Tafsir of As-Saffat 37:171

The Word: His saying: {Indeed, they are the ones who will be helped * And indeed, Our soldiers are the ones who will be victorious}.

It is called a "word" (singular), even though it consists of several words, because when they are organized into a single meaning, they function as a single entity. It is also recited as "Our words" (kalimatuna).

The intended meaning is the promise of their superiority over their enemies in the arenas of conflict and the battles of war in this world, and their superiority over them in the Hereafter, as He said: {And those who feared Allah are above them on the Day of Resurrection} (Al-Baqarah: 212).

It does not necessitate that they be defeated in some encounters, nor does the killing that befell them negate this; for the victory belonged to them and to those who followed them in the final outcome. The battles of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs are sufficient examples to be followed and lessons to be learned from.

Al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No prophet was ever defeated in a war, nor was he killed in one." This is because the foundation and basis of their affair—and the prevailing outcome of it—is triumph and victory, even if, in the midst of that, there occurs a mixture of trial and tribulation; for the ruling is based on the final outcome.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "If they are not granted victory in this world, they will be granted victory in the Hereafter."

In the recitation of Ibn Mas'ud, it is: "against Our servants" ('ala 'ibadina), implying that the verb "preceded" (sabaqat) carries the meaning of "was decreed" (haqqat).