The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 132
CH. 3 ĀL-E-‘IMRĀN PT. 4 وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللهُ وَعْدَةٌ إِذْ تَحُدُّونَهُمْ And Allah had surely made. 153 good to you His promise when بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ حَتَّى إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي you were slaying and destroying الْأَمْرِ وَ عَصَيْتُم مِّنْ بَعْدِ مَا أريكُم مَّا them by His leave, until when L you became lax and disagreed the order and you disobeyed تُحِبُّونَ مِنْكُمْ مَّنْ يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا وَمِنْكُمْ among yourselves concerning مَّن يُرِيدُ الآخِرَةَ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ after He had shown you that عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۚ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنْكُمْ which you loved, He withdrew وَاللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ His help. Among you were those who desired the present world, and among you were those who desired the next. Then He turned you away from them, that He might try you- and He has surely pardoned you, and Allah is Gracious to the believers. - 435 Moreover, it is through lack of perseverance that idolaters go from one god to another, and perseverance is an essential concomitant of bravery. Where there is no perseverance, there is no bravery. Again, idolaters are rebels in setting up gods with Allah and a rebel's heart is never at rest; and a heart that is not at ease cannot be brave. Yet again, polytheism springs from superstitious fear and one possessed of that sort of fear can never be truly brave. It should, however, be remembered that it is only relative bravery that is meant here; otherwise, even among idolaters and polytheists, there are men who possess bravery and courage, but their courage and 572 b bravery is inferior to that of true believers who put faith in One God and believe in His great powers and in the life after death. 435. Commentary: The word "promise" occurring in the verse refers to the general promise of victory and success repeatedly given to Muslims. The clause, when you became lax, refers to the party of archers posted at the rear of the Muslim army at Uḥud, and signifies that they could not resist the temptation of taking part in the actual fighting and in collecting the booty, and their failure to control that desire was an act of cowardice on their part. It is indeed the heart which