And when he informed about their fear, he indicated it by his saying: "They do not fight you," meaning each of the two groups, the Jews and the hypocrites, or one of them. And when a thing may be general and intended to mean part of it, he confirmed the matter by saying: "All together," meaning a fighting they intend openly, and they are all gathered at a time and place. "Except in fortified villages," meaning protected by safeguarding the routes, which are the wide paths with doors and trenches and the like. "Or from behind walls," meaning surrounding them, whether it is in a village or otherwise, due to their extreme fear. And this has excluded what occurred from some of them regarding necessity, like the easy ones, and whoever descended from the people of Khaybar from the fortress to challenge and the like, for it was not due to gathering, or this would be specific to the Banu Nadir in this instance.

And when it was thought that this was due to an inherent weakness from them, he refuted it with strength, informing that it is indeed one of the miracles of this religion: "Their strength," meaning their power and what is in them of the traits from which punishment is affected. "Among themselves is severe," meaning if they turn against each other or some of them fight one another, then the believers are encouraged against them by what they observe of their severity and bravery when they fight the polytheists. This cannot be denied in the face of fighting the believers; it is an honor that Allah has honored the believers with, which includes a sign from the signs of prophethood, strengthening their faith and elevating their status.

And when the reason for severity is gathering, he explained the states of severity and fear by saying, addressing the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, indicating the severity of what they show of mutual affection among themselves: "You think they are all together," meaning the Jews and the hypocrites, O highest of creation, and O you who observe who is for that apparent affection. "All together" for what they are in of gathering [defense], and from that arose the severity. "And their hearts are divided," meaning they are extremely divided, and from that arose the fear. The cause of this division is the differing desires that have no unifying factor from the system of reason, like animals, even if they gather in enmity against the people of truth, like the gathering of animals in fleeing from the wolf. Al-Qushayri said: The gathering of souls with the repulsion of hearts and their differences is the root of all corruption and the cause of all weakness, and it necessitates the audacity of the enemy. The agreement of hearts and sharing in ambition and equality in intention necessitates every victory and every happiness.

And when the greatest cause of division is the weakness of reason, he stated: "That," meaning the strange matter of division after agreement that seems to indicate gathering, "is because they are a people," meaning with their severity, "who do not understand," so they have no religion that gathers them due to their knowledge that they are upon falsehood; they are captives of desires, and desires are in the utmost of disagreement. Reason is the basis of gathering, just as the companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, were in the time of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, just as desires are the basis of disagreement.