His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "As your Lord brought you out of your house with truth, and indeed a group of the believers were reluctant." "They argue with you about the truth after it had become clear, as if they were being driven to death while they were looking on." "And when Allah promised you one of the two groups that it would be yours, and you wished that the one without the thorns would be yours, and Allah intends to establish the truth by His words and to cut off the roots of the disbelievers."

People have differed regarding the matter to which the 'kaf' in His saying: "As" relates, according to what we will clarify from the statements that I will mention later, by the will of Allah. The meaning that aligns with it and improves the narration of the words has two sayings; I will begin with them:

Al-Farra' said: The interpretation is: "Proceed with your matter regarding the spoils and give to whom you wish, even if they dislike it, as your Lord brought you out." This is the text of his saying in "Hidayat al-Makki." The phrase in his saying: "Proceed with your matter and give to whom you wish" is not well-defined. The clarification of this meaning in my view is to say: This 'kaf' likens this story, which is his being brought out of his house, to the previous story, which is their questioning about the spoils. It is as if they asked about the spoils and quarreled, so Allah removed that from them, and therein was the choice. Their quarreling about the spoils is akin to their reluctance here to go out. And Allah's ruling regarding the spoils, that it is for Allah and His Messenger without them, is akin to His bringing out His Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, from his house. Then the choice was in both stories regarding what Allah decreed. Based on this interpretation, it can be that His saying: "They argue with you" is a statement that refers to the disbelievers, meaning: they argue with you about the Shari'ah of Islam after the truth had become clear in it, as if they were being driven to death in the call to faith.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And this which I mentioned that "they argue with you" refers to the disbelievers is explicit.

The second saying, as Mujahid, al-Kisai, and others said: The meaning in this verse is: As your Lord brought you out of your house against the reluctance of a group of them, likewise they argue with you about fighting the disbelievers of Makkah, and they wish for something without thorns after it had become clear to them that you only do what you have been commanded, not what they want.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: The interpretation - based on this explanation - is: They argue with you about the truth in a manner akin to their dislike of your Lord bringing you out from your house. Thus, the argument - based on this interpretation - is akin to reluctance, and likewise the analogy in meaning occurred. The one who says this statement claims that the arguers are the believers, while the one who says the first statement claims that the arguers are the polytheists. These are two opposing sayings that complete the meaning and improve the arrangement of the words.

Al-Akhfash said: The 'kaf' is an attribute for "truthfully" and the interpretation is: "They are the believers truthfully as your Lord brought you out."

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: And the meaning based on this interpretation, as you see, does not align.

And it was said: The 'kaf' is in the position of raising. The interpretation is: "As your Lord brought you out, so fear Allah," as if it is a beginning and a news.

The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This meaning was established by this interpreter and is not from the words of the verse in its beginning or end. Abu Ubaidah said: It is an oath, meaning: 'They have degrees and forgiveness and a generous provision, as He brought you out.' It is understood as: 'And He who brought you out,' so the 'kaf' is in the meaning of 'wa' and 'ma' means 'which.' Al-Zajjaj said: The 'kaf' is in the position of نصب, and the understanding is: 'The spoils are established for you as your Lord brought you out.' It is said: The 'kaf' is in the position of رفع. The understanding is: 'They have degrees with their Lord and forgiveness and a generous provision; this is a true promise as He brought you out.' It is said: The meaning is: 'And rectify the relations between you; that is better for you as He brought you out,' and the 'kaf' is an adjective for a missing subject. It is said the understanding is: 'Say: The spoils belong to Allah and the Messenger as He brought you out,' and this is similar to the first saying I mentioned. Ikrimah said: The understanding is: 'And obey Allah and His Messenger if you are believers, as your Lord brought you out,' meaning: obedience is better for you as your being brought out was good for you. His saying, the Exalted, 'from your house' means: from the city of Yathrib, this was said by the majority of the interpreters. Ibn Bakir said: The meaning is: as He brought you out from Mecca at the time of migration. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, read: 'In truth after it was made clear' with a dammah on the ba' without a ta. The pronoun in His saying: 'They argue with you' is said to refer to the believers, and it is said to refer to the polytheists. Whoever said: 'to the believers' made the truth the fighting of the polytheists of Quraysh, and whoever said: 'to the polytheists' made the truth the Shari'ah of Islam. His saying: 'to death' means: in their driving them as the arguing ones are the believers, and in their calling to the Shari'ah as they are the polytheists. His saying: 'and they look on' is a state that increases the fear of the driving and necessitates the severity of their condition.

And His saying, exalted is He: "And when Allah promises you one of the two groups, that it is for you". In this verse, there is a good story which I will summarize as it is contained in the book of the biography of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, by Ibn Hisham. The summary is that when it reached the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him - and it is said: it was revealed to him - that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb had come from Sham with the caravan that contained the trade of Quraysh and their wealth, he said to his companions: "Indeed, the caravan of Quraysh has come to you, so go out to it, perhaps Allah will grant you its spoils." He then sent out those who were light, while a group remained behind and disliked going out. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, hastened without turning back to those who found it difficult, nor waiting for those who were absent. He marched with three hundred and thirteen of his companions, among the Emigrants and the Helpers. The people thought altogether that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, would not encounter a war, so they did not prepare much. Meanwhile, Abu Sufyan was cautious and alert. When it reached him that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, had set out, he sent Dhamdham ibn Amr al-Ghifari to Makkah to call its people to arms. Dhamdham did so, and the people of Makkah went out with a thousand men or so. When the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, learned of their departure, Allah revealed to him a revelation that was not recited, promising him one of the two groups. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, informed his companions of that, and they were pleased and wished that the caravan would be theirs without fighting. When Abu Sufyan learned of the proximity of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, he took the coastal route and fled away. There remained only the encounter with the people of Makkah. Some of the disbelievers suggested to one another to depart, saying: "Our caravan has escaped, so let us depart." Abu Jahl incited and insisted until the matter of the battle was decided. Some of the believers said: "We did not come out for fighting and we did not prepare for it." The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, gathered his companions while he was in a valley called Dhafiran, and said: "Advise me, O people." Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, stood and spoke well and encouraged them to meet the enemy. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, repeated the consultation. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, stood up similarly. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, repeated the consultation again. Then Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi spoke, saying: "We do not say to you, O Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, go you and your Lord and fight, for we are sitting here. But we say: We are with you fighting. By Allah, if you intend to go to Al-Ghimad - (the judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It is the city of Abyssinia) - we would fight with you against it." The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was pleased with his words and prayed for him for good. Then he said: "Advise me, O people." Then Sa'd ibn Mu'adh spoke - and it is said: Sa'd ibn Ubada.

And it is possible that both of them spoke on that day. He said: O Messenger of Allah, as if you are referring to us, the group of the Ansar? The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: Yes. He said: We have believed in you and followed you, so proceed with the command of Allah. By Allah, if you were to plunge us into this sea, we would plunge with you. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said: "Proceed with the blessing of Allah, for I can see the places of the people’s deaths." Then they met, and it was the Battle of Badr. (p-141) And Muslimah ibn Muharib read: "And when He promises you" with the dal firmly pronounced. Abu al-Fath said: This is for the continuity of the movements. Ibn Muhaisin read: "And when Allah promises you one of the two groups" with the alif connected from "one" and the ha connected to the ha.

And "the thorn" refers to weapons and sharpness, and from it is the saying of the one-eyed: "Indeed, the 'Arfaj has been made clear." Abu Amr read - as reported by Abu Hatim - "the thorn will be" with the t merged into the t. The meaning of the verse is: And you desire the caravan and you refuse to fight the disbelievers.

And His saying: ﴿And Allah intends﴾ the verse means: And Allah intends to manifest Islam and elevate the call of the Shari'ah. Abu Ja'far, Shaiba, and Nafi' read - with a difference among them - (with His word) in the singular which is intended for the plural. The meaning in His saying: ﴿with His words﴾ is either that He intends: with His commands to the angels and the support for all that manifests Islam, or that He intends: with His words that preceded in eternity, and the meaning is close.

And the dabbir is the one who comes behind the people, meaning: he comes at their end. If he is cut off, he has come to their end on the condition that the destruction begins from their beginning, and it is a phrase for everyone upon whom destruction has come.