inspect them when they set out, excluding any men, horses, or mounts unfit for combat because of physical weakness, lack of endurance, their demoralizing influence, or the danger feared from their company. Such a category is wholly harmful to the people.
Another lesson is that when battle is imminent, the fighters should be strengthened, encouraged, and urged to draw upon the strength of faith, rely completely upon Allah, place their trust in Him, and ask Him to keep them firm, help them remain steadfast, and grant them victory over their enemies.
Another is that resolving to fight and engage in jihad is not the same as actually doing so. A person may resolve to fight, but when the time comes, his resolve may dissolve. Hence the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—would supplicate: “I ask You for steadfastness in the matter and firm resolve upon right guidance.”
These people had resolved to fight and had spoken words expressing unwavering determination, yet when the time came, most of them turned back. This resembles his—peace and blessings be upon him—supplication: “And I ask You for contentment after the decree has come to pass,” because true contentment is that which follows the occurrence of a decree that is displeasing to the human soul.
﴿253﴾ Allah Most High says: “Those messengers: We favored some over others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in rank. We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear proofs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Had Allah willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after the clear proofs had come to them; but they differed: some believed and some disbelieved. Had Allah willed, they would not have fought one another, but Allah does whatever He wills.”
The Creator informs us that He bestowed differing degrees of sublime virtue and gracious distinction upon the messengers, according to the favors He conferred upon them and the perfect faith, firm certainty, noble character, lofty conduct, preaching, teaching, and far-reaching benefit that they manifested.
Among them was one whom He took as an intimate friend; another to whom He spoke directly; and another whom He raised many degrees above the rest of creation. Yet no human being can attain their lofty excellence.
He singled out Jesus son of Mary by mentioning that He gave him clear proofs demonstrating that he was truly Allah’s messenger and sincerely His servant, and that everything he brought from Allah was true. Thus Allah enabled him to heal those born blind and those afflicted with leprosy, raise the dead by Allah’s permission, and speak to people from the cradle while still an infant. He strengthened him with the Holy Spirit—that is, with the spirit of faith.
Allah thereby made his spiritual strength surpass that of others, and through it he received strength and support. The basis of being strengthened by this spirit is common to every believer in proportion to his faith, as Allah says: “And He strengthened them with a spirit from Him.” However, what Jesus received was greater than what others received, and Allah therefore singled him out for mention.
It has also been said that the Holy Spirit here means Gabriel, through whose aid and assistance Allah strengthened him. The first meaning, however, is the intended one.
After informing us of the messengers’ perfection, the virtues and distinctive qualities He granted them, the unity of their religion, and their common call to goodness, all of which should have led the nations to unite in affirming and following them—especially in view of the clear proofs of the kind that ordinarily lead people to believe—Allah explains that most people nevertheless deviated from the straight path, and dissension arose among the nations.
Some believed and some disbelieved. Consequently, fighting broke out because of their disagreement and mutual hostility. Had Allah willed, He would have united them upon guidance and they would not have differed. Even after the disagreement that led to fighting had arisen, had Allah willed, they would not have fought.
But His wisdom required events to proceed according to this order and through their respective causes. This verse therefore provides the greatest evidence that Allah Most High controls all causes that produce their effects: if He wills, He allows them to remain operative, and if He wills, He prevents them from taking effect. All of this follows His wisdom alone. He does whatever He wills, and there is no one who can thwart or oppose His will and volition, nor anyone whose assistance He needs.
﴿254﴾ “O you who believe, spend from what We have provided you before a Day comes in which there will be no trade, friendship, or intercession. It is the disbelievers who are the wrongdoers.”
Allah urges the believers to spend in every avenue of goodness, for leaving the object of the command unstated gives it a general scope. He reminds them of His blessing upon them: He is the One who provided for them and granted them blessings of many kinds. Nor did He command them to give away everything in their possession; rather, He used “from,” indicating that only a portion is meant. This is among the considerations that encourage them to spend.
They are also encouraged to spend by being informed that such expenditures are stored for them with Allah against a Day when transactions involving sale and the like will be of no avail, nor will freely given gifts or intercessions. Every person will then say, “What have I sent ahead for my life?”
All means will be severed except those connected with obedience to Allah and faith in Him, on “the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit, except to one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”
“It is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us, but whoever believes and performs righteous deeds—for them there will be a multiplied reward for what they did, and they will dwell securely in the lofty chambers.”
“Whatever good you send ahead for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; it will be better and greater in reward.”
Allah Most High then says: “It is the disbelievers who are the wrongdoers.” This is because Allah created them to worship Him, provided for them, and granted them well-being so that they might use these blessings to obey Him. Yet they abandoned the purpose for which Allah created them, associated with Allah that for which He had sent down no authority, and used His blessings to assist them in disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience. They thus left no place for justice. It is therefore they alone to whom wrongdoing in its absolute sense applies.
﴿255﴾ “Allah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining Sustainer of all. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and earth, and preserving them does not weary Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great.”
The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—stated that this verse is the greatest verse in the Quran because it encompasses the meanings of monotheism and divine greatness, together with the vast scope of the Creator’s attributes.
It informs us that He is Allah, to whom all the qualities of divinity belong. None but He is worthy of being regarded as divine or worshipped; the supposed divinity of any other and the worship of any other are false.
He is “the Ever-Living,” who possesses every aspect of perfect life, including hearing, sight, power, will, and all His other intrinsic attributes.
Likewise, “the Self-Sustaining Sustainer of all” encompasses all the attributes of action. He subsists by Himself and has no need of any of His creatures, while all created beings depend upon Him. He brought them into existence, preserves them, and supplies them with everything they require for their existence and continuance. A further aspect of the perfection of His life and His being the Self-Sustaining Sustainer of all is that He