“Yet it denied Allah’s blessings”: the term rendered “blessings” is the plural of ni‘mah. It is also said to be the plural of na‘mā’, just as ab’us is the plural of ba’sā’. “So Allah made it taste the garment of hunger”: Allah afflicted them with hunger for seven years, and, by the command of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the Arabs cut off their food supplies until they were reduced to eating burnt bones, carrion, dead dogs, and animal fur treated with blood. Such was their hunger that one of them would look toward the sky and see something like smoke. Then the leading men of Makkah spoke to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saying, “You have treated the men as enemies—but what of the women and children?” So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, permitted people to carry food to them, although they were still polytheists.

He mentioned a garment because the emaciation, pallor, and change in their outward appearance from what it had previously been were like a garment covering them. “And fear” means the Prophet’s military expeditions and detachments, which surrounded them. “Because of what they used to do.”

“And indeed, a messenger from among themselves came to them, but they denied him; so the punishment seized them while they were wrongdoers. (113) So eat of what Allah has provided for you—lawful and wholesome—and give thanks for Allah’s blessing, if it is Him you worship. (114) He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that over which a name other than Allah has been invoked. But whoever is compelled by necessity, neither seeking it nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (115) And do not say, falsely describing with your tongues, ‘This is lawful and this is unlawful,’ thereby inventing lies against Allah. Indeed, those who invent lies against Allah will not prosper. (116)”

“And indeed, a messenger from among themselves came to them”: Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. “But they denied him; so the punishment seized them while they were wrongdoers. So eat of what Allah has provided for you—lawful and wholesome—and give thanks for Allah’s blessing, if it is Him you worship.” (1)

“He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that over which a name other than Allah has been invoked. But whoever is compelled by necessity, neither seeking it nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (2)

His saying, exalted is He, “And do not say, falsely describing with your tongues,” means: Do not say on the basis of what your tongues describe, or