And when the prohibitions for those who lagged behind became frequent, and the warnings continued, and the reprimands and threats intensified, the hearts took flight and the souls were apprehensive. This was a cause for the expectation that no one would lag behind the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and those who take his place. At that time, the enemies would be able to seize the wealth, children, and families. Following this, Allah, the Most High, said: ﴿And the believers were not to go forth﴾, meaning those who were urged to march forth were those firmly rooted in faith. ﴿All together﴾ means all of them; for that would disrupt many of the righteous objectives. This is a teaching of what is more appropriate for religion and this world regarding the division of people into two groups: one for jihad and one for spending and safeguarding wealth and children. All of this is by His command, upon him be prayers and peace, and acting in accordance with what pleases Him. This is not hidden from the sincere. And perhaps the expression in the past tense in His saying is a cause for what preceded it: ﴿If only they had gone forth﴾, to understand the reprimand of those intended to be reprimanded among the laggards in all of this Surah, that it was upon them to march forth with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him. ﴿From every group﴾ means many people whose separation is easy. They said: It is a name that applies to three: ﴿Among them is a group﴾, meaning people who do not cease to surround the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and adhere to him. It was said: and the group can be one or two. Thus, the verse is evidence for accepting the report of one and the obligation of acting upon it. [And as if he expressed it to indicate the encouragement for the multitude of those who march forth, as is the predominant meaning of it.] ﴿To gain understanding﴾ means to require those who march forth to understand from him, blessings and peace be upon him, gradually. ﴿In religion﴾ means: by what they hear of his words and see of his beautiful actions, and what reaches their hearts of his enlightening states. This is the utmost honor for knowledge, where it has been made the ultimate goal of his companionship to him, blessings and peace be upon him, for jihad. This is if he, blessings and peace be upon him, was the one marching forth in that battle; and if it was someone else, then the pronoun in 'to gain understanding' refers to those remaining with him, blessings and peace be upon him.

And when there is knowledge that includes good tidings and warnings, and since man, due to his shortcomings, is in greatest need of warnings, it is specified in the mention, so he said, in a manner that indicates: Let them fear for themselves so that they may work for their salvation: ﴿And let them warn their people﴾ meaning: to alert them to what lies ahead of them from fears if they neglect the side of piety ﴿when they return to them﴾ meaning: what the Messenger ﷺ warned them about and to give them glad tidings [of what he gave them glad tidings of]; then he clarified the goal of knowledge, indicating that whoever makes for himself a goal other than it, out of arrogance or pride, has certainly gone astray in a great way. He said, necessitating the acceptance of the news of whoever conveyed it to them: ﴿So that perhaps they﴾ meaning: all of them ﴿may take heed﴾ meaning: so that their state may be like that of the people who fear Allah due to what they have attained of understanding, for it is the foundation of all good. With it, hearts become clear and turn towards good and turn away from evil, for indeed, caution is avoiding something due to the harm in it. The intended meaning of understanding here is the preservation of the Book and the Sunnah and the comprehension of their meanings from the fundamentals, branches, ethics, and virtues. And Al-Rummani said: Understanding is the comprehension of the necessities of the meanings contained therein without explicit indication of them.