Tafseer Verse 137-143
The Wisdom Behind the Losses Muslims Suffered During Uhud
Allah states to His believing servants who suffered losses in the battle of Uhud, including seventy dead,
قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ سُنَنٌ
(137… Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced before you), for the previous nations who followed their Prophets before you, they too suffered losses. However, the good end was theirs, and the ultimate defeat was for the disbelievers. This is why Allah said,
فَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَانْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ
(so travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied). Allah said next,) (3:137 end…)
هَـذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ
(138.. This is a plain statement for mankind), meaning, the Qur’an explains the true reality of things and narrates how the previous nations suffered by the hands of their enemies.
وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ
(And a guidance and instruction) for the Qur’an contains the news of the past, and,
هُدًى
(guidance) for your hearts,
وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
(and instruction for the Muttaqin) to discourage committing the prohibited and forbidden matters. Allah comforts the believers by saying,(3:138 end…)
وَلاَ تَهِنُواْ
(139.. (So do not become weak), because of what you suffered,
وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الاٌّعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
(nor be sad, and you will be triumphant if you are indeed believers), for surely, the ultimate victory and triumph will be yours, O believers.) (3:139 end…)
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ
(If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others) 3:140.
Therefore, the Ayah says, if you suffered injuries and some of you were killed, then your enemies also suffered injuries and fatalities.
وَتِلْكَ الاٌّيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ
(And so are the days, that We give to men by turns) , and at times — out of wisdom — We allow the enemy to overcome you, although the final good end will be yours.
وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ
(and that Allah may know (test) those who believe,) meaning, “So that We find out who would be patient while fighting the enemies,” according to Ibn `Abbas.
وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَآءَ
(and that He may take martyrs from among you) those who would be killed in Allah’s cause and gladly offer their lives seeking His pleasure.
وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الظَّـلِمِينَوَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ
(And Allah likes not the wrongdoers. And that Allah may test those who believe) 3:140,141, by forgiving them their sins if they have any. Otherwise, Allah will raise their grades according to the losses they suffered. Allah’s statement,
وَيَمْحَقَ الْكَـفِرِينَ
(and destroy the disbelievers), for it is their conduct that if they gain the upper hand, they transgress and commit aggression. However, this conduct only leads to ultimate destruction, extermination, perishing and dying out…(3:141 end…)
Allah then said,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ
(142.. Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah knows (tests) those of you who will perform Jihad and (also) knows (tests) those who are the patient)
The Ayah asks, do you think that you will enter Paradise without being tested with warfare and hardships Allah said in Surat Al-Baqarah,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَآءُ وَالضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُواْ
(Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken. ..) 2:214. Allah said,
الم أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
(Alif Lam Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested) 29:1,2, This is why He said here,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ
(Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah knows (tests) those of you who will perform Jihad and (also) knows (tests) those who are the patient) 3:142 meaning, you will not earn Paradise until you are tested and thus Allah knows who among you are the ones who struggle and fight in His cause and are patient in the face of the enemy. Allah said,
وَلَقَدْ كُنتُمْ تَمَنَّوْنَ الْمَوْتَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَلْقَوْهُ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
(143.. You did indeed wish for death (martyrdom) before you met it. Now you have seen it openly with your own eyes)
The Ayah proclaims, O believers! Before today, you wished that you could meet the enemy and were eager to fight them. What you wished has occurred, so fight them and be patient.
In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ، وَسَلُوا اللهَ الْعَافِيَةَ، فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا، وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْجَنَّـةَ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوف»
(Do not wish to encounter the enemy, and ask Allah for your well-being. However, if you do encounter them, then observe patience and know that Paradise is under the shade of swords.)
This is why Allah said here,
فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ
(Now you have seen it): death, you saw it when the swords appeared, the blades were sharpened, the spears crisscrossed and men stood in lines for battle. This part of the Ayah contains a figure of speech that mentions imagining what can be felt but not seen.
Tafseer Verse 144-148
The Rumor that the Prophet was Killed at Uhud
When Muslims suffered defeat in battle at Uhud and some of them were killed, Shaytan shouted, “Muhammad ﷺ has been killed.” Ibn Qami’ah went back to the idolators and claimed, “I have killed Muhammad.” Some Muslims believed this rumor and thought that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been killed, claiming that this could happen, for Allah narrated that this occurred to many Prophets before. Therefore, the Muslims’ resolve was weakened and they did not actively participate in battle. This is why Allah sent down to His Messenger His statement,
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ
(Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed Messengers have passed away before him.) he is to deliver Allah’s Message and may be killed in the process, just as what happened to many Prophets before. Ibn Abi Najih said that his father said that a man from the Muhajirin passed by an Ansari man who was bleeding (during Uhud) and said to him, “O fellow! Did you know that Muhammad ﷺ was killed” The Ansari man said, “Even if Muhammad ﷺ was killed, he has indeed conveyed the Message. Therefore, defend your religion.” The Ayah,
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ
(Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him), was revealed. This story was collected by Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Bayhaqi in Dala’il An-Nubuwwah.
Allah said next, while chastising those who became weak,
أَفإِيْن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِكُمْ
(If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels), become disbelievers,
وَمَن يَنقَلِبْ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَن يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئاً وَسَيَجْزِى اللَّهُ الشَّـكِرِينَ
(And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful), those who obeyed Allah, defended His religion and followed His Messenger whether he was alive or dead. The Sahih, Musnad and Sunan collections gathered various chains of narration stating that Abu Bakr recited this Ayah when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died. Al-Bukhari recorded that `A’ishah said that Abu Bakr came riding his horse from his dwelling in As-Sunh. He dismounted, entered the Masjid and did not speak to anyone until he came to her in her room and went directly to the Prophet, who was covered with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr uncovered his face, knelt down and kissed him, then started weeping and proclaimed, “My father and my mother be sacrificed for you! Allah will not combine two deaths on you. You have died the death, which was written for you.”
Ibn `Abbas narrated that Abu Bakr then came out, while `Umar was addressing the people, and Abu Bakr told him to sit down but `Umar refused, and the people attended to Abu Bakr and left `Umar. Abu Bakr said, “To proceed; whoever among you worshipped Muhammad ﷺ, then Muhammad ﷺ is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and will never die. Allah said,
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَفإِيْن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِكُمْ وَمَن يَنقَلِبْ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَن يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئاً وَسَيَجْزِى اللَّهُ الشَّـكِرِينَ
(Muhammad is no more than a Messenger and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; and Allah will reward the grateful.)”
The narrator added, “By Allah, it was as if the people never knew that Allah had revealed this verse before until Abu Bakr recited it, and then whoever heard it, started reciting it.” Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said that `Umar said, “By Allah! When I heard Abu Bakr recite this Ayah, my feet could not hold me, and I fell to the ground.”
Allah said,
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تَمُوتَ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ الله كِتَـباً مُّؤَجَّلاً
(And no person can ever die except by Allah’s leave and at an appointed term.) 3:145 meaning, no one dies except by Allah’s decision, after he has finished the term that Allah has destined for him. This is why Allah said,
كِتَـباً مُّؤَجَّلاً
(at an appointed term) which is similar to His statements,
وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّرٍ وَلاَ يُنقَصُ مِنْ عُمُرِهِ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ
(And no aged man is granted a length of life nor is a part cut off from his life, but it is in a Book) 35:11, and,
هُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ مِّن طِينٍ ثُمَّ قَضَى أَجَلاً وَأَجَلٌ مُّسمًّى عِندَهُ
(He it is Who has created you from clay, and then has decreed a (stated) term (for you to die). And there is with Him another determined term (for you to be resurrected)) 6:2.
This Ayah 3:145 encourages cowards to participate in battle; for doing so, or avoiding battle neither decreases, nor increases the life term. Ibn Abi Hatim narrated that, Habib bin Suhban said that a Muslim man, Hujr bin `Adi, said in a battle, “What prevents you from crossing this river (the Euphrates) to the enemy
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تَمُوتَ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ الله كِتَـباً مُّؤَجَّلاً
(And no person can ever die except by Allah’s leave and at an appointed term)” He then crossed the river riding his horse, and when he did, the Muslims followed him. When the enemy saw them, they started shouting, “Diwan (Persian; crazy),” and they ran away.
Allah said next,
وَمَن يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَن يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الاٌّخِرَةِ نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا
(And whoever desires a reward in the world, We shall give him of it; and whoever desires a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give him thereof).
Therefore, the Ayah proclaims, whoever works for the sake of this life, will only earn what Allah decides he will earn. However, he will not have a share in the Hereafter. Whoever works for the sake of the Hereafter, Allah will give him a share in the Hereafter, along with what He decides for him in this life. In similar statements, Allah said,
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الاٌّخِرَةِ نَزِدْ لَهُ فِى حَرْثِهِ وَمَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ مِن نَّصِيبٍ
(Whosoever desires (by his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world (by his deeds), We give him thereof (what is decreed for him), and he has no portion in the Hereafter.) 42:20, and,
مَّن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعَـجِلَةَ عَجَّلْنَا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا نَشَآءُ لِمَن نُّرِيدُ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَـهَا مَذْمُومًا مَّدْحُورًا – وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الاٌّخِرَةَ وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَـئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا
(Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgraced and despised. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it while he is a believer, then such are the ones whose striving shall be appreciated) 17:18-19.
In this Ayah 3:145, Allah said,
وَسَنَجْزِى الشَّـكِرِينَ
(And We shall reward the grateful. ) meaning, We shall award them with Our favor and mercy in this life and the Hereafter, according to the degree of their appreciation of Allah and their good deeds.
Allah then comforts the believers because of what they suffered in Uhud,
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِىٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ
(And many a Prophet fought and along with him many Ribbiyyun.)
It was said that this Ayah means that many Prophets and their companions were killed in earlier times, as is the view chosen by Ibn Jarir. It was also said that the Ayah means that many Prophets witnessed their companions’ death before their eyes. However, Ibn Ishaq mentioned another explanation in his Sirah, saying that this Ayah means, “Many a Prophet was killed, and he had many companions whose resolve did not weaken after their Prophet died, and they did not become feeble in the face of the enemy. What they suffered in Jihad in Allah’s cause and for the sake of their religion did not make them lose heart. This is patience,
وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّـبِرِينَ
(and Allah loves the patient.)” As-Suhayli agreed with this explanation and defended it vigorously. This view is supported by Allah saying;
مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ
(And along with him many Ribbiyyun).
In his book about the battles, Al-Amawi mentioned only this explanation for the Ayah. Sufyan Ath-Thawri reported that, Ibn Mas`ud said that,
رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ
(many Ribbiyyun) means, thousands. Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` and `Ata’ Al-Khurasani said that the word Ribbiyyun means, `large bands’. `Abdur-Razzaq narrated that Ma`mmar said that Al-Hasan said that,
رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ
(many Ribbiyyun) means, many scholars. He also said that it means patient and pious scholars.
فَمَا وَهَنُواْ لِمَآ أَصَابَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُواْ وَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ
(But they never lost heart for that which befell them in Allah’s way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves.)
Qatadah and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said that,
وَمَا ضَعُفُواْ
(nor did they weaken), means, after their Prophet was killed.
وَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ
(nor degrade themselves), by reverting from the true guidance and religion. Rather, they fought on the path that Allah’s Prophet fought on until they met Allah. Ibn `Abbas said that,
وَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ
(nor degrade themselves) means, nor became humiliated, while As-Suddi and Ibn Zayd said that it means, they did not give in to the enemy.
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِىٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ فَمَا وَهَنُواْ لِمَآ أَصَابَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُواْ وَمَا اسْتَكَانُواْ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّـبِرِينَ – وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن قَالُواْ ربَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِى أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَـفِرِينَ
(And Allah loves the patient. And they said nothing but: “Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions, establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.”) 3:146-147, and this was the statement that they kept repeating. Therefore,
فَـْاتَـهُمُ اللَّهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا
(So Allah gave them the reward of this world) victory, triumph and the good end,
وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ الاٌّخِرَةِ
(and the excellent reward of the Hereafter) added to the gains in this life,
وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
(And Allah loves the good-doers).