His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good admonition, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord knows best who has strayed from His way, and He knows best the rightly guided." "And if you punish [an enemy], let it be proportionate to that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient, it is better for those who are patient." "And be patient, and your patience is only through Allah. And do not grieve over them, and do not be in distress from what they conspire." "Indeed, Allah is with those who fear [Him] and those who are doers of good." These verses were revealed in Makkah at the time of the command to be lenient towards the polytheists. Allah, the Exalted, commanded him to call to Allah and His law with gentleness. This means that the one being called should hear His ruling, which is the correct and close words that resonate beautifully in the soul. And "good admonition" refers to fear, guidance, and gentleness towards a person, by honoring him, encouraging him, and making him like one who accepts virtues. This is the state of the one being called, and the state of the one who argues without hostility, so that he may prevail without fighting. The words indicate that your effort, concern, and toil do not suffice; for Allah has knowledge of who among them believes and is guided, and knowledge of who strays. The overall meaning is: follow this path and do not resort to hostility, for it is not effective, because Allah's knowledge has already determined who among them is guided and who is astray. A group said: This verse has been abrogated by the verse of fighting. Another group said: It is definitive. Al-Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It appears to me that the restriction to this state, and not exceeding with the disbelievers when hostility is needed, is abrogated without a doubt. As for the one with whom these conditions are possible among the disbelievers, and there is hope for his faith without fighting, it remains definitive until the Day of Resurrection. Also, it is definitive concerning the sinners. Thus, Muslims should be admonished until the Day of Resurrection. And His saying, exalted is He: "And if you punish [an enemy], let it be proportionate to that with which you were harmed," the scholars of tafsir unanimously agreed that this verse is Medinan, revealed concerning the mutilation of Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with him, on the day of Uhud. This is mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari and in the book of Sirah. Al-Nahhas held that it is Makkan. Al-Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The meaning is connected to what preceded it from the Makkan verses in a good connection, as it progresses from the one who is called and admonished, to the one who argues, to the one who is recompensed for his actions. However, what the majority narrated is established. Also, His saying, exalted is He: "And if you are patient," is related to the meaning of the verse according to what the group narrated: "When the disbelievers of Quraysh mutilated Hamzah, may Allah be pleased with him, this affected the soul of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and he said: 'If Allah grants me victory over them, I will certainly mutilate thirty of them' - and in the book of al-Nahhas and others: 'seventy of them.' The people said: If we prevail, we will certainly do it. Then this verse was revealed."

Then he determined for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, to be patient in the verse after it and named the punishments in this verse a punishment. The punishment, in truth, is the second one. He did this so that the two expressions would be equal and the wording of the saying would be consistent. This is in contrast to His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And they plotted, and Allah plotted" [Al-Imran: 54], and His saying: "Allah mocks them" [Al-Baqarah: 15]. For the second is the metaphorical, while the first is the literal. Ibn Sirin read: "And if you retaliate, then retaliate."

Al-Tabari reported from a group that they said: This verse was revealed concerning one who was wronged, that he should not take from his oppressors except the like of his oppression, without exceeding it to others. The scholars differed regarding a man who wronged him by taking his wealth, then the oppressor entrusted the oppressed with wealth. Is it permissible for him to betray him in the amount he wronged him? A group said: "He may do that," among them Ibn Sirin, Ibrahim Al-Nakha'i, Sufyan, and Mujahid, and they used this verse and its general wording as evidence. Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, and a group with him said: "It is not permissible for him to do that," and they argued with the saying of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him: "Return the trust to whom entrusted you, and do not betray the one who betrayed you." It was reported in the Musnad of Ibn Ishaq that this hadith was revealed concerning a man who committed adultery with another man's wife, then the other man was able to take the second's wife by leaving her with him and traveling. The man consulted the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, about the matter, and he said to him this:

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And the saying of Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, is strengthened in the matter of wealth; for betrayal is inherent in that, and it is a disgrace from which there is no escape. It is not appropriate for a person to emulate others in disgraceful acts, but rather he should avoid them for himself. As for the man who wrongs in wealth, then is able to take revenge without being entrusted, it seems that this is permissible for him, as he sees that Allah has ruled for him just as if he had the ruling from a judge.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "And be patient, and your patience is not but by Allah" is a determination for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, to be patient in retaliation for the treatment of the slain. Ibn Zayd said: This verse is abrogated by fighting, and the majority of people hold that it is definitive. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to his companions: "As for me, I will be patient as I have been commanded, so what will you do?" They said: We will be patient, O Messenger of Allah, as we have been encouraged." And His saying: "And your patience is not but by Allah" means: with the help of Allah and His support for you in that. The pronoun in His saying: "upon them" is said to return to the disbelievers, meaning: do not regret that they did not submit. A group said: Rather, it returns to the slain: Hamza and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, whom the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, grieved for. I support the first view; as the return of the pronouns is to a single direction.

And the majority read: "in a tightness" with a فتح (fatha) on the ضاد (dad), while Ibn Kathir read "in a narrowness" with a كسر (kasra) on it. It has been narrated from Nafi' and this is an error from whoever narrated it. Some linguists said: the كسر (kasra) and الفتح (fatha) on the ضاد (dad) are two dialects in the مصدر (source). Abu Ubaidah said: الضيق (the narrowness) is the مصدر (source), and الضَيْق (the tightness) is a softened form of ضَيِّقٍ (narrow), like مَيْتٍ (dead) and مَيِّتٍ (deceased), and هَيْنٍ (easy) and هَيِّنٍ (light). Abu Ali al-Farisi said: the correct view is that الضَيْق (the tightness) is a language in the مصدر (source); because if it were a softened form of ضَيِّقٍ (narrow), it would necessitate that the صفة (attribute) takes the place of the موصوف (described), and this is not the place for that.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The صفة (attribute) only takes the place of the موصوف (described) if the موصوف (described) is specified from the essence of the صفة (attribute), as you say: "I saw someone laughing," for it specifies the person. And if you said: "I saw someone cold," it would not be appropriate. Sibawayh, may Allah have mercy on him, exemplified with بَارِدٍ (cold), and "ضَيِّقٍ (narrow)" does not specify the موصوف (described). Ibn Abbas and Ibn Zayd said: What is in this verse regarding the command to be patient is abrogated.

And His saying: ﴿with those who are conscious of Allah﴾ means: with victory, assistance, and support. And "اتَّقَوْا (those who are conscious)" refers to: the sins. And "مُحْسِنُونَ (those who do good)" means: they increase in what they are encouraged to do of good deeds.

We conclude the تفسير (exegesis) of Surah An-Nahl, and all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions.