| Al Imran: (126 - 127) And Allah did not make it but good tidings...

The pronoun in {And Allah did not make it} refers back to the verbal noun (the act of sending aid), as if it means: Allah did not make the reinforcement and support anything except good tidings for you that you will be victorious. Thus, {He reinforces you} indicates the reinforcement, and the pronoun refers back to it, just as in the verse: {And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, and indeed, it is defiantly disobedient} (Al-An'am: 121), meaning: and indeed, eating it is disobedience, so {do not eat} indicates the act of eating, and the pronoun refers back to it.

Al-Zajjaj said: {And Allah did not make it} means He mentioned the reinforcement {except as good tidings}. Al-Bushra (good tidings) is a noun derived from Ibashar (giving good news). We have already discussed the meaning of giving good news in Surah Al-Baqarah in the verse {And give good tidings to those who believe} (Al-Baqarah: 25).

Then He said: {and that your hearts may be reassured by it}. Regarding this, there is a question:

The phrase {and that your hearts may be reassured} is a verb, while {except as good tidings} is a noun. Conjoining a verb to a noun is unusual. It should have been stated either as: "except as good tidings for you and reassurance," or "except to give you good tidings and that your hearts may be reassured by it." Why was this structure abandoned in favor of connecting a verb to a noun?

The answer is twofold:

1. In mentioning the reinforcement, two objectives are sought, one being stronger in desirability than the other. The first is bringing joy to their hearts, which is intended by {except as good tidings}. The second is achieving tranquility that Allah's help and support are with them, so they should not be afraid of fighting. This is the primary objective. Therefore, a distinction is made between these two expressions to indicate the difference in desirability between these two matters. Being good tidings is desired, but the stronger desire is achieving tranquility. For this reason, the particle of causation (li-) was attached to the verb of reassurance, saying: {and that your hearts may be reassured}. A similar example is found in the verse: {And horses and mules and donkeys that you may ride them and as an adornment} (An-Nahl: 8). Since the primary objective was riding, the particle of causation was attached to it. The same applies here.
2. Some scholars answered by saying that the conjunction (waw) is superfluous, and the meaning is: "And Allah did not make it except as good tidings for you so that your hearts may be reassured by it."

Then He said: {And victory is not but from Allah}. The purpose here is that their reliance should be upon Allah, not upon the angels. This is an indication that the servant's faith is not complete except when turning away from secondary causes and completely turning toward the Cause of causes, or {the All-Mighty, the All-Wise}. Al-'Aziz (The All-Mighty) points to the perfection of His Power, and Al-Hakim (The All-Wise) points to the perfection of His Knowledge. Thus, the needs of His servants are not hidden from Him, nor is He incapable of answering supplications. Whoever possesses these attributes is expected to seek victory only from His Mercy and aid only from His Grace and Generosity.

Then He said: {that He may cut off a party of those who disbelieve}. The lam (particle of causation) in {that He may cut off a party} is connected to {And victory is not but from Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise}. The meaning is that the purpose of your victory, through the reinforcement of the angels, is that they may cut off a party of those who disbelieve, meaning they destroy a group of them and kill a portion of them. It is said that this refers back to {and that your hearts may be reassured by it that He may cut off a party}, but the conjunction was omitted because when one part is close to another, omitting the connector is permissible. This is like a master saying to his servant: "I honored you so that you may serve me, so that you may help me, so that you may perform my service," omitting the conjunction because one part is close to the other. Similarly here. The word {a party} (tarafan) means a group or a portion. Mentioning the extremity (taraf) is appropriate here, whereas mentioning the middle (wasaṭ) is not, because one cannot reach the middle except after taking from the extremity. This aligns with the Almighty's saying: {Fight those who are near to you in fighting} (At-Tawbah: 123), and {Or have they not seen that We are approaching the land and reducing it from its extremities?} (Ar-Ra'd: 41).

Then He said: {or subdue them}. Al-Kabt in language means throwing something onto its face. It is said: Kabatahu fa-inkabatta (He threw it down, and it fell flat). This is its meaning. Sometimes it is mentioned, and what is intended by it is disgrace, destruction, cursing, defeat, or humiliation. All of these meanings have been mentioned by the commentators regarding al-Kabt. And {disappointed} (kha'ibīn): Disappointment (Khaybah) is deprivation. The difference between disappointment and despair (Ya's) is that disappointment only occurs after expectation, whereas despair can occur both after expectation and before it. The opposite of despair is hope (Rajā'), and the opposite of disappointment is attainment (Ẓafar). And Allah knows best.

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