3. Aal-i-Imraan

And mention O Muhammad (s) when you went forth at dawn from your family at Medina to assign the believers to have them occupy their places stations for them to stand at for battle and God hears what you say knows your circumstances this was the day of the battle of Uhud. The Prophet s set out with 1000 or 950 men while the idolaters numbered 3000. The Prophet pitched camp at the ravine on Saturday 7th of Shawwāl in year 3 of the Hijra. He had his back and that of his troops to Uhud. He arranged their lines and placed a group of archers under the command of ‘Abd Allāh b. Jubayr at the foot of the mountain and said to them ‘Defend us with your arrows in case they come up from behind us and remain here whether we are being defeated or on the verge of victory’.

When idh substitutes for the previous idh two parties of you the Banū Salima and the Banū Hāritha the two flanks of the army were about to lose heart about to shrink from the battle and retreat after ‘Abd Allāh b. Ubayy the hypocrite and his companions began to retreat. He Ibn Ubayy said ‘Why should we get ourselves and our children killed?’ and he also said to Abū Jābir al-Salamī — who had said to him ‘I implore you by God for your Prophet’s sake and yours’ — ‘If we knew how to fight we would follow you!’ But God then made them the Banū Salima and the Banū Hāritha steadfast and they did not abandon the field; and God was their Protector their Helper and let the believers rely on God let them place their trust in Him and none other.

When they were defeated the following was revealed as a way of reminding them of God’s favour God already gave you victory at Badr a location between Mecca and Medina when you were contemptible few in number and weapons. So fear God in order that you might be thankful for His blessings.

When idh an adverbial qualifier of nasarakum ‘He gave you victory’ in the previous verse you were saying to the believers promising them as reassurance for them ‘Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you that He should succour you with three thousand angels sent down? read munzalīn or munazzalīn ‘sent down’.

Yea it is sufficient for you. In sūrat al-Anfāl it is stated with a thousand Q. 89 because at first He reinforced them with this thousand then it became three thousand then five thousand as God says if you are patient in encountering the enemy and fear God in not contravening His command and they the idolaters come against you instantly your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels accoutred’ read musawimmīn or musawammīn that is to say distinctively marked for the battle. Indeed they were patient and God fulfilled His promise to them so that the angels fought together with them riding upon piebald horses wearing yellow or white turbans let loose down to their shoulders.

What God ordained that is of reinforcement was only as a good tiding to you of victory and that your hearts might be at peace that they might be at rest and not be terrified by the large number of the enemy as compared to your small number. Victory comes only from God the Mighty the Wise He gives it to whomever He will and victory comes not because of a large army.

And that He might cut off li-yaqta‘ is semantically connected to the clause containing nasarakum ‘He gave you victory’ that is to say that He might destroy a party of the disbelievers by slaying them or making them fall captive or suppress them humiliate them through defeat so that they fall back return frustrated not having secured what they desired.

When on the Day of Uhud the Prophet received a head wound and his front tooth was broken and he said ‘How does a people who have drenched the face of their Prophet in blood expect to prosper?’ the following was revealed It is no concern at all of yours nay it is God’s concern so be patient whether meaning until such time as He relents to them through their acceptance of Islam or chastises them; for they are indeed evildoers by virtue of their disbelief.

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth as possessions creatures and servants; He forgives whom He wills forgiveness for and chastises whom He wills chastisement for. And God is Forgiving of His friends Merciful to those who obey Him.