left him on his bed in Mecca when he set out for the Cave. According to this view, the same interpretation of shira’ as mentioned previously is employed.

(And Allah is Compassionate to the servants), meaning the believers, in that He guided them to that which contains His pleasure, made eternal bliss the recompense for finite action, and rewarded them for the sale of His property with His property.