Surah Al Imran Tafseer

مَّا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَأ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىَ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ

Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good.

meaning, He allows a calamity to happen, and during this calamity His friend becomes known and His enemy exposed, the patient believer recognized and the sinful hypocrite revealed.

This Ayah refers to Uhud, since Allah tested the believers in that battle, thus making known the faith, endurance, patience, firmness and obedience to Allah and His Messenger that the believers had. Allah exposed the hypocrites in their defiance, reverting from Jihad, and the treachery they committed against Allah and His Messenger. This is why Allah said,

مَّا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيَذَرَ الْمُوْمِنِينَ عَلَى مَأ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىَ يَمِيزَ الْخَبِيثَ مِنَ الطَّيِّبِ

(Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good).

Mujahid commented,

"He distinguished between them during the day of Uhud."

Qatadah said,

"He distinguished between them in Jihad and Hijrah."

Allah said next,

وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ

Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Unseen.

meaning, you do not have access to Allah's knowledge of His creation so that you can distinguish between the believer and the hypocrite, except by the signs of each type that Allah uncovers.

Allah's statement,

وَلَكِنَّ اللّهَ يَجْتَبِي مِن رُّسُلِهِ مَن يَشَاء

but Allah chooses of His Messengers whom He wills.

is similar to another Ayah,

عَـلِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلَ يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً

إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَسْلُكُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ رَصَداً

(He Alone is) the All-Knower of the Unseen, and He reveals to none His Unseen. Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen, and then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him. (72:26-27)

Allah then said,

فَأمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ

So believe in Allah and His Messengers.

Obey Allah and His Messenger and adhere to the law that he legislated for you.

وَإِن تُوْمِنُواْ وَتَتَّقُواْ فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ

and if you believe and fear Allah, then for you there is a great reward.

The Censure of Selfishness, and Warning Against it

Allah said