(26) “When those who disbelieved harbored in their hearts haughty pride—the pride of the Age of Ignorance—Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and bound them to the declaration of piety. They were more deserving and worthy of it, and Allah has full knowledge of all things.”

Allah says: “When those who disbelieved harbored in their hearts haughty pride—the pride of the Age of Ignorance,” they disdainfully refused to write, “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,” and refused to allow the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the believers to enter Mecca that year, lest people say, “They entered Mecca having prevailed over Quraysh.” These and similar attitudes belonged to the Age of Ignorance, and they remained in their hearts until they led them to commit ⦗795⦘ many sins. “Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers,” so anger did not drive them to respond to the polytheists in kind. Rather, they patiently submitted to Allah’s decree and abided by the conditions that upheld the sanctities of Allah, whatever those conditions might be. They paid no heed to what people said or to the reproach of those who reproached them.

“And bound them to the declaration of piety,” namely, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” together with all that it requires. He bound them to uphold it, so they adhered to it and fulfilled its requirements. “They were more deserving of it” than others “and” were “worthy of it,” for they merited it because of the goodness Allah knew to be within them and in their hearts. Hence He said: “And Allah has full knowledge of all things.”