His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Those to whom the people said, 'Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.' But it increased them in faith, and they said, 'Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs.'" "So they returned with a favor from Allah and a bounty; no evil touched them, and they followed the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the Possessor of great bounty."

"Those" is a description of the doers of good mentioned. This saying is what the delegation from 'Abd al-Qays said to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and his companions when Abu Sufyan imposed that upon them. I have mentioned it before. The first people are the delegation of 'Abd al-Qays, and the second people are the army of Quraysh.

And His saying, exalted is He: "But it increased them in faith," means: in steadfastness and readiness. The increase in faith here refers to actions.

The scholars have used the expression that faith increases and decreases. The belief in this is that the essence of faith, which is the affirmation of something, is a singular meaning that does not admit increase if it is attained, nor does any part of it remain if it is lost. Therefore, it remains only that the increase and decrease are in its related matters, not in its essence. Some scholars have gone to say that it is said: it increases and decreases in terms of the increase of the good deeds that stem from it and their decrease. Especially since many scholars attribute the name of faith to acts of obedience.

And a group has said that the increase in faith is only by the revelation of the obligations and the knowledge of them during the time of the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and in the knowledge of them after the ignorance of past times. This is merely an increase of faith upon faith. Thus, the saying that faith increases and decreases is a metaphorical statement, and the decrease in it cannot be conceived in this regard. Rather, it can only be conceived in relation to one who has knowledge.

And a group of scholars has said that the increase and decrease of faith is through the evidence. The evidence increases for one, and it is said in that: it is an increase in faith. This is similar to saying that clothing is an increase for a person. Abu al-Ma'ali in "Al-Irshad" has said that the increase and decrease of faith is due to the stability of the belief and its constant fluctuation. He said: and this is because faith is a transient state that does not remain for two times. It is continuous for the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and for the righteous, while it is not continuous for the sinful and heedless. It accompanies them at times and departs from them at times during periods of neglect. The latter is more in faith, and this is the increase and decrease.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: There is consideration in this saying.

And His saying, exalted is He: "But it increased them in faith" cannot be conceived to be from the aspect of evidence. It can be conceived in the other three aspects mentioned in the verse. It has been narrated that when the delegation from 'Abd al-Qays informed the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, about what Abu Sufyan had imposed upon them, and that he was coming to them with the people to eradicate them, and this was also informed by a Bedouin, this troubled the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to them: "Say: Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs." So they said it, and their resolve continued in patience. Allah repelled all evil from them and cast terror into the hearts of the disbelievers, and they passed.

'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' And His saying, exalted is He: ﴿So they returned with a bounty from Allah and a favor﴾ means safety and appearing in following the enemy and protecting the territory, and with a favor in the reward they obtained, and the pride they were adorned with. The rest of the verse is clear; its parallels have already passed. This is the interpretation of the majority regarding this verse, and that it pertains to the Battle of Uhud in the expedition to Hamra al-Asad. A Mujahid, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This verse, from His saying: ﴿Those to whom the people said﴾ to His saying: