And when it was known from the verse what I referred to, it was as if they said, 'May Allah be pleased with them': 'His honor and wisdom, glorified and exalted is He, necessitate purifying us from what we have become defiled by?' The Most High began the answer to that, expressing utmost gratitude and warning against exposure to the places of loss, saying: "If it were not for a decree that has been established from Allah," meaning: the one who has complete knowledge and power over everything, "that has preceded," meaning: in the Mother of the Book regarding the ruling of making you happy, and that He does not punish anyone except after having previously warned them, and that He will make lawful for you the ransom and the spoils that were forbidden to those before you, as a honor for you - as Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, said: "You were touched in what you took," meaning: from the captives intended for ransom, "a great punishment." But My ruling has preceded that the spoils - even with ransom - are lawful for you, even if you hasten in it regarding My command.