The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 117
CH. 3 PT. 4 130. "And to ĀL-E-‘IMRĀN whatever is in the heavens and b وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَوتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ Allah belongs jwiękjojűjtatió يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَّشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَّشَاءُ whatever is in the earth. He 3:110, 190; 4:132; 24:11. The words are meant only as an answer to those who attributed the reverse of the Muslims at Uhud to the alleged error of their leaving the city against the advice of experienced men. The Quran says that the result was brought about by the supreme wisdom of God and that the Holy Prophet had nothing to do with the matter. One good result of this reverse was that many were guided to acceptance of Islam, seeing how God helped the Holy Prophet and how He afforded him protection although he was left alone in the battle. The verse also contains a reply to the hypocrites. ‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy and his followers, who had deserted the Holy Prophet at Uḥud, saying he had not followed their advice. It tells them that it was God Who was helping the Prophet, and Who, even after the reverse at Uhud, had fulfilled His promise regarding the ignominious retreat of the Meccans referred to in the preceding verse. The words, that He might cut off a part of the disbelievers, and, or abase them, occurring in the preceding verse correspond to the words He may turn to them in mercy, and, or punish them, occurring in the present verse in the reverse order, the suggestion being that the part that will be cut off will be those who are to be punished by God, while those 557 whom God will temporarily abase and who will return unsuccessful will be those to whom God is finally to turn in mercy; i. e. by returning safe, though unsuccessful, they will be afforded an opportunity to repent. Accordingly, we find that many of those who escaped alive were after- wards converted to Islam, and among them were men like Khālid, son of Walīd; 'Ikrimah, son of Abū Jahl; ‘Abdur-Raḥmān, son of Abu Bakr, and many others who later made a name in the history of Islam. Abū Sufyan, Commander of the Meccan army, was also among them. The verse also throws light on the general nature of prophecies made by the Prophets of God. There is often an element of contingency or uncertainty in them; sometimes it is hidden and sometimes expressed as in the present verse. A clear alter-native is put forward here in the form of mercy to be shown and punishment according to the will of God. The reason for this is that prophecies do not proceed from a mechanical or rigid source which is arbitrary and inflexible, but from God, Who possesses both the quality of mercy and the power to punish, which He exercises, according as circumstances demand. In keeping with principle, the Prophets of God hold out the hope of salvation on condition this