Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:94
O you who have believed, when you go forth [to fight] in the cause of Allah, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you [a greeting of] peace "You are not a believer," aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allah are many acquisitions. You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allah conferred His favor upon you, so investigate. Indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا وَلا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فَعِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌ كَذَلِكَ كُنْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا (94)
(O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly, and do not say to whoever offers you peace/submission: "You are not a believer," out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life, for with Allah is abundant booty. Thus were you before, but Allah bestowed His favor upon you, so ascertain clearly. Truly, Allah is ever Aware of what you do. (94))
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted means by His statement "O you who believe": O you who have held Allah to be true and have held His Messenger to be true in that which he brought to them from their Lord. "When you go forth on the path of Allah" – He says: when you set out on an expedition, for Allah, in the armed struggle (jihād) against your enemies. "Then ascertain clearly" – He says: then proceed with caution in killing anyone whose affair is unclear to you, such that you know neither the reality of his Islam nor of his disbelief, and do not be hasty so that you kill someone whose situation is obscure to you, and do not proceed to kill anyone whomsoever, except the killing of him whom you know with certainty to be at war with you, with Allah, and with His Messenger. "And do not say to whoever offers you peace/submission (al-salām/al-salam)" – He says: and do not say to whoever surrenders to you and does not fight you, while making known to you that he belongs to your community of faith and your call: "You are not a believer," so that you kill him out of desire for "the perishable goods of the worldly life" – He says: out of seeking the enjoyments of the worldly life. For "with Allah is abundant booty," from His provision and the abundance of His favors; and that is better for you if you obey Allah in that which He has commanded you and forbidden you, so that He may thereby reward you for your obedience to Him. So seek that from Him. "Thus were you before" – He says: just as this man who offered you submission and to whom you said "You are not a believer" and whom you killed, so were you yourselves before, that is to say: before Allah made His religion mighty through its adherents and helpers, while you concealed your faith, just as this man whom you killed and whose property you took concealed his faith from his people, so as not to show it to them, out of fear for himself before them. It has also been said that the meaning of His statement "Thus were you before" is: you were disbelievers like them. "But Allah bestowed His favor upon you" – He says: Allah granted you the favor by making His religion mighty with its helpers and the multitude of its adherents. It has also been said: Allah favored you with repentance over your killing of this man whom you killed and whose property you took, after he had offered you submission. "So ascertain clearly" – He says: so do not be hasty in killing the one you wished to kill among those whose Islam is unclear to you; for perhaps Allah has favored him with Islam in the same way as He has favored you, and guided him to that to which He has guided you of faith. "Truly, Allah is ever Aware of what you do" – He says: truly, Allah is, with regard to your killing of whom you kill, and your refraining from whom you are restrained from killing among the enemies of Allah and your enemies, and all the rest of your affairs and the affairs of others, "Aware" (khabīr), that is to say: possessor of knowledge and cognizant thereof, preserving it for you and for them, until all of you are requited for it on the Day of Resurrection according to their requital: the doer of good for his good-doing, and the doer of evil for his evil-doing.
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And it has been mentioned that this verse was revealed concerning a slain man who was killed by a raiding party (sariyya) of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after he had said "I am a Muslim" – or after he had given the testimony of truth – or after he had greeted them – on account of some booty he had with him, or something else of his property, and they took it from him.
Mention of the narration and the reports about that:
10211 – Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Nāfiʿ, on the authority of Ibn ʿUmar, who said: The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent Muḥallim ibn Jaththāma out on a mission. They met ʿĀmir ibn al-Aḍbaṭ, who greeted them with the greeting of Islam. Between them was a grudge from the time of pre-Islamic ignorance (jāhiliyya). Muḥallim shot him with an arrow and killed him. The report reached the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and ʿUyayna and al-Aqraʿ spoke about it. Al-Aqraʿ said: "O Messenger of Allah, set a precedent today and change it tomorrow!" And ʿUyayna said: "No, by Allah, not until his women taste the loss of a loved one as my women have tasted." Then Muḥallim came in two cloaks and sat before the Messenger of Allah so that he would ask forgiveness for him. But the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him: "May Allah not forgive you!" Then he rose, catching his tears with his two cloaks. And not a seventh (day) passed over him before he died. They buried him, but the earth cast him out. So they came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and mentioned that to him. He said: "Truly, the earth accepts one who is worse than your companion! But Allah, Mighty and Exalted, wished to admonish you." Thereupon they cast him between two mountain slopes and threw stones upon him. And there was revealed: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly," the verse.
10212 – Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qusayṭ, on the authority of Abū al-Qaʿqāʿ ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Ḥadrad al-Aslamī, on the authority of his father ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Ḥadrad, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent us to Iḍam. I set out with a group of Muslims, among them Abū Qatāda al-Ḥārith ibn Ribʿī and Muḥallim ibn Jaththāma ibn Qays al-Laythī. We set out until, when we were in the valley of Iḍam, there passed by us ʿĀmir ibn al-Aḍbaṭ al-Ashjaʿī on a young camel of his, with a small amount of belongings with him and a milk-skin. When he passed by us, he greeted us with the greeting of Islam, and we held back from him. But Muḥallim ibn Jaththāma al-Laythī attacked him on account of something that existed between him and him, and killed him, and took his camel and his belongings. When we came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and informed him of the report, the Qurʾān was revealed concerning us: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly, and do not say to whoever offers you peace/submission: 'You are not a believer'," the verse.
10213 – Hārūn ibn Idrīs al-Aṣamm related to me, saying: al-Muḥāribī ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq, on the authority of Yazīd ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Qusayṭ, on the authority of Ibn Abī Ḥadrad al-Aslamī, on the authority of his father, in a similar manner.
10214 – Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn ʿUyayna related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: Some people of the Muslims overtook a man who was with a small flock of sheep of his. He said: "Peace be upon you!" But they killed him and took that small flock, and then this verse was revealed: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer,' out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life" – that small flock.
10215 – al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Ibn ʿUyayna informed us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, in a similar manner.
10216 – Saʿīd ibn al-Rabīʿ related to me, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The Muslims overtook a man – and he mentioned the like of it.
10217 – Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥīm ibn Sulaymān related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: A man of the Banū Sulaym passed by a group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was with sheep of his, and he greeted them. They said: "He has greeted you only to seek protection with you!" Then they went upon him, killed him, and took his sheep, and brought them to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Thereupon Allah, Mighty and Exalted, revealed: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly," to the end of the verse.
10218 – Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: ʿUbayd Allāh related to us, on the authority of Isrāʾīl, on the authority of Simāk, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the like of it.
10219 – Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: my father related to me, saying: my uncle related to me, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: The man used to profess Islam and believe in Allah and the Messenger, while he resided among his people. Then when the raiding party of Muḥammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came, he would inform his tribe – that is, his people – about it, and they would flee, while the man remained and did not fear the believers because he adhered to their faith, until he met them and offered them the greeting. Then the believers would say: "You are not a believer," while he had offered the greeting, and they would kill him. Then Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly," up to "out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life," that is to say: you kill him with the intention that his property which you found with him be made lawful to you – and that is the perishable goods of the worldly life. For with Me is abundant booty; so seek from the favor of Allah. And it concerned a man whose name was "Mirdās." His people departed in flight from cavalry that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had sent out, under the command of a man of the Banū Layth, whose name was "Qulayb," but he did not depart with them. And when Mirdās met them and greeted them, they killed him. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded that his family receive the blood-money (diya), and returned his property to them, and forbade the believers the like of that.
10220 – Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly," the verse. He said: And this story is about Mirdās, a man of Ghaṭafān. It has been mentioned to us that the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent out an army under the command of Ghālib al-Laythī to the people of Fadak, and among them were people of Ghaṭafān, and Mirdās was one of them. His companions fled, but Mirdās said: "I am a believer, and I will not follow you." Then the cavalry came upon him in the early morning, and when they met him, Mirdās greeted them. But the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, shot him and killed him, and took the belongings he had with him. Thereupon Allah, Mighty and Exalted, revealed concerning his affair: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer'," because the greeting of the Muslims is the salām, by which they recognize one another and with which they greet one another.
10221 – Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly, and do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer,' out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life, for with Allah is abundant booty; thus were you before, but Allah bestowed His favor upon you, so ascertain clearly." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sent out a raiding party under the command of Usāma ibn Zayd to the Banū Ḍamra. They met a man of theirs called Mirdās ibn Nahīk, who had with him a small flock of sheep of his and a red camel. When he saw them, he withdrew to a mountain cave, and Usāma pursued him. When Mirdās reached the cave, he placed his sheep in it, and then came to them and said: "Peace be upon you. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah." But Usāma attacked him and killed him, on account of his camel and his small flock. And the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to, when he sent out Usāma, wish that good be said of him, and he would ask his companions about him. When they returned, he did not ask them about him. Then the people began to tell the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said: "O Messenger of Allah, if only you had seen Usāma! A man met him and the man said: 'There is no god but Allah, Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah,' but he attacked him and killed him!" – while he was turning away from them. But when they pressed him, he raised his head toward Usāma and said: "What is it with you and 'there is no god but Allah'?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah, he said it only as protection, he sought protection by it!" Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him: "Did you then split open his heart and look into it?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah, his heart is only a piece of his body!" Thereupon Allah, Mighty and Exalted, revealed the report of this, and informed him that he had killed him only on account of his camel and his sheep; that is when He says: "out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life." And when he reached: "but Allah bestowed His favor upon you," He says: Allah accepted your repentance. Then Usāma swore that after this man he would never fight any man who would say: "There is no god but Allah" – and what he had experienced from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in this matter.
10222 – al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer'," he said: It has reached me that a man of the Muslims made a raid upon a man of the polytheists (mushrikīn) and attacked him. The polytheist said to him: "I am a Muslim, I bear witness that there is no god but Allah," but the Muslim killed him after he had said this. That reached the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said to the one who had killed him: "Did you kill him while he had said 'there is no god but Allah'?" He said, while excusing himself: "O Prophet of Allah, he said it only as protection, and it was not so!" Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Did you then split open his heart?" Then the killer of the man died and was buried, but the earth cast him out. That was mentioned to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he commanded them to bury him; then the earth cast him out, until this was done with him three times. Then the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: "Truly, the earth refuses to accept him, so cast him into one of the caves." Maʿmar said: And some of them said: Truly, the earth accepts one who is worse than him, but Allah has made him a lesson for you.
10223 – Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq: that a group of Muslims met a man of the polytheists who was with a small flock of sheep of his. He said: "Peace be upon you, I am a believer." But they supposed that by it he was seeking protection, and they killed him and took his small flock. He said: Then Allah, Mighty and Exalted, revealed: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer,' out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life" – that small flock – "thus were you before, but Allah bestowed His favor upon you, so ascertain clearly."
10224 – Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn Abī ʿAmra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning His statement: "O you who believe, when you go forth on the path of Allah, then ascertain clearly," he said: al-Miqdād ibn al-Aswad set out in a raiding party with which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had sent him. He said: They passed by a man with a small flock of sheep of his, and he said: "I am a Muslim," but al-Miqdād killed him. When they returned, they mentioned that to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and this verse was revealed: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer,' out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life," he said: the booty.
10225 – Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said: That was revealed concerning a man whom Abū al-Dardāʾ killed – and he mentioned of the story of Abū al-Dardāʾ something resembling the story that has been mentioned about Usāma ibn Zayd; and I have already mentioned it in the explanation of His statement: وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلا خَطَأً (And it is not for a believer to kill a believer, except by mistake). Then he said in the report: And al-Furqān was revealed: وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلا خَطَأً (And it is not for a believer to kill a believer, except by mistake); and he read on until he reached: "You are not a believer, out of desire for the perishable goods of the worldly life" – his sheep that were there, the perishable goods of the worldly life – "for with Allah is abundant booty," better than those sheep, up to His statement: "Truly, Allah is ever Aware of what you do."
10226 – Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of ʿĪsā, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer'," he said: He was a shepherd, who met a group of believers and whom they killed, and they took what he had with him, and they did not accept from him: "Peace be upon you, for I am a believer."
10227 – al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His statement: "And do not say to whoever offers you peace: 'You are not a believer'," he said: Allah has forbidden the believers to say to whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah: "You are not a believer," just as He has forbidden them carrion; he is therefore secure with regard to his property and his blood, do not reject his word.
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Abū Jaʿfar said: And the reciters differed concerning the reading of His statement: "fa-tabayyanū" (ascertain clearly).
The general body of reciters of Mecca and Medina and some of Kūfa and Basra read it as ( fa-tabayyanū ) with the yāʾ and the nūn, from "al-tabayyun," in the sense of: caution, consideration, and clarifying it until it becomes evident.
And the majority of the reciters of Kūfa read it as ( fa-tathabbatū ), in the sense of "al-tathabbut" (establishing, ascertaining with certainty), which is the opposite of haste.
Abū Jaʿfar said: And the word with us concerning this is that they are two well-known, widespread readings among the recitation of the Muslims with one and the same meaning, even though their wordings differ. For the one who establishes himself with certainty (al-mutathabbit) ascertains clearly, and the one who ascertains clearly (al-mutabayyin) establishes himself with certainty. So with whichever of the two readings the reciter recites, he attains what is correct of the recitation therein.
And the reciters differed concerning the reading of His statement: "wa-lā taqūlū li-man alqā ilaykumu al-salām" (and do not say to whoever offers you peace/submission).
The general body of reciters of Mecca, Medina, and Kūfa read it as ( al-salam ) without alif, in the sense of surrender/submission (al-istislām).
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And some of Kūfa and Basra read ( al-salām ) with alif, in the sense of the greeting (al-taḥiyya).
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Abū Jaʿfar said: And the correct reading therein, with us, is: ( li-man alqā ilaykumu al-salam ), in the sense of: whoever surrenders to you, submitting himself to Allah with the affirmation of oneness (tawḥīd), and acknowledging you with regard to your community of faith.
And we have preferred that only because of the difference of narration concerning it: for there is a narrator who narrates that he surrendered by giving the testimony of truth and saying "I am a Muslim" – and there is a narrator who narrates that he said "Peace be upon you," by which he greeted them with the greeting of Islam – and there is a narrator who narrates that he was a Muslim with an Islam that had already proceeded from him prior to their killing of him. And all these meanings are comprehended by "al-salam," for the Muslim is submitting himself, and the one who greets with the greeting of Islam is submitting himself, and the one who gives the testimony of truth is submitting himself to the people of Islam. The meaning of "al-salam" therefore encompasses all the meanings that have been narrated concerning the affair of the slain man about whose situation this verse was revealed, and that does not apply to "al-salām," for "al-salām" in this place has no import other than the greeting. For that reason we have described "al-salam" as the correct one.
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Abū Jaʿfar said: And the people of interpretation differed concerning the interpretation of His statement: "Thus were you before."
Some of them said: Its meaning is: just as this man whom you killed after he had offered you submission concealed himself with his faith among his people out of fear for himself before them, so did you conceal yourselves with your religions before your people out of precaution for yourselves before them, and then Allah bestowed His favor upon you.
*Mention of who said that:
10228 – al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Ibn Jurayj informed us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Kathīr informed me, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning His statement: "Thus were you before," (that is) you concealed your faith, just as this shepherd concealed his faith.
10229 – Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn Abī ʿAmra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: "Thus were you before," (that is) you concealed your faith in the midst of the polytheists.
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And others said: Its meaning is: just as this man whom you killed after he had offered you submission was a disbeliever, so were you disbelievers, and He guided him just as He guided you.
*Mention of who said that:
10230 – Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: "Thus were you before, but Allah bestowed His favor upon you," (that is) disbelievers like him – "so ascertain clearly."
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Abū Jaʿfar said: And the most evident of these two statements for the interpretation of the verse is the first statement, namely the statement of him who said: thus did you conceal your faith among your people of polytheists while you resided in their midst, just as this man whom you killed resided in the midst of his people of polytheists, concealing himself with his faith from them.
And we have only said "this interpretation is the most evident as the correct one," because Allah, exalted be His mention, rebuked only those of the believers who killed him after he had offered them submission, and his killers were not requited for him (by qiṣāṣ), on account of the confusion that had crept into his affair for his killers through his residing in the midst of his people of polytheists, and their supposition that he had offered submission to the believers only to seek protection with them. He did not rebuke them for their killing of him as a polytheist, such that it would be said: "just as he was a disbeliever, you were disbelievers." Rather, there is no import for that, for Allah, praised be His praise, has not rebuked anyone of His creatures for the killing of one who is at war with Allah and with His Messenger among the people of ascribing partners (shirk), after He has permitted him the killing of him.
And the people of interpretation likewise differed concerning the interpretation of His statement: "but Allah bestowed His favor upon you."
Some of them said: Its meaning is: Allah favored you by manifesting His religion and making its adherents mighty, until they openly displayed Islam after they had concealed it from the people of ascribing partners.
*Mention of who said that:
10231 – Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to me, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of Ḥabīb ibn Abī ʿAmra, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr: "but Allah bestowed His favor upon you," (that is) He made Islam manifest.
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And others said: Its meaning is: Allah favored you – O you killers of him who offered submission out of seeking the perishable goods of the worldly life – with repentance over your killing of him.
*Mention of who said that:
10232 – Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "but Allah bestowed His favor upon you," He says: Allah accepted your repentance.
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Abū Jaʿfar said: And the most evident of the two interpretations therein as the correct one is the interpretation that I have mentioned on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on account of what we have mentioned as evidence that the meaning of His statement "Thus were you before" is as we have described earlier. It is therefore necessary that what follows it – "but Allah bestowed His favor upon you" – means: He lifted from you the fear of your enemies in which you were, by manifesting His religion and making its adherents mighty, until it became possible for you to display openly what you had concealed of His affirmation of oneness and His worship, out of precaution before the people of ascribing partners.
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