His saying: **{Our Lord, do not make us a trial (fitnah)}** is from the supplication of Abraham. Ibn Abbas said: Do not let our enemies have power over us, lest they think they are upon the truth. Mujahid said: Do not punish us by their hands, nor by a punishment from You, so they would say, "If these people were upon the truth, this would not have afflicted them." It is also said: Do not grant them provision over us, for that is a trial for them. Another view is that His saying **{do not make us a trial}** means: Do not make us a punishment (i.e., a means by which the disbelievers are punished). Under this interpretation, the verse is not from the saying of Abraham. And His saying, the Exalted, **{and forgive us, our Lord}** verse, is part of what preceded. It is as if it is said to the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him): **{Our Lord, do not make us a trial for those who disbelieve}**. Then, the example (of Abraham) was mentioned again for emphasis, so He said: **{Indeed, there has been for you an excellent pattern (uswah hasanah)}**, meaning in Abraham and those who were with him. This is an encouragement to emulate Abraham and his people. Ibn Abbas said: They used to hate those who opposed God and love those who loved God. His saying, the Exalted, **{for whoever hopes for Allah}** is a substitute for **{for you}** and clarifies that this pattern is for one who fears God and fears the punishment of the Hereafter. **{And whoever turns away}**, meaning he turns away from emulating them and inclines toward the friendship of the disbelievers, **{then indeed, Allah is the Self-Sufficient (Al-Ghaniy)}**—He does not need their opposition to His enemies—**{The Praiseworthy (Al-Hamid)}**—towards His allies. As for His saying: **{It may be that Allah}**, Muqatil said: When God commanded the believers to be hostile toward the disbelievers, they became severe in their enmity toward their fathers, sons, and all relatives, disavowing them. Then God revealed His saying: **{It may be that Allah will place between you and those with whom you have enmity, affection}**, meaning the disbelievers of Mecca. This would be through their inclination toward Islam, their mixing with the Muslims, and their intermarriage with them. It is also said that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) married Umm Habibah, which softened Abu Sufyan's disposition and relaxed his rigidity in enmity. Umm Habibah had embraced Islam and emigrated with her husband, 'Ubayd Allah ibn Jahsh, to Abyssinia. He later became a Christian and tried to persuade her to convert, but she refused and remained steadfast in her religion. When her husband died, the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) sent a message to the Negus, proposed marriage to her on his behalf, and paid her dowry of four hundred dinars. When this reached her father (Abu Sufyan), he said, "That stallion does not have his nose bruised (i.e., he is a worthy match)." **{It may be (Asa)}** is a promise from God Almighty: **{and between those with whom you have enmity, affection}**. He means a group from Quraysh who believed after the Conquest of Mecca, including Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith, Al-Harith ibn Hisham, Suhayl ibn Amr, and Hakim ibn Hizam. God Almighty is capable of turning hearts, changing circumstances, and facilitating the means of affection. **{And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful}** to them if they repent, embrace Islam, and return to the presence of God Almighty. Some scholars said: Do not sever ties completely, for God is aware of the hidden matters and secrets. It is narrated: "Love your beloved moderately, perhaps your enemy may one day become your beloved."

Among the discussions regarding this wisdom is: If the interpretation of His saying, the Exalted, **{Our Lord, do not make us a trial}** is: "Do not let our enemies have power over us," why did He use this phrasing instead of stating it directly? We say: If the phrasing allows for this interpretation, then by using it, that meaning is included. Furthermore, it carries benefits that are not present in limiting the statement to just one of those interpretations.

The second point: One might ask, what is the benefit of His saying, the Exalted, **{and forgive us, our Lord}**, when the discourse was well-ordered if it had been said: "Do not make us a trial for those who disbelieve; indeed, You are the All-Mighty, the Wise"? We say: They sought refuge from being a trial, and refuge from trial cannot be achieved without forgiveness. For if a sinner were not forgiven, he would be subjugated by the subjugation of punishment, and that subjugation *is* a trial, as a trial is defined as being subjugated. **{The Praiseworthy (Al-Hamid)}** can mean "The Praised One" (worthy of praise) or "The Praiser." As "The Praised One," it means He deserves praise from His creation for the blessings He bestowed upon them. As "The Praiser," it means He praises and is grateful to the creation by rewarding them abundantly for little deeds.

Then, after mentioning that believers should not completely sever ties with disbelievers, He permitted maintaining ties with those disbelievers who did not fight them, saying: