His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Indeed, Allah defends those who believe. Indeed, Allah does not love every treacherous disbeliever." "Permission has been granted to those who are fought against because they have been wronged. And indeed, Allah is capable of granting them victory." "Those who have been expelled from their homes without right, except that they say, 'Our Lord is Allah.' And if it were not for the repelling of Allah people by means of one another, surely monasteries, churches, and places of worship would have been demolished in which the name of Allah is mentioned much. And certainly, Allah will support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Strong and Exalted." It has been narrated that this verse was revealed because of the believers when they increased in Mecca and were harmed by the disbelievers. Those who migrated to the land of Abyssinia, some of the believers of Mecca wanted to kill those of the disbelievers whom they could reach, and to assassinate and betray them. So this verse was revealed up to His saying, "disbeliever," and He promised therein to defend and prohibited in the clearest prohibition against treachery and betrayal. Nafi', Al-Husn, and Abu Ja'far read: "defends" and "were it not for defense." Abu Amr and Ibn Kathir read: "repels" and "were it not for repelling." As for Asim, Ibn Amer, Hamzah, and Al-Kisai, they read: "defends" and "were it not for defense." Abu Ali said: The word "defends" in this reading is treated like "repels," as in "I punished the thief" and "I chased the sandal," so the source comes as "repelling." Abu Al-Hasan and Al-Akhfash said: Most of the speech indicates that Allah repels, and they say: "Allah defended you" except that "repelling" is more common. Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It is appropriate in the verse "defends" because it has been indicated for the believers who are defended and harmed by them, so His opposition and defense come as a defense for them. Al-Zahrawi reported that "defense" is the source of "repel," as in "I calculated a calculation." Then Allah, exalted and majestic is He, granted permission for the fighting of the believers against those who fought them from the disbelievers by His saying: "Permission has been granted." The form of permission differs according to the readings, some of which are stronger than others. Nafi' and Hafs from Asim read: "Permission has been granted" with the alif pronounced in "they fight" with the tā' opened, meaning: in that they fight them. In this reading, the permission appears to be in response. Abu Amr, Abu Bakr from Asim, Al-Hasan, and Al-Zuhri read: "Permission has been granted" with the alif pronounced in "they fight" with the tā' broken, so the permission in this reading is at the beginning of the fighting. Ibn Kathir, Hamzah, and Al-Kisai read: "Permission has been granted" with the alif opened in "they fight" with the tā' broken. Ibn Amer read with both the alif and the tā' opened together, and it is in the Mushaf of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him: "Permission has been granted to those who fight in the cause of Allah" with the tā' broken, and in the Mushaf of Ubayy: "Permission has been granted" with the alif pronounced in "those who fought," and that was read by Talhah and Al-Amash except that they opened the alif of "Permission has been granted."

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿Because they were wronged﴾ means: the permission was due to the fact that they were wronged. Ibn Jurayj said: This verse was the first to abrogate the treaty. Ibn Abbas and Ibn Jubair said: It was revealed at the time of the migration of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, to Medina. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, said: When I heard it, I knew that there would be fighting. Mujahid said: The verse is about believers in Mecca who wanted to migrate to Medina but were prevented.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: What follows in the verse refutes this saying; because these were prevented from leaving, not that they were expelled. Then Allah, exalted is He, promised victory in His saying: ﴿And indeed, Allah is capable of granting them victory﴾.

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿Those who were expelled from their homes without right﴾ refers to everyone who was harmed by the people of Mecca until they expelled him due to their harm. Some went to Abyssinia and some to Medina. He attributed the expulsion to the disbelievers because the speech is in the context of confirming the sin and holding them accountable. And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿Except that they say, Our Lord is Allah﴾ is an exception that is disconnected from the first. This is the saying of Sibawayh, and it is not permissible for him to have a substitute in it. Abu Ishaq permitted it, but the first is more correct.

And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿And if it had not been for the defense of Allah against the people﴾, the verse strengthens the command to fight, and mentions the evidence of the benefit in it. It mentions that it has been established in the nations, and through it the laws were rectified and the acts of worship were gathered. It is as if He said: Permission has been granted for fighting, so let the believers fight. And if it were not for fighting and jihad, the truth would have been overwhelmed in every nation. This is the most correct interpretation of the verse. Then what was said afterwards about defense follows from jihad. Mujahid said: And if it were not for Allah's defense against the oppression of a people for the testimony of the just and similar to this. And a group said: And if it were not for Allah's defense against the oppression of the oppressors by the justice of the rulers. And Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: And if it were not for Allah's defense through the companions of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, against the disbelievers for the followers after them.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: All of this is about the defense of one people against another, except that the meaning of fighting is more appropriate to what has preceded from the verse. A group said: And if it were not for Allah's defense against punishment by the supplication of the virtuous and the righteous and similar to this.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And this and what is similar to it corrupts the meaning of the verse, because the verse necessarily implies a defense from people and a defense against them, so contemplate it.

Nafi and Ibn Kathir read: "It would have been demolished" with a light د, and the others read: "It would have been demolished" with a heavy د.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is good in that it is many monasteries, so in their demolition there is repetition and abundance, as He, exalted is He, said: ﴿In lofty towers﴾ [An-Nisa: 78]. So he made the ي heavy, and said: "A lofty palace" so he made it light because it is singular. And from it is ﴿And the doors were closed﴾ [Yusuf: 23], and ﴿The doors were opened for them﴾ [Sad: 50].

(p-255) And 'the صَوْمَعَةُ': is the place of worship. Its weight is فَوْعَلَةٌ, and it is a high, isolated building with a metal top. The صَوْمَعُ among men is the heart of iron. It was, before Islam, specifically for the Christian monks and the worshippers of the Sabians - as said by Qatadah - then it was used in the minaret of the Muslims.

And 'the بِيَعُ': are the churches of the Christians, and its singular is بَيْعَةٌ. Al-Tabari said: It is said to be the churches of the Jews.

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

Then he brought from Mujahid what does not necessitate that.

And 'the صَلَواتُ' are common to every community. The term 'destruction' was borrowed for the prayers in the sense of being neglected, or he meant: the place of prayers. A group went to say that 'the صَلَواتَ' is the name for the churches of the Jews, and that the term is Hebrew that was Arabized, and it is not the plural of prayer. Abu Al-Aliya said: the صَلَواتُ are the mosques of the Sabians. There was a difference in the reading of it. The majority of the people read: 'صَلَواتٌ' with the صاد and لام opened and with the ت having two dots, and that is either by estimating: the places of prayers, or on the basis that the neglect of prayer is its destruction. Ja'far ibn Muhammad read: 'صَلْواتٌ' with the صاد opened and the لام silent. A group read: 'صِلْواتٌ' with the صاد broken and the لام silent, as narrated by Ibn Jinni. Al-Jahdari read - in what was narrated from him -: 'وَصُلَواتٌ' with two dots above and with the صاد and لام pronounced, on the pattern of فُعُولِ. He said: and they are the mosques of the Christians. Al-Jahdari and Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf read: 'وَصُلُوبٌ' with the صاد and لام pronounced and with ب, on the basis that it is the plural of صليب. Al-Dahhak and Al-Kalbi read: 'وَصُلُوثٌ' with the صاد and لام pronounced and with the ت having three dots. They said: and they are the mosques of the Jews. A group read: 'صَلْوَتٌ' with the صاد opened and the لام silent. A group read: 'وَصُلَواتٌ' with the صاد and لام pronounced, as narrated by Ibn Jinni. A group read: 'صُلُوَتَيِ' with the صاد and لام pronounced and the ألف shortened after the ت. Ibn Jinni narrated that outside the gate of Al-Mawsil are houses in which the Christians are buried, which are called: صَلَواتٌ. Ikrimah and Mujahid read: 'صِلْوِتَيْ' with the صاد broken and the لام silent and the و broken and the ألف shortened after the ت.

(p-256) Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And Khasif went to say that these names aim to categorize the places of worship of the nations. The صوامع are for the monks.

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

And it is said: the بِيَعُ are for the Christians, the صَلَواتُ for the Jews, and the mosques for the Muslims.

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

And it is more apparent that it is intended by them to emphasize the mention of the places of worship. These names are shared among the nations in their meanings except for بَيْعَةَ, for it is specific to the Christians in the custom of the Arabic language. The meanings of these names are in the nations that have a scripture from ancient times, and the Magians and the people of polytheism are not mentioned because they do not have what must be protected, and there is no mention of Allah, the Exalted, except among the people of the laws.

And His saying, glorified and exalted is He: "In it, the name of Allah is mentioned frequently." The pronoun refers to all that has preceded. Then Allah, blessed and exalted is He, promised with His victory and the victory of His religion and His law. In that, there is encouragement for fighting and striving in it. Then the verse encompasses all who are truly supported until the Day of Resurrection.