Surah Al 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran) - Verses 173-174

Verse 173: Those who said to them...

There are several issues concerning this verse:

This verse was revealed concerning the incident of Ghazwat Badr al-Sughra (The Minor Battle of Badr).

It is narrated by Ibn Abbas that when Abu Sufyan decided to return from Medina to Mecca, he called out: "O Muhammad, our appointment is the season of Badr al-Sughra, where we shall fight if you wish." The Prophet (peace be upon him) told 'Umar: "Tell him, 'That is agreed upon between us, God willing.'"

When the appointed time arrived, Abu Sufyan set out with his people until he camped at Marr al-Dhahran. Allah cast terror into his heart, and he decided to turn back. He met Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud al-Ashja'i, who was coming for 'Umrah. Abu Sufyan said: "O Nu'aym, I promised Muhammad we would meet at the season of Badr. This year is one of drought, and we need a year where we can graze our animals and drink milk. I have decided to return. However, if Muhammad comes out and I do not, his boldness will increase. Go to Medina and discourage them; I will give you ten camels."

Nu'aym went and found the Muslims preparing. He told them: "This is not wise. They came to your homes and killed most of you. If you go to them now, none of you will return." This statement affected the hearts of some among the Muslims.

When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) learned of this, he said: "By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I will surely go out to meet them, even if I go alone!"

The Prophet (PBUH) then set out with about seventy men, including Ibn Mas'ud, and they reached Badr al-Sughra, which was a water source for Banu Kinana. It was a marketplace where they gathered every year for eight days. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and his companions did not meet any of the polytheists. They arrived at the market, had provisions and trade goods, and they bought and sold leather and raisins, making a profit of two Dirhams for every Dirham. They returned to Medina safe and victorious.

Abu Sufyan returned to Mecca, and the Meccans called his army "The Army of Saweeq" (barley drink), saying, "You only went out to drink Saweeq." This is the context regarding the revelation of this verse.

There are three possibilities for the grammatical position of the relative pronoun Alladhīna:

1. Genitive (Majrūr): It is an adjective describing the believers (al-Mu'minīn), implying: "And Allah does not let go to waste the reward of the believers who the people said to them..."
2. Apposition (Badal): It is an apposition to the phrase {لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا} (for those who did good).
3. Nominative (Marfū'): It is the subject (Mubtada'), and its predicate (Khabar) is {فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا} (but it increased them in faith).

Regarding {الذين} (Those who): This refers to those previously mentioned—those who responded to Allah and the Messenger.

Regarding {قال لهم الناس} (The people said to them): There are several views on who "the people" were:

1. Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud: As mentioned in the context of revelation. It is permissible to attribute the statement of one person to "the people" if that person has followers who agree with his statement or approve of it. This is similar to Allah saying {وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَادَّارَأْتُمْ فِيهَا} (And [recall] when you killed a person and alleged [responsibility] among yourselves) (Al-Baqarah: 72), and {وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَى لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً} (And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah clearly") (Al-Baqarah: 55). Although the ancestors committed these acts, they are attributed to the later generation because they followed and approved of those actions. Thus, attributing the speech of one person to the group who approved of it is permissible here.
2. A delegation from 'Abd al-Qays: According to Ibn Abbas and Muhammad ibn Ishaq, a group from 'Abd al-Qays passed by Abu Sufyan, who secretly sent them to the Muslims to frighten them, promising them a reward.
3. The Hypocrites (Munāfiqūn): According to Al-Saddi, they told the Muslims when they prepared to march to meet Abu Sufyan's promised rendezvous: "The people have come to your homes and killed most of you; if you go to them, none of you will remain."

Regarding {إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ} (Indeed, the people have gathered against you):

"The people" here refers to Abu Sufyan, his companions, and the leaders of his army.

{قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ} (have gathered against you): This means they gathered armies for you. The object (the armies) is omitted because the Arabs use the word jam'un (gathering/host) to refer to an army, and they use the plural form jumū'an (hosts).

{فَاخْشَوْهُمْ} (so fear them): Meaning, be fearful of them.

However, Allah informed that when the Muslims heard this talk, they paid it no heed and gave it no weight. Therefore, Allah said: {فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا} (but it increased them in faith).

There are several issues regarding this phrase:

Issue 1: Reference of the Pronoun in {فَزَادَهُمْ} (it increased them)

There are two opinions:

1. The pronoun refers back to those who were mentioned (the believers).
2. The pronoun refers back to the saying itself (the threat). The meaning would be: "That saying increased them in faith." This attribution is appropriate because the increase in faith occurred upon hearing that statement. This is similar to Allah's saying: {فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَائِي إِلَّا فِرَارًا} (And my call increased them only in fleeing) (Nuh: 6), and {فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم نَذِيرٌ مَّا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا نُفُورًا} (But it did not increase them except in aversion) (Fatir: 42).

Issue 2: Meaning of the Increase in Faith

The increase in faith means that when they heard this frightening statement, they did not pay attention to it. Instead, a firm resolve was established in their hearts to fight the disbelievers and obey the Messenger (PBUH) in everything he commanded or forbade, regardless of how difficult it was—even though some of them had severe wounds and needed treatment. A conviction arose in their hearts that Allah would grant them victory over their enemies and support them in this battle. This is what is meant by {فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا}.

Issue 3: Theological Implication on Faith (Iman)

Those who hold that Iman (faith) is not merely assent (tasdeeq) but includes obedience (ta'at), and that it is subject to increase and decrease, use this verse as evidence, as Allah explicitly stated that an increase occurred. Those who do not hold this view say that the increase occurred in the levels or manifestations of faith, so calling it an increase in faith is metaphorical.

Issue 4: Divine Decree and Predestination (Qada' wa Qadar)

This incident clearly indicates that everything occurs by the decree and predestination of Allah. The Muslims had been defeated by the polytheists at the Battle of Uhud. Custom dictates that when one party is defeated, the victor gains strength and dominance, while the defeated party experiences brokenness and weakness. However, Allah reversed the situation here: He placed fear and terror in the hearts of the victors (the polytheists) and placed strength, zeal, and steadfastness in the hearts of the defeated (the Muslims). This demonstrates that the motivations and deterrents originate from Allah, and when they occur in the hearts, actions follow accordingly.

Verse 174: And they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah..."

They uttered this statement {حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ} (Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best disposer of affairs) because every time their faith increased in their hearts, they manifested what corresponded to it.

Regarding {حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ} (Sufficient for us is Allah): Ibn al-Anbari explained this as "Allah suffices us." This is like the poetry of Imru' al-Qays:

And sufficient for you of wealth is satiety and quenching [of thirst]. (Meaning: Satiety and quenching suffice you.)

Regarding {الْوَكِيلُ} (The Disposer of Affairs/Trustee): There are several opinions:

1. The Guarantor (Al-Kafīl): A poet said:

   I remembered Abu Arwa, and I spent the night as if I were the guarantor concerning past matters. (Meaning: as if I were the guarantor for past matters.)

2. The Sufficient (Al-Kāfī): Al-Farrā' said Al-Wakīl means Al-Kāfī (The Sufficient). Evidence for this is that the usage of Ni'ma (best) requires the following noun to match the preceding one. One says: "Allah is our Provider, and [He is] the best Provider," or "Allah is our Creator, and [He is] the best Creator." This is better than saying, "Allah is our Creator, and [He is] the best Provider." Thus, the meaning here is: "Allah suffices us, and [He is] the best Sufficient One."
3. The One to Whom Affairs are Entrusted (Passive Participle): Wakīl is derived from Wukīla (entrusted), meaning the one to whom affairs are delegated. Both the Sufficient (Al-Kāfī) and the Guarantor (Al-Kafīl) can be called Wakīl, because the matter is entrusted to the one who suffices or guarantees.

{فَانقَلَبُوا بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ} (So they returned with grace from Allah and bounty):

This implies that the Prophet (PBUH) set out, and thus they returned (the pronoun they refers to the companions who went out). The verb "set out" is omitted because "returning" implies it, similar to {أَنِ اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَ فَانفَلَقَ} (Strike the sea with your staff, and it split) (Ash-Shu'ara: 63)—meaning he struck, and then it split.

Regarding {بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ} (with grace from Allah and bounty):

Mujahid and Al-Saddi said: The Ni'mah (grace) here is well-being/safety (Al-'Afiyah), and the Fadl (bounty) is the trade/profit.

Another view is that Ni'mah is the benefit of this world, and Fadl is the reward of the Hereafter.

{لَمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوءٌ} (having incurred no harm): According to all opinions, this means they suffered no killing or injury.

{وَاتَّبَعُوا رِضْوَانَ اللَّهِ} (And they pursued the pleasure of Allah): This means they obeyed the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).

{وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ} (And Allah is the possessor of great bounty): He favored them by granting success in what they did. Furthermore, this caused regret among those who stayed behind, revealing the error of their judgment, as they deprived themselves of what these others achieved. It is narrated that those who stayed behind asked, "Is this considered a military campaign (Ghazw)?" Allah granted them the reward of a military campaign and was pleased with them.

Scholarly Note on Historical Accounts:

The scholars of Maghazi (military expeditions) differed: Al-Waqidi held that the first verse (referring to those who were wounded) pertains to the incident of Hamra' al-Asad, while the second verse pertains to Badr al-Sughra. Others place both verses concerning Badr al-Sughra. The former view is preferable because the phrase {مِن بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ} (after being wounded) suggests a recent memory of injury, making the praise greater for setting out against the enemy immediately after being wounded.

However, the second view is also plausible. In this case, Al-Qarh (the wound/injury) must be interpreted as defeat. It would be as if the verse meant: Those who were defeated, yet subsequently did good deeds through repentance, feared Allah in all their affairs, and then responded to Allah and the Messenger, resolved to receive reward and prepared themselves to meet the enemy—such that when they heard of the large enemy numbers, they did not falter or become disheartened, but trusted in Allah and were content with Him as sufficient and supportive—they have a great reward that is not obscured by their prior defeat, as they had repented from it. (And Allah knows best.)

Verse 174 (Cont.):

This verse clarifies the source of the fear mentioned earlier: {إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ} (That was only Satan making them afraid of his allies). Therefore, {فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ} (So fear them not, but fear Me, if you should be believers).