His saying, exalted is He: "And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, then those are with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor, from the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions." "That is the favor from Allah, and sufficient is Allah as Knowing."

When Allah mentioned the command that if they were to act upon it, He would bestow favor upon them, He then mentioned the reward for whoever does it. This verse explains His saying, exalted is He: "Guide us to the straight path" [Al-Fatiha: 6] "the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor" [Al-Fatiha: 7]. And a group said: This verse was revealed when Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Abdul Rabbih Al-Ansari, who was shown the call to prayer, said: "O Messenger of Allah, if you die and we die, you will be in the highest places and we will not see you nor gather with you," and he mentioned his sadness over that. So this verse was revealed. And Makki narrated from this Abdullah that when the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, died, he said: "O Allah, make me blind so that I do not see anything after him," and he became blind. And it was mentioned that a group from the Ansar said that or something similar, as narrated by Al-Tabari from Ibn Jubair, Qatadah, and Al-Suddi.

The meaning of "that they are with them" is that they are in one abode, and enjoying one blessing, and everyone in it has been granted contentment with their state. It has been removed from them to believe that they are lesser, even though we have known from the Shari'ah that the people of Paradise have differing ranks according to the extent of their deeds and the extent of Allah's favor upon whom He wills.

And the truthful (Al-Siddiq) is one who is characterized by truthfulness, and it is said that it is from charity (Sadaqah). It has been narrated from the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him: "The truthful ones are those who affirm the truth."

And the martyrs (Al-Shuhada) are those killed in the way of Allah. They are specifically honored by the virtue of their death, and the Shari'ah has differentiated their ruling regarding the absence of washing and prayer, because they are too noble to be interceded for. They are called that because Allah has testified for them with Paradise, and it is said that they witnessed for Allah with the truth in their death seeking His pleasure. However, the term martyrs in this verse encompasses all types of martyrs.

And "as companions" is singular in meaning of the plural, as He said: "Then He brings you out as a child" [Ghafir: 67]. Its case is for distinction, and it is said: for description, but the first is more accurate. Abu Al-Sammal read: "and excellent" with the 's' in the middle being silent, and that is similar to: "a tree among them."

And His saying, exalted is He: "That is the favor from Allah" is a response to an objection that says: What necessitates the equality of the people of obedience and the Prophets in the Hereafter while the difference between them in this world is clear? So Allah mentioned that this is by His favor, not by obligation upon Him. The reference with "that" is to the fact that the obedient are with those upon whom favor has been bestowed, and also we do not affirm equality, rather they are with them in one abode while their ranks are distinct.

Then He said: "And sufficient is Allah as Knowing" and in it is the meaning that He says: So accept the actions of Allah and His favor without objection to Him, and suffice with His knowledge in that and other matters. And for this reason, the preposition 'bi' was introduced before the name of Allah, to indicate the matter that is in His saying: "And sufficient."