The 'lam' in: (Laman) is for beginning, as in His saying: (Indeed, Allah is certainly Forgiving). And in (Layaubattina) is the response to an omitted oath, its estimation being: And indeed among you is one who swears by Allah that he will delay. The oath and its response are a connection to 'man', and the pronoun referring back to it is what is implied in: (Layaubattina). The address is to the army of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and those who delay among them are the hypocrites, as they were fighting alongside him out of hypocrisy. The meaning of (Layaubattina) is that they will slacken and refrain from jihad, and 'bat'a' means: to delay, like 'a'tama' means: to become dark. If he delays, and it is read (Layaubattina) with lightening, it is said: He delayed on so-and-so and he delayed on me, and 'bat'u' is similar to 'thaqal'. It is said: What delayed you, and it is transitive with 'bi', and it may be derived from 'bat'u', similar to 'thaqal' from 'thaqala', meaning he will delay others and will cause them to refrain from fighting. This was the habit of the hypocrite Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who discouraged people on the day of Uhud. If a calamity befalls you, from killing or defeat, the meaning of the calamity is killing and defeat. And in this reading, there is a strange nuance, which is the return to the wording after returning to its meaning, and it is strange that some denied its existence in the Noble Book because of what follows from generality after clarification, which is contrary to the law of eloquence, as returning to its wording does not clarify its meaning, but rather takes it to an ambiguous general meaning. Thus, its occurrence after clarification is difficult. Some affirmed it and counted two places, and this verse in this reading is the third, and a clear explanation will come, if Allah wills. A favor from Allah, from victory or spoils, they will certainly say. And Al-Hasan read (Layaqulunna) with a raised 'lam', returning the pronoun to the meaning of 'man' because His saying (Laman Layaubattina) is in the meaning of the group. And His saying: (As if there had never been between you and him affection) is an interruption between the action which is (Layaqulunna) and its object which is: 'Oh, I wish I were'. The meaning is as if no affection had preceded with him among you, because the hypocrites used to show affection to the believers and befriend them outwardly, while they secretly wished them harm. It appears that this is mockery, as they were the most hostile enemy to the believers and the most envious of them. So how can they be described with affection except in a mocking manner regarding their condition? And it is read: 'fa afouz' with a raised form, as an addition to 'I was with them' to include the universe with them, and 'fawz' is the meaning of wishing, so they both would be wishing together. It is also possible that it is the news of a deleted subject, meaning: 'So I win at that time.'