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. 8:9], 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.