Surah Al Ahzab Tafseer

وَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُوْمِنُونَ الاَْحْزَابَ قَالُوا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

And when the believers saw the Confederates, they said:"This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us; and Allah and His Messenger had spoken the truth."

Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and Qatadah said:

"They mean what Allah said in Surah Al-Baqarah:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَأءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you!

They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the help of Allah!"

Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near! (2:214)

meaning, `this is the trial and test that Allah and His Messenger promised us would be followed by the help and victory of Allah that is near.'

Allah says:

وَصَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(and Allah and His Messenger had spoken the truth).

وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلاَّ إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا

And it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness.

This indicates that faith can increase and strengthen in accordance with people's circumstances, as the majority of scholars stated:faith can increase and decrease.

We have stated this at the beginning of our commentary on Al-Bukhari, praise be to Allah.

وَمَا زَادَهُمْ

(And it only added) means, at that time of stress and difficulty.

إِلاَّ إِيمَانًا

(to their faith) in Allah,

وَتَسْلِيمًا

(and to their submissiveness). means their submission to His commands and their obedience to His Messenger