'What' in His saying, 'So if We take you away' is like the 'lam' of swearing: when it enters, it brings with it the confirming 'noon'. The meaning is: if We take you before We support you against them and heal the hearts of the believers from them, then We are certainly avenging against them with the severest vengeance in the Hereafter. As His saying, 'Or We take you away, then to Us they will return.' And if We intend to fulfill in your lifetime what We promised them of the punishment descending upon them, which is the Day of Badr, they are under Our dominion and power; they will not escape Us. He described them as having strong determination in disbelief and misguidance, then followed it with a severe warning of the punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And it was read: 'We will show you' with a light 'noon'. And it was read: 'by the One who has revealed to you', attributing it to the doer, which is Allah, the Exalted. The meaning is: whether We hasten for you victory and triumph or delay it until the Day of Judgment. So hold firmly to what We have revealed to you and act upon it, for it is the straight path from which none deviates except the wretchedly misguided. And increase every day in steadfastness in defending the religion of Allah, and let not your annoyance with their affairs lead you to any softness or leniency in your matter. But be like the steadfast one who is not motivated by the hastening of victory nor discouraged by its delay.