“There was indeed a sign for you,” that is, a tremendous lesson, “in the two groups that met.” This occurred on the day of Badr. “One was fighting in the cause of Allah”—the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions—“and the other was unbelieving,” namely, the disbelievers of Quraysh, who left their homes in arrogance and pride, showing off before people and barring others from the way of Allah. Allah brought the two groups together at Badr, and the polytheists were many times more numerous than the believers. Hence He says, “They saw them with their own eyes to be twice their number.” That is, the believers saw that the disbelievers greatly outnumbered them—twice their number and more. This was emphasized by the words “with their own eyes.” Allah then granted the believers victory and strengthened them with His aid, so they defeated the disbelievers, killed their chiefs, and took many of them captive. This happened only because Allah supports whoever supports Him and forsakes whoever disbelieves in Him.
In this is a lesson for people of insight—that is, those possessed of penetrating discernment and sound minds: the group granted victory had the truth on its side, whereas the other followed falsehood. Were an observer to consider outward causes alone—numbers and equipment—he would certainly conclude that the triumph of this small group over that large one was utterly impossible. Yet beyond the cause visible to the eyes lies a far greater cause, perceived only by those endowed with insight, faith in Allah, reliance upon Him, and confidence in His sufficiency: Allah’s support and His granting might to His believing servants over His disbelieving enemies.
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(14–17) “The love of desirable things has been made appealing to people: women, sons, heaped-up treasures of gold and silver, fine horses, livestock, and farmland. These are the pleasures of the worldly life, but with Allah is the finest destination. * Say, ‘Shall I inform you of what is better than all of that? Those who fear Allah will have Gardens with their Lord beneath which rivers flow, remaining there forever, purified spouses, and pleasure from Allah. Allah is All-Seeing of His servants.’”
Allah Most High informs us that the love of worldly desires has been made appealing to people. He singles out the things mentioned because they are the greatest objects of desire in this world, while all others are subordinate to them. Allah Most High says, “Indeed, We have made whatever is on the earth an adornment for it.” Once these things, with all their enticing attractions, had been made appealing to people, their souls became attached to them and their hearts inclined toward them. In practice, people thus divided into two groups.
The first group made these things their ultimate objective, devoting their thoughts, concerns, and outward and inward deeds to them. They were thereby distracted from the purpose for which they had been created. They engaged with them as grazing beasts do, enjoying their pleasures and indulging their appetites, caring neither by what means they obtained them nor where they spent and disposed of them. For such people, these things became provisions carrying them to the abode of misery, hardship, and torment.
The second group understood the purpose for which these things exist: Allah made them a trial and test for His servants, to reveal who would give precedence to obedience to Him and the attainment of His pleasure over personal delights and desires. They therefore made them a means and a path by which to gather provisions for the Hereafter. Whatever enjoyment they took from them was used to assist them in seeking His pleasure. Their bodies partook of these things, but their hearts remained detached from them. They knew that, as Allah says, “These are the pleasures of the worldly life.” They thus made them a crossing to the abode of the Hereafter and a field of trade from which they hoped to secure magnificent gains. For these people, worldly things became provisions for their journey to their Lord.
This verse consoles the poor who lack access to the pleasures available to the rich, warns those deluded by them, and exhorts people of enlightened minds not to set their hearts upon them. To complete this lesson, Allah Most High next speaks of the everlasting abode and the destination of the righteous who fear Him, informing us that it is better than all that has been mentioned. It consists of lofty Gardens with splendid dwellings, elevated chambers, diverse trees bearing every kind of fruit, rivers flowing as they desire, and spouses purified of every filth, impurity, and defect, outward and inward. Added to this is everlasting residence, by which bliss is made complete, together with Allah’s pleasure, which is the greatest bliss of all.
Compare this sublime abode with that paltry abode, then choose the better of the two for yourself and let your heart weigh them against one another. “Allah is All-Seeing of His servants”; that is, He knows the good and bad qualities within them and what befits each according to their condition. He grants success to whomever He wills and withholds His aid from whomever He wills. Having described Paradise in the most perfect terms, Allah also describes those who deserve it: they are those who fear Him by doing what He has commanded and refraining from what He has forbidden. Among their supplications is the following: