The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 137
PT. 4 ĀL-E-‘IMRĀN CH. 3 إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْا مِنْكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى Those of you who turned. 156 الْجَمْعُنِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَنُ their backs on the day when the two hosts met, surely it was Satan who sought to make them Allah is gracious to the believers (3:153 above). The words, Is there for us any part in the government of affairs? uttered by the hypocrites mean, "nobody listens to our opinion in matters of administration; we had advised the Muslims not to go out of Medina to fight, but our advice was ignored, with the result that they were defeated. " The sentence might also mean, "now, (i. e. after this reverse) real government and power have gone into the hands of the idolaters and nothing has been left for us. " The words, All government belongs to Allah, signify that the decision in all matters rests with God; or that whatever might happen in the intervening period, God has ordained that eventually power and government shall be vouchsafed to Muslims, who will have dominion in the land. The words, we should not have been killed here, mean, "If we had any voice in the management of affairs and if our advice had been accepted, our brethren would not have been killed in the battle," it being insinuated that while they were wise, the Muslims were simply foolish. The words may also be understood to mean, "if we were to have any government (as the Prophet had promised), we should not have 577 been defeated in the battle. " By saying so, the hypocrites hinted that the prophecies of the Holy Prophet regarding the triumph of Islam had turned out to be false. It may be noted here that by saying, we should not have been killed here, the hypocrites did not evidently mean that they themselves would not have been killed. What they meant was that their brethren or comrades who were killed would not have been killed. This shows that by the slaying of one's self is sometimes meant the slaying of one's brethren or companions. This explains the words me in 2:55, and 2:86. See also note on 2:55. in The Divine Words, If you had remained in your homes, refer to the hypocrites; and by the words, those on whom fighting had been enjoined, are meant the true believers. The injunction referred to is contained in 2:191. In the clause, would have gone forth to their deathbeds, the word (deathbeds) has been used in order to point to the abject cowardice of the hypocrites on the one hand, and the steadfast devotion of the true believers on the other. It reminds the hypocrites that whereas they returned to Medina, thinking that fighting in the existing circumstances was sure death, such was the faith of the true