“Fight them: Allah will punish them at your hands, disgrace them, grant you victory over them, and heal the hearts of a believing people (14), removing the rage from their hearts. Allah accepts the repentance of whomever He wills, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (15)”

Then He urged the Muslims to fight, saying—exalted is His mention—“Will you not fight a people who have broken their oaths?” That is, they violated their treaties. They were the ones who breached the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah and aided Banu Bakr in fighting Khuza'ah. “And intended to expel the Messenger” from Mecca, when they assembled in the House of Assembly; “and were the first to attack you,” by fighting, “the first time”—that is, on the day of Badr. For when the caravan had escaped safely, they said, “We shall not turn back until we have utterly destroyed Muhammad and his Companions.”

A group of Quran commentators said: What is meant is that they were the first to fight Khuza'ah, the allies of the Messenger of Allah.

“Do you fear them?” That is, do you fear them and therefore refrain from fighting them? “Allah is more worthy that you should fear Him” by not abandoning the fight against them, “if you are believers.”

“Fight them: Allah will punish them at your hands”—that is, Allah will kill them at your hands—“and disgrace them,” humiliating them through capture and subjugation; “grant you victory over them, and heal the hearts of a believing people,” curing the affliction in the hearts of a people of the harm they had suffered from them. Mujahid and al-Suddi said: This refers to the hearts of Khuza'ah, the allies of the Messenger of Allah, when Quraysh aided Banu Bakr against them, until they inflicted wounds upon them. Thus, through the Prophet and the believers, Allah healed their hearts of Banu Bakr.

“And remove the rage from their hearts”—their distress and grief at Quraysh's assistance to Banu Bakr against them. Then, beginning a new statement, He says: “Allah accepts the repentance of whomever He wills,” guiding him to Islam, as He did with Abu Sufyan, Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, and Suhayl ibn Amr. “And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

It is related that, on the day of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet said: “Hold back the sword, except for Khuza'ah against Banu Bakr, until the afternoon prayer.” (1)