Al Imran: (168) Those who said to their brethren...

Know that Allah, the Exalted, described those whom He recounted as having said: {If only we had known of fighting, we would have followed you} (Al Imran: 167). Just as they remained seated and offered an excuse for their inaction, they also discouraged others and provided justification for that.

Thus, Allah recounted that they said to their brethren: "If those who went out had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." They sought to instill fear regarding the intention of agreeing with the Messenger (peace be upon him) in fighting the disbelievers, due to the killing that occurred on the Day of Uhud at the hands of the disbelievers against the Muslims. Since the love of life is known to human nature, this doubt entering the hearts was like the whisperings Satan introduces.

In this verse, there are several issues:

The First Issue: Regarding the grammatical position of {الذين} (Those who)

There are several possibilities:

1. Accusative (Nasb): As an apposition (badal) to {الذين نافقوا} (those who dissembled).
2. Nominative (Raf'): As an apposition to the pronoun in {يكتمون} (they conceal).
3. Nominative (Raf'): As the predicate of an implied subject, meaning: "They are those who..."
4. Accusative (Nasb): Indicating censure (Dhamm).

The Second Issue: The Identity of Those Who Spoke

The commentators said that {الذين قالوا} (Those who said) refers to 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy and his companions. Al-Asamm objected, saying this is not permissible because 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy went out with the Prophet (peace be upon him) for the Jihad on the Day of Uhud. This saying relates to those who stayed behind, as the statement is: {Those who said to their brethren and stayed behind, 'If they had obeyed us,' they would not have been killed}. This statement was made after the battle, directed towards those who went out for Jihad or those intending to do so, serving as a doubt to divert them from future Jihad.

The Third Issue: The Meaning of "To Their Brethren"

They said to their brethren: meaning, they said this for the sake of their brethren. The meaning of this brotherhood has been previously explained: brotherhood by lineage, brotherhood due to sharing the same abode (Dar), brotherhood due to enmity towards the Messenger (PBUH), or brotherhood in idol worship. Allah knows best.

The Fourth Issue: The Meaning of "And Stayed Behind"

Al-Wahidi said that the Waw (and) in {وقعدوا} (and stayed behind) indicates a state (Hal). This staying behind means abstaining from Jihad. The meaning is: If those who were killed at Uhud had stayed behind as we stayed behind, and done as we did, they would have been safe and not killed.

Allah then responded to this by saying: {Say: Then repel death from yourselves, if you are truthful}.

If it is asked: What is the basis for this deduction when the difference is clear? Evasion of killing is possible, but absolute evasion of death is impossible.

The answer is: This proof mentioned by Allah is only valid if we acknowledge Divine Decree and Predestination (Qada' wa Qadr). This is because if we say that nothing comes into existence except by the Decree and Predestination of Allah, we must then admit that the disbeliever does not kill the Muslim except by the Decree of Allah. At that point, no difference remains between being killed and dying, and the deduction becomes sound.

However, if we say that the actions of the servant are not by the estimation and decree of Allah, then the difference between being killed and dying, as you mentioned, becomes apparent. This leads to the invalidity of the proof mentioned by Allah. Since leading to that conclusion is invalid, it is established that this verse indicates that everything occurs by the Decree of Allah.

And His saying: {if you are truthful} means: if you are truthful in your claim of being preoccupied with guarding against adversities and achieving desired goals.

{And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, rejoicing in what Allah has brought them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those who have not yet joined them from behind them—that no fear will come upon them, nor will they grieve.}