And when He, glorified and exalted is He, promised this great favor and the momentous news, He reminded them of the conditions of their caller, leader, and guide, blessings and peace be upon him, and the greeting and honor that calls them to adhere to its causes. In the context of addressing him, he said, 'Indeed, you are' [Al-Anfal: 26] 'And when they plot against you,' meaning: they scheme against you in a concealed manner. 'Those who disbelieved,' meaning: they established this description, and among them are those who were not firmly rooted in it. Then He clarified the ultimate goal of their plotting, saying: 'To restrain you,' meaning: to prevent you from acting by imprisoning you in a house, closing its door against you - as is clear from the story of their consultation in the House of Al-Nadwah regarding him, blessings and peace be upon him, in the histories. And whoever reads it with the singular form, then the dual form, from the ambush which means the destruction of the enemy at night, He then added: 'Or to kill you,' meaning: in the daytime openly. It is as if he counted the ambush for secrecy as nothing compared to the open confrontation. 'Or to expel you,' meaning: from Mecca. 'And they plot,' meaning: while they are scheming to conceal what they intend for you from that and other forms of plotting. 'And Allah plots,' meaning: He acts with the encompassing power and knowledge regarding their affairs, like one who plots by concealing what He counters them with. 'And Allah is the best of planners,' because no one can know what He intends to conceal, for He is the supreme King, encompassing in majesty and beauty. Thus, the effective one is indeed His plotting, and the exalted one is indeed His support. It is as if He, glorified and exalted is He, is saying: 'Look at the truth of what I promised you regarding the conditions of My Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, for he was alone while all the people opposed him. Yet he remained steadfast in delivering the message to them and conveying the advice to them, despite the harm he received from them, and their harm only increased his effort in delivering what would benefit them.'