to all people. Another reading has both letters with fatḥah, and its sense is clear; Allah knows best.

[Explanation]
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—relates from Anas ibn Mālik, who reports from his uncle Anas ibn al-Naḍr, that the latter was not with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, at Badr. This was because the Prophet had gone out on that expedition without the original intention of fighting; he had set out after the Quraysh caravan with only about 300-plus men—roughly 313—who shared seventy camels and two horses in relay. Many Companions stayed behind, as it was not formally announced as a campaign and no general call to arms had been made; only those who could depart quickly accompanied him.

Anas ibn al-Naḍr later told the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—making it clear that he had not been present at the first battle against the idolaters: “If Allah allows me to witness another engagement, He will surely see what I do.”

When the Battle of Uḥud occurred—a year and a month after Badr—the people marched out and fought alongside the Prophet, and at the start of the day the advantage was with the Muslims. But when the archers abandoned the position the Prophet had assigned them and descended from the hill, the cavalry of the idolaters wheeled around and attacked the Muslims from the rear. They mixed with the ranks, the Muslims broke, and defeat set in.

As the Muslims fell back, Anas ibn al-Naḍr advanced and said: “O Allah, I present my excuse to You for what these—meaning his Companions—have done, and I declare my disavowal before You of what those—meaning the idolaters—have done.”

He then pressed forward, and Saʿd ibn Muʿādh met him and asked, “Where are you going?”