Surah Al-Fath (The Victory): Verse 12
{بَلْ ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ لَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ}
Rather, you thought that [the believers] would never return [to Madinah].
This means your failure to join the expedition was not due to the reasons you mentioned, but rather: {Rather, you thought that [the believers] would never return}.
- An (أن) here is the lightened form (أنّ) of the heavy one.
- It means you initially held this suspicion (ظننتم). Then Satan beautified your suspicion in your view until you became certain of it. This happens because Satan may embellish a doubt and add to it an illusion that the heedless person relies upon, even if the rational person has no doubt about it.
Regarding the statement of the Almighty: {وَظَنَنْتُمْ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ} (And you thought an evil thought), this carries two possible interpretations:
- The second thought is different from the first: The conjunction (و) here indicates a distinction. Thus, {وَظَنَنْتُمْ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ} is different from what was stated in {بَلْ ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ لَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ}. In this case, the second thought might mean:
- You thought that Allah would not fulfill His promise.
- Or, you thought that the Messenger was a liar in what he said.
- The second thought is a reiteration: The phrase {وَظَنَنْتُمْ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ} refers back to the previous thought—the suspicion that they would not return. This is like someone saying: "I knew this issue, and I knew this issue," meaning, "this issue and nothing else."
- It is as if He said: "Rather, you suspected the suspicion that they would not return. And your suspicion was corrupt." We have already clarified the precise meaning of Dhan al-Saw' (evil thought).
Regarding the statement of the Almighty: {وَكُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا بُورًا} (And you were a ruined people), this also carries two possible interpretations:
- Because of that thought, you became ruined and perished.
- You were originally ruined people, and you held that corrupt thought.
{وَمَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَإِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ سَعِيرًا}
And whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger—then indeed, We have prepared for the disbelievers a fierce Fire.
