“Whatever befell you on the day the two forces met was by Allah’s permission, so that He might distinguish the believers, (166) and distinguish the hypocrites. When it was said to them, ‘Come, fight in Allah’s cause, or at least defend yourselves,’ they said, ‘Had we known there would be fighting, we would surely have followed you.’ That day they were nearer to disbelief than to faith. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah knows best what they conceal. (167) Those who said of their brothers, while they themselves stayed behind, ‘Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed.’ Say, ‘Then ward off death from yourselves, if you are truthful.’ (168) Do not think those who have been killed in Allah’s cause to be dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision. (169)”
“Whatever befell you on the day the two forces met”: that is, the killing, wounds, and defeat at Uhud, “was by Allah’s permission,” that is, by His decree and predestination, “so that He might distinguish the believers”; that is, so that He might differentiate them. It has also been said: so that He might see.
“And distinguish the hypocrites. When it was said to them, ‘Come, fight in Allah’s cause,’” that is, for the sake of Allah’s religion and obedience to Him, “‘or defend yourselves,’” by defending your families and womenfolk. Al-Suddi said: That is, increase the number of the Muslims and hold your positions; if you do not fight, this will still repel and subdue the enemy. “They said, ‘Had we known there would be fighting, we would surely have followed you.’” They were Abdullah ibn Ubayy and his companions, who withdrew from Uhud; they numbered three hundred. Allah Most High says: “That day they were nearer to disbelief,” that is, nearer to disbelief that day, “than to faith” (that is, nearer to faith) (1). “They say with their mouths,” meaning, the word of faith, “what is not in their hearts, and Allah knows best what they conceal.”
“Those who said of their brothers,” brothers in lineage rather than religion—namely, the martyrs of Uhud—“while they themselves stayed behind”: that is, these speakers themselves refrained from jihad. “‘Had they obeyed us,’” withdrawn from Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and remained in their homes, “‘they would not have been killed.’ Say,” O Muhammad, “‘Then ward off,’” that is, repel, “‘death from yourselves, if you are truthful.’” Caution cannot avert what has been decreed.
As for His saying, “Do not think those who have been killed in Allah’s cause to be dead,” and the rest of the verse: it was said that it was revealed concerning the martyrs of Badr (2). They were fourteen men: eight from the Helpers and six from the Emigrants.
Others said that it was revealed concerning the martyrs of Uhud. They were seventy men: four from the Emigrants—Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Musab ibn Umayr, Uthman ibn Shammas, and Abdullah ibn Jahsh—and the rest were from the Helpers (3).