**{And We did not send any messenger}**
We have never sent a messenger at all,
**{except to be obeyed by the permission of Allah}**
By the permission of Allah regarding his obedience, and because He commanded those to whom he was sent to obey and follow him. This is because he is a conveyor on behalf of Allah; thus, obeying him is obeying Allah, and disobeying him is disobeying Allah. "Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah." It is also possible that it refers to Allah’s facilitation and granting of success in obeying him.
**{And if, when they had wronged themselves}**
By seeking judgment from the *Taghut* (false deities/judges),
**{they had come to you}**
Repentant of their hypocrisy, disavowing what they had committed, they came to you,
**{and asked forgiveness of Allah}**
For that, with sincerity, and they were excessive in apologizing to you for harming you by rejecting your judgment, until you stood as an intercessor for them before Allah and a seeker of forgiveness,
**{they would have found Allah Accepting of repentance, Merciful}**
They would have known Him to be Accepting of repentance—meaning He would have accepted their repentance. He did not say "and I asked forgiveness for them," but shifted to this method of *iltifat* (turning/shift in address) to exalt the status of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), to magnify his intercession, and to alert [the reader] that the intercession of one who is named "the Messenger" holds a high place with Allah.
**{But no, by your Lord}**
Its meaning is "By your Lord," like His saying: "By your Lord, We will surely question them." The "no" (*la*) is an addition to emphasize the meaning of the oath, just as it was added in "so that the People of the Scripture may know" (to emphasize the existence of knowledge).
**{they will not [truly] believe}**
This is the response to the oath. If you say: "Why not claim it was added because of the *la* in *la yu'minun* (they will not believe)?" I say: The equality of negation and affirmation in it forbids that, such as in His saying: "But I swear by what you see and what you do not see; indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger."
**{in what is disputed between them}**
In what they differed and became entangled; it is called *shajar* (trees) because of the intertwining of its branches.
**{any discomfort}**
Any tightness. Meaning: their chests should not feel constricted by your judgment. It is also said to mean "doubt," for the one who doubts is in a state of constriction regarding his affair until certainty is revealed to him.
**{and submit}**
And yield and comply with what you bring of your judgment, not opposing it with any of your words. "He submitted the matter to Allah and submitted to Him." The reality of "he submitted himself" is when he makes it safe for Him and pure.
**{in full, willing submission}**
This is an emphasis on the verb, equivalent to repeating it. It is as if it were said: "And they comply with his judgment with a compliance that has no doubt in it, with their outward and inward selves."
It is said this was revealed regarding a hypocrite and a Jew. It is also said it was regarding al-Zubayr and Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah, as they disputed before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) regarding a water channel in the Harrah (lava field) which they both used to irrigate their palm trees. He said: "Irrigate, O Zubayr, then send the water to your neighbor." Hatib became angry and said: "Is it because he is the son of your aunt?" The face of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) changed, then he said: "Irrigate, O Zubayr, then hold the water until it reaches the walls, take your full right, then send it to your neighbor." He had previously suggested a view to al-Zubayr that was generous to him and his opponent. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was angered, he granted al-Zubayr his full right in a clear judgment.
They left and passed by al-Miqdad, who asked: "In whose favor was the judgment?" He replied: "The Ansari judged in favor of his cousin," and he twisted his mouth. A Jew who was with al-Miqdad noticed this and said: "May Allah fight these people! They testify that he is the Messenger of Allah, then they accuse him in a judgment he makes between them! By Allah, we once committed a sin in the life of Moses, and he called us to repent for it, saying: 'Kill yourselves,' and we did. Our dead reached seventy thousand in obedience to our Lord until He was pleased with us."
Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas said: "By Allah, Allah knows my sincerity; if Muhammad ordered me to kill myself, I would do it." It is narrated that Thabit, Ibn Mas'ud, and 'Ammar ibn Yasir said this. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, there are men in my nation whose faith is firmer in their hearts than the towering mountains." It is narrated from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "By Allah, if our Lord ordered us, we would do it. Praise be to Allah who did not do that to us." The verse was revealed regarding Hatib and regarding these men.
