Tafsir of Al-Hajj 22:39-41

{أذن} (Permission has been given) and {يقاتلون} (they are fought/they fight): Both have been recited in the active and passive voice. The meaning is: permission has been granted to them to fight. The object of the permission is omitted because the word yuqātilūn (they fight) indicates it.

{بأنهم ظلموا} (Because they have been wronged): That is, because they are oppressed. They were the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The polytheists of Mecca used to harm them severely. They would come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) beaten and wounded, complaining to him, and he would say: "Be patient, for I have not been commanded to fight." This continued until he migrated, and this verse was revealed. It is the first verse in which fighting was permitted, after it had been forbidden in over seventy verses. It is also said that it was revealed regarding a group who went out as emigrants, were intercepted by the Meccan polytheists, and were then permitted to fight them.

The report of His ability to grant them victory is a promise of victory, following the style of the speech of the Mighty. The previous mention of His defense of those who believe also signals this same promise.

{أن يقولوا} (That they say): This is in the genitive case as a substitute for the implied cause in the verse: "They were driven out unjustly, for no reason except that they say: 'Our Lord is Allah.'"

{ولولا دفع الله الناس بعضهم ببعض} (And were it not for Allah checking some people by means of others): This refers to His manifestation and empowering the Muslims over the disbelievers through Jihad. Were it not for this, the polytheists would have overcome the people of various religions in their respective times and their places of worship, destroying them. They would have left no churches for the Christians, no hermitages for their monks, no synagogues for the Jews, and no mosques for the Muslims. Or, the polytheists would have overcome the Ummah of Muhammad (ﷺ) and the People of the Book under their protection, destroying the places of worship of both groups.

• Note: "Salawāt" (synagogues) is used for a church because prayer is performed in it. It is also said to be an Arabized word, originally Hebrew: Salūthā.

{من ينصره} (Whoever helps Him): That is, whoever helps His religion and His allies. This is a report from Allah (عز وجل) regarding the unseen, describing the future conduct of the Emigrants (Muhajirun)—may Allah be pleased with them—should He establish them in the land and grant them worldly expansion, and how they would uphold the affairs of the religion.

Uthman (رضي الله عنه) said: "By Allah, this is praise before the trial," meaning Allah praised them before they had performed the good deeds they later performed. Scholars have said this is evidence for the legitimacy of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, for Allah did not grant such establishment and authority, combined with just conduct, to anyone other than them among the Emigrants. Al-Hasan said: "They are the Ummah of Muhammad (ﷺ)."

{ولله عاقبة الأمور} (And to Allah belongs the outcome of all matters): That is, their return is to His judgment and decree. This confirms the promise of manifesting His allies and exalting His word.

{وإن يكذبوك فقد كذبت قبلهم قوم نوح وعاد وثمود * وقوم إبراهيم وقوم لوط * وأصحاب مدين وكذب موسى فأمليت للكافرين ثم أخذتهم فكيف كان نكير} (And if they deny you, then already before them did the people of Noah, and 'Ad, and Thamud deny [their messengers] * And the people of Abraham and the people of Lot * And the inhabitants of Madyan. And Moses was denied, so I prolonged [the time] for the disbelievers; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My reproach!)