قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ
سُنَنٌ فَسِيرُوا۟ فِى
ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟
كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ
ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ
هَـٰذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ
وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ
لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا
تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ
إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ
قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ
ٱلْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُۥ ۚ
وَتِلْكَ ٱلْأَيَّامُ
نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ
ٱلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ
ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟
وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ
شُهَدَآءَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا
يُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
وَلِيُمَحِّصَ ٱللَّهُ
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟
وَيَمْحَقَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن
تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ
وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ
ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟
مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ
ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
وَلَقَدْ كُنتُمْ تَمَنَّوْنَ
ٱلْمَوْتَ مِن قَبْلِ
أَن تَلْقَوْهُ فَقَدْ
رَأَيْتُمُوهُ وَأَنتُمْ
تَنظُرُونَ
Many similar ways (and
mishaps of life) were
faced (by nations) that
have passed away before
you, so travel through
the earth, and see what
was the end of those who
denied. This is a plain
statement for mankind,
a guidance and instruction
for the Muttaqin. So do
not become weak, nor be
sad, and you will be
triumphant if you are
indeed believers. If a
wound has touched you,
be sure a similar wound
has touched the others. And
so are the days, that We
give to men by turns,
that Allah may know (test)
those who believe, and
that He may take martyrs
from among you. And Allah
likes not the wrongdoers.
And that Allah may test
those who believe and
destroy the disbelievers.
Do you think that you
will enter Paradise before
Allah knows (tests) those
of you who performed
Jihad and knows (tests)
those who are patient.
You did indeed wish for
death before you met it.
Now you have seen it
openly with your own eyes.
The Wisdom Behind the Losses Muslims Suffered During Uhud
Allah states to His believing servants who suffered losses in the battle of Uhud, including seventy dead,
قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ سُنَنٌ
137… Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced before you
for the previous nations who followed their Prophets before you, they too suffered losses. However, the good end was theirs, and the ultimate defeat was for the disbelievers. This is why Allah said,
فَسِيرُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَانْظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ
so travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied
Allah said next (Al-i’Imran 137 end…)
هَـذَا بَيَانٌ لِّلنَّاسِ
138.. This is a plain statement for mankind
meaning, the Qur’an explains the true reality of things and narrates how the previous nations suffered by the hands of their enemies.
وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةٌ
And a guidance and instruction
for the Qur’an contains the news of the past, and,
هُدًى
guidance
for your hearts,
وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
and instruction for the Muttaqin
to discourage committing the prohibited and forbidden matters. Allah comforts the believers by saying (Al-i’Imran 138…end)
وَلاَ تَهِنُواْ
139..So do not become weak
because of what you suffered,
وَلاَ تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الاٌّعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
nor be sad, and you will be triumphant if you are indeed believers), for surely, the ultimate victory and triumph will be yours, O believers. (Al-i’Imran 139 end…)
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ
مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ
If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others (Al-i’Imran 140)
Therefore, the Ayat says, if you suffered injuries and some of you were killed, then your enemies also suffered injuries and fatalities.
وَتِلْكَ الاٌّيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ
And so are the days, that We give to men by turns
and at times — out of wisdom — We allow the enemy to overcome you, although the final good end will be yours.
وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ
and that Allah may know (test) those who believe
meaning, “So that We find out who would be patient while fighting the enemies,” according to Ibn `Abbas.
وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَآءَ
and that He may take martyrs from among you
those who would be killed in Allah’s cause and gladly offer their lives seeking His pleasure.
وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الظَّـلِمِينَوَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ
And Allah likes not the wrongdoers. And that Allah may test those who believe (Al-i’Imran 140-141)
by forgiving them their sins if they have any. Otherwise, Allah will raise their grades according to the losses they suffered. Allah’s statement,
وَيَمْحَقَ الْكَـفِرِينَ
and destroy the disbelievers
for it is their conduct that if they gain the upper hand, they transgress and commit aggression. However, this conduct only leads to ultimate destruction, extermination, perishing and dying out…(Al-i’Imran 141 end…)
Allah then said,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ
وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ
مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ
142.. Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah knows (tests) those of you who will perform Jihad and (also) knows (tests) those who are the patient
The Ayat asks, do you think that you will enter Paradise without being tested with warfare and hardships Allah said in Surat Al-Baqarah,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ
وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم
مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَآءُ وَالضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُواْ
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. (Al-Baqarah 124)
Allah said,
الم أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ
يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ
Alif Lam Mim. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested (Al-Ankabut 1-2)
This is why He said here,
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ
وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ
مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ
Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah knows (tests) those of you who will perform Jihad and (also) knows (tests) those who are the patient (Al-i’Imran 142)
meaning, you will not earn Paradise until you are tested and thus Allah knows who among you are the ones who struggle and fight in His cause and are patient in the face of the enemy. Allah said,
وَلَقَدْ كُنتُمْ تَمَنَّوْنَ الْمَوْتَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن
تَلْقَوْهُ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ وَأَنتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ
143.. You did indeed wish for death (martyrdom) before you met it. Now you have seen it openly with your own eyes
The Ayat proclaims, O believers! Before today, you wished that you could meet the enemy and were eager to fight them. What you wished has occurred, so fight them and be patient.
In the Two Sahihs it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah said,
لَا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ الْعَدُوِّ، وَسَلُوا اللهَ الْعَافِيَةَ
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْجَنَّـةَ تَحْتَ ظِلَالِ السُّيُوف
Do not wish to encounter the enemy, and ask Allah for your well-being. However, if you do encounter them, then observe patience and know that Paradise is under the shade of swords
This is why Allah said here,
فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُمُوهُ
Now you have seen it
Death, you saw it when the swords appeared, the blades were sharpened, the spears crisscrossed and men stood in lines for battle. This part of the Ayat contains a figure of speech that mentions imagining what can be felt but not seen.