Do you not fight? The hamzah has entered upon 'do not fight' to affirm the negation of fighting. Its meaning is: urging it in a manner of exaggeration. They broke their oaths which they swore in the treaty and they intended to expel the Messenger from Mecca when they consulted about him in Dar al-Nadwa, until Allah, glorified and exalted is He, permitted him to migrate. He left on his own while they were the first to initiate fighting. That is: they were the ones who began the fighting, for the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, came to them first with the illuminating book and challenged them with it. They refrained from opposition due to their inability to do so and turned to fighting. They are the initiators of fighting, and the initiator is more unjust. So what prevents you from fighting them in like manner, and from confronting them with evil as they confronted you? He reproached them for not fighting them and urged them to do so, then described them with what necessitates urging it. He affirms that whoever possesses such qualities as breaking the covenant, expelling the Messenger, and initiating fighting without justification, deserves not to be left unopposed, and that one who neglects it should be reproached. Do you fear them? This is an affirmation of fear of them and a reproach for it. But Allah is more deserving of your fear, so fight His enemies if you are believers. This means that the essence of true faith is that the believer should fear none but his Lord, and should not care about anyone else, as Allah, glorified and exalted is He, said: 'and they do not fear anyone except Allah.'