Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:25

"And Allah repelled..." is a return to narrating the remainder of the story and a detailing of the completion of the favor alluded to collectively by His saying, "So We sent against them a wind and armies you did not see." It is conjoined to "We sent," though between them was interspersed an explanation that what descended upon them was an overwhelming catastrophe—a matter that baffled minds and understandings, a calamity over which cavalries faltered and feet slipped—and a detailing of the conditions and statements that issued from both parties, the people of faith and the people of disbelief and hypocrisy. This was done to demonstrate the greatness of the favor and to clarify its profound significance by showing its arrival to them at the very peak of their need for it. That is: "We sent against them a wind and armies you did not see, and by that, We repelled those who disbelieved."

The shift to the Majestic Name is to cultivate awe and instill terror. The Sheikh al-Islam allowed—and perhaps his approach indicates its priority, as he began with it—that it is conjoined to a suppressed clause preceding: "so that Allah may reward," as if it were said, following the narration of the aforementioned matters, that which occurred of events took place, and "Allah repelled those who disbelieved." It is also said that it is conjoined in terms of meaning to His saying, "so that Allah may reward," as if it were said: The outcome for those who were true to what they pledged to Allah was that Allah rewarded them for their truthfulness and repelled their enemies; and this repelling is part of their reward for their truthfulness. It is as you see.

"Those who disbelieved" refers to the confederates (al-ahzab), according to what more than one has narrated from Mujahid. The apparent meaning is that it refers to the polytheists and the Jews who confederated together. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from al-Suddi that he interpreted it as Abu Sufyan and his companions; perhaps this is more appropriate. According to both opinions, the meaning is that Allah repelled those who disbelieved from the place of their assembly around Medina and their confederation, back to their dwellings.

"In their rage" is a state of the noun (al-mawsul), not of the pronoun in "disbelieved," and the "ba" denotes accompaniment; that is, they were accompanied by their rage, which is the most intense form of anger. His saying, "having attained no good," is also a state of that same noun, or of the pronoun in "in their rage," meaning they did not attain any good at all. Some interpreted "the good" as victory over the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the believers, and applying the term "good" to it is based upon their own claim. Others interpreted it as wealth, as in His saying, "And indeed, he is, in love of wealth, intense." It is more appropriate that it refers to every good in their estimation; for the indefinite in the context of negation is comprehensive. It is also permissible that the clause is an inception to explain their rage, or as a substitute (badal).

"And Allah spared the believers [the burden of] fighting" means He, the Glorified, protected them from it. This verb "kafa" takes two objects. It is also said: it has the meaning of "enriched" (aghna) and takes one object. The discussion here involves ellipsis and connection; the original is "and Allah spared the believers from fighting," meaning He, the Glorified, made them independent of it. There is no basis for this. This sparing occurred, as Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Qatada, through the wind and the angels (peace be upon them). It is said: [it occurred] through Ali (may Allah honor his countenance) killing 'Amr ibn 'Abd Wudd.

Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduyah, and Ibn 'Asakir narrated from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to recite this verse: "And Allah spared the believers the fighting by Ali ibn Abi Talib." In Majma' al-Bayan, this is what is narrated from Abu 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), though it is hardly authentic. The apparent meaning is that which is narrated from Qatada, due to His saying, "So We sent against them a wind and armies you did not see." It is as if the "fighting" that Allah spared them from is the fighting in the known manner of arranging ranks, shooting arrows, and engaging with swords, or the fighting that such confederation and assembly dictates by convention.

In al-Bahr, it is clear that the meaning is that Allah spared the believers from the persistence of fighting and its recurrence, for the Quraysh were defeated by the power of Allah and His might, the Exalted and Majestic, and they did not invade the Muslims after that. Otherwise, fighting did indeed occur in total; the polytheists killed, as narrated from Ibn Ishaq, three men: from Banu 'Abd al-Dar ibn Qusay, Munabbih ibn 'Uthman ibn 'Ubayd ibn al-Sabbaq ibn 'Abd al-Dar, who was struck by an arrow and died from it in Mecca; from Banu Makhzum ibn Yaqaza, Nawfal ibn 'Abdullah ibn al-Mughira, who crossed the Trench, fell into it, and was killed; and from Banu 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy, from Banu Malik ibn Hisl, 'Amr ibn 'Abd Wudd, whom Ali (may Allah honor his countenance) challenged, as you know, and killed.

It is narrated from Ibn Shihab that he (may Allah be pleased with him) also killed his son Hisl on that day, making those killed from the polytheists four. From the believers, those martyred due to this expedition were Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, Anas ibn Aws ibn 'Atik, and 'Abdullah ibn Sahl—they were from Banu 'Abd al-Ashhal; and al-Tufayl ibn al-Nu'man and Tha'laba ibn 'Athma—they were from Banu Jushm ibn al-Khazraj from Banu Salima; and Ka'b ibn Zayd—he was from Banu al-Najjar, then from Banu Dinar, who was struck by a stray arrow that killed him. Ibn Ishaq said: "None were martyred except these six (may Allah be pleased with them)."

"And Allah is ever Powerful" to bring about everything He wills, the Glorified, "and Exalted in Might" prevailing over all things.