His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "So remember Me, I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and do not deny Me." "O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient." "And do not say of those who are killed in the cause of Allah, 'They are dead.' Rather, they are alive, but you perceive [it] not." "And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient." \

And His saying, exalted is He: "And do not say of those who are killed in the way of Allah..." The reason for this is that people said regarding those who were killed at Badr and Uhud: So-and-so has died, and so-and-so has died. Allah disliked that the status of the martyrs be reduced to the status of others. Thus, this verse was revealed. Also, the believers found it difficult to part from their brothers and relatives, so this verse was revealed to console them. It elevates the status of the martyrs and informs about the reality of their condition. They have become envied, not saddened for them. This is clarified by the hadith of Umm Haritha in the journey.

The difference between the martyr and others is indeed the provision. This is because Allah, exalted is He, has favored them with the permanence of their state which was in this world, so He provided for them. It has been narrated from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, regarding this: "The souls of the martyrs are in green birds that hang from the fruits of Paradise." It has also been narrated that they are in lanterns of gold. This is widely accepted, and there is no doubt that these are states for groups or for all at different times. The majority of scholars hold that they are in Paradise. This is supported by the saying of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, to Umm Haritha: "He is in the highest Paradise." Mujahid said: They are outside of Paradise, and they hang from its trees.

And "the dead" is raised by implying the beginning, and the estimation is: They are dead. It is not permissible to apply the saying to it, as there is no correspondence between it and it, just as it is correct in your saying: I said a statement and an argument.

And His saying, exalted is He: "But you do not perceive..." means before We make you perceive.

And His saying, exalted is He: "And We will surely test you..." The exalted commanded to seek assistance through patience and prayer and informed that He is with the patient. Then the verse necessitated after it from the virtue of the martyrs what strengthens patience upon them and alleviates the calamity. Then it came after that from these matters which can only be received through patience, things that inform that this world is a place of trials and tribulations. Thus, do not deny the separation from brothers and relatives. Then He promised the patient a reward.

And 'Ata and the majority said that the address in this verse is to the Ummah of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him. It was said: The address is to Quraysh, and that was resolved with them. Thus, it is a verse for the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The first is more apparent.

"And We will surely test you with something..." Its meaning is: We will surely test you. The waw was moved for the meeting of the two silent letters. It was said: The verb is constructed, and it is with the heavy noon in the position of fifteen.

And "fear" means from the enemies in wars, and "hunger" means drought and famine. As for the need for food, its name is al-gharth, and indeed the moderns have used hunger broadly in this context. And the decrease of wealth is due to calamities and disasters. And "the souls" refers to death and killing. And "the fruits" refers to afflictions and the removal of blessings.

So the intended meaning is: with something from this, and something from that. Thus, it suffices with the first for brevity, and for that reason, it was unified. And Al-Dahhak read "with things" in the plural, and the meaning is close, some of it to some.

Some of the scholars said: What is meant in this verse is the burden of jihad and its costs. The fear of the enemy, and hunger due to it and the travels to it, and the loss of wealth due to expenditures in it, and the souls due to killing, and the fruits due to the enemy's seizing them, or due to neglecting them because of jihad.

Then, Allah, glorified and exalted is He, described the patient ones whom He gave glad tidings to by His saying: "Those who, when a disaster strikes them..." The verse made these words a refuge for those afflicted by calamities, and a protection for those being tested, due to the blessed meanings it encompasses: the oneness of Allah, the acknowledgment of His servitude, and the resurrection from the graves.

Said Ibn Jubair: No prophet was given these words before our prophet. If Jacob had known them, he would not have said: O my sorrow for Joseph. It has been narrated that "the lamp of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, went out one night, and he said: 'Indeed, we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we will return.'" It was asked: Is it a calamity, O Messenger of Allah? He said: "Yes. Everything that harms the believer is a calamity."

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "Upon them are blessings from their Lord and mercy..." Yes, from Allah upon the patient ones who are returning. And the blessings of Allah upon His servant are His pardon, His mercy, His blessings, and His honoring him in this world and the Hereafter. He repeated mercy when the wording differed for emphasis, and it is one of the greatest parts of the prayer from Him, glorified and exalted is He.

And He testified for them with guidance. Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, when he recited this verse, said: What an excellent pair, and what an excellent addition. He meant by the two pairs: prayer and mercy, and by the addition: guidance.