His saying, exalted and majestic is He:

﴿And they rejoice in what has come to them of grace from Allah and in the favor of Allah, and that Allah does not waste the reward of the believers﴾ [Aali 'Imran: 170]

﴿Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after the wound had struck them. For those among them who did good and feared Allah is a great reward﴾.

"They rejoice" means: they are pleased and happy. The form 'استفعل' in this context does not mean seeking good news, but rather it means: Allah has sufficed, and the marhūq and 'afar have been obtained. Qatadah, al-Rabi', Ibn Jurayj, and others have stated that this rejoicing is because they say: Our brothers whom we left behind in this world are fighting in the way of Allah with their Prophet, and they will be martyred, and they will attain the same honor that we are in. They rejoice for them in that, as they will have no fear upon them nor will they grieve. A group of scholars - and al-Zajjaj and Ibn Furak referred to this - indicated that the reference in His saying: ﴿those who did not catch up with them﴾ [Aali 'Imran: 170] is to all the believers, meaning: they did not catch up with them in the virtue of martyrdom. However, the martyrs, when they witnessed the reward of Allah, certainty fell upon them that the religion of Islam is the truth for which Allah rewards. They are happy for themselves with what Allah has granted them of His grace, and they rejoice for the believers that they will have no fear upon them nor will they grieve. And "that" is an object for the sake of it, the estimation is: that there is no fear, and it may be in the position of a genitive instead of a substitution.

Then He confirmed their rejoicing by saying: "They rejoice in grace". Then He clarified by saying: "and in favor". Thus, their entering Paradise is a favor from Him, not by the work of anyone. As for the grace in Paradise and the ranks, it has been informed that it is according to the deeds.

Al-Kisai and a group of scholars read: "And indeed Allah" with a kasra on the alif of "that". The remaining seven and the majority of scholars read: "And that Allah" with a fathah on the alif. So, whoever read with the fathah, that is included in what they rejoice in, the meaning is: in grace and in that Allah. And whoever read with the kasra, it is an independent news. Abdullah read: "And favor, and Allah does not waste".

And His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Those who responded" may imply that "those" is a description of the believers according to the reading of those who broke the alif of "that". The more apparent meaning is that "those" is a subject and its predicate is in His saying: "for those who did good"... the verse. This sentence is the news of the initial subject.

And those who respond to Allah and the Messenger are those who went out with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, to Hamra al-Asad in pursuit of Quraysh and to show support for them. This was because on the day of Sunday, which was the second day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, called out to the people to follow the polytheists, and he said: "Let none go out with us except those who witnessed us yesterday." The people had severe wounds and great injuries, but they gathered themselves and two hundred men from the believers rose with him until they reached Hamra al-Asad, which is eight miles from the city. He stayed there for three days, and the story of Ma'bad ibn Abu Ma'bad, which we mentioned, occurred, and Quraysh passed by, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, returned to the city. Then Allah, glorified and exalted is He, revealed this verse regarding those responders and praised them for their patience.

It has been narrated that two brothers went out with the people, both of whom had severe injuries, and one of them had weakened. His brother would carry him for a distance and then walk for a distance himself. Jabir ibn Abdullah desired to go out with the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and he was granted permission. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, informed them that a great reward had been attained for them by this action, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "Indeed, it is a raid."