the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ⦗91/b⦘ could speak of it, thereby weakening the believers’ hearts. So Allah, exalted is He, revealed: “Whenever there comes to them”—meaning, the hypocrites—“some news of security”—that is, victory and spoils—“or fear”—that is, killing and defeat—“they spread it abroad”: they disseminate and divulge it. “Had they referred it to the Messenger”—that is, had they not spoken of it until the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, himself spoke of it—“and to those in authority among them”—that is, the Companions possessed of sound judgment, such as Abu Bakr, Amr, Uthman, and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them—“those among them able to draw conclusions from it would have known it”: that is, they would extract it; they are the scholars. In other words, they would know what ought to be concealed and what ought to be divulged.

Drawing conclusions means extracting something. Thus, it is said, “He drew forth water,” when he extracted it. Ikrimah said: “Those able to draw conclusions from it” means that they are eager for it and inquire about it. Al-Dahhak said: “They follow it.” He meant that if those believers and hypocrites who heard that news had referred it to the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and to those possessed of sound judgment and knowledge, then those among them who draw conclusions from it would have known it—that is, they desire to know its reality as it truly is.

“Were it not for Allah’s bounty and mercy upon you, you would have followed Satan”—all of you—“except for a few.” If it is asked: How can He except the few when, were it not for His bounty, all would have followed Satan? The answer is that the exception refers back to what precedes it. It was said that its meaning is: They spread it abroad, except for a few who did not divulge it. By the few, He meant the believers. This was the view of al-Kalbi and the preferred view of al-Farra. He said: Once knowledge of a secret becomes manifest, both the one who draws conclusions and others come to know it; yet dissemination may occur among some people and not others.

It was also said that the meaning is: “Those among them able to draw conclusions from it would have known it, except for a few.” Then His saying, “Were it not for Allah’s bounty and mercy upon you, you would have followed Satan,” is a complete statement.

It was also said that Allah’s bounty is Islam and His mercy is the Quran. Thus, He says: Were it not for that, you would have followed Satan, except for a few—people who had been rightly guided before the coming of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and before the revelation of the Quran, such as Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, and others besides them.

This verse is evidence for the validity of qiyas (analogical reasoning). For some knowledge is attained through recitation and transmission, namely, the explicit text; while other knowledge is attained through drawing conclusions, namely, analogy based on the meanings contained within the texts.

“So fight in the cause of Allah. You are accountable only for yourself. And encourage the believers. Perhaps Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve. Allah is greater in might and more severe in punishment.” (84)

His saying, exalted is He: “So fight in the cause of Allah. You are accountable only for yourself.” This was because, after the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arranged with Abu Sufyan to meet at the season of Lesser Badr in Dhu al-Qadah. When the appointed time came, he called the people to set out, but some of them disliked doing so. Thereupon Allah, glorified and exalted is He, revealed: “So fight in the cause of Allah. You are accountable only for yourself.” (2) That is, do not abandon jihad against the enemy and the defence of the oppressed believers, even if you must do so alone; for Allah has promised you victory. And He reproached them for abandoning the fighting. The fa particle