And when it was as if it was said: What has prevented them when we were intending a long journey and a formidable enemy? So we are in need of assistance, even if it is by increasing the numbers! It was said: And 'if' means that he did that to them because if they had 'gone out with you', even if they were few, they would not have increased you 'in anything' by their going out, except for confusion. That is, they did not bring you anything additional to what you already had from things other than confusion. The exception is empty, and the exception from it - the fixed estimated for them to be characterized by it - is the thing, and that does not necessitate the characterization of any one of them with confusion before the hypocrites went out. Confusion is corruption, and it is looked at in terms of deception and taking advantage of a moment. 'And they would have caused confusion' means they would have caused confusion, omitting the object to indicate that their intention was the confusion itself, not by the means of a mount. He expressed it with confusion because it is for the rider, and it is faster than the walker. 'Among you' means they would have hurried in the journey going and returning among you in following your weaknesses and waiting for your slips to find from them an entry point to corruption through gossip and otherwise if they did not find it. And confusion in the journey can be with gentleness or with haste, and what is meant here is haste. The root of 'to place' in all its forms revolves around movement, sometimes towards elevation and sometimes towards descent, and that necessitates stillness and a place capable of that. And upon that, the limb and the substitute proceed. And the substitute which means (p-492) time, and the placing of the wind and the sound of crying, and the low place for a tree in the desert, and the placing for the throwing in a place and the gentle and swift movement; and 'among' is the plural of 'gap', which is the opening. 'They seek to cause you fitnah' means while they want for you 'the fitnah', which is by scattering the unity and dividing the companions, and it was mentioned before 'and fight them until there is no fitnah' [Al-Anfal: 39] that it is the local mixture that inclines. That is, they want for you that which befalls you, so it changes your state to that which harms you, and it pleases them. 'And among you' means while it is that he is among you 'are listeners to them', meaning in utmost acceptance of their words due to their weak knowledge and opinions. And perhaps their listening to them leads to their desired outcome. 'And Allah' means the One who informed you of this about their state, and He has knowledge of all things. 'Knowledgeable' of them, so trust in His news. Thus was the origin, and he only said: 'with the wrongdoers' as a reference to the description that necessitated for them misery by preventing them from the abode of goodness, and generalizing the ruling with knowledge of them and of whoever listened to them and of every wrongdoer. The result is that he compared their striving in them to corruption to one whose camel is placed in a land with visible, close, protruding objects. He is in utmost attention to know what is in it from the opening and contemplation of that, cautioning against being struck by something from those protruding objects, so he drinks the cup of death. Thus, they have no concern except for your corruption by not reaching anything of your desires.