SURAH AL-E-IMRAN: 172-175

TRANSLATION:

[3:172]
Those who responded to the call of Allah and the Messenger, even after they had received the wound, for those of them who did good deeds and feared Allah there is a great reward

[3:173]
– (that is) those to whom people said, "The people have gathered against you; so, fear them". It increased them in Faith and they said, "Allah is fully sufficient for us, and the best One in whom to trust". {59}

[3:174]

So, they returned with bounty from Allah, and grace, with no evil having even touched them, and submitted to the pleasure of Allah. Allah is the Lord of great bounty.

[3:175]

It is none but Satan who frightens (you) of his friends. So, do not fear them; but fear Me, if you are believers.

INTERPRETATION:

 {59} When the non-believers of Meccah returned from the battle of Uhud, on the way back they regretted returning from the battlefield despite having the upper hand, and thought that if they had pushed a bit harder they could have eliminated all Muslims. Therefore, they decided to return to Medinah Munawwarah. On the other side, the Holy Prophet ﷺ, maybe because he became aware of the non-believers’ intentions, or to compensate for the losses in the battle of Uhud, announced among the Holy Companions on the day after the battle of Uhud that they will go in pursuit of the non-believers, and that only those people will accompany him who had taken part in the battle of Uhud. Even though the Holy Companions were hurt by the events of the battle of Uhud, and they were also tired, but they still responded affirmatively to this call to arms by the Holy Prophet ﷺ, which has been praised in this verse.

When the Holy Prophet ﷺ reached a place called Hamra al-Asad after leaving Medinah, he met a person called Ma’abad who belonged to the tribe of Khaza’a. Even though he was a non-believer he was sympathetic to the Muslims. He observed the courage of the Muslims himself. When he left the Muslims he subsequently ran into Abu Safyan who was, at that time, a leader of the non-believers of Meccah. He told Abu Safyan about the Muslim army and their courage, and suggested that the non-believers should drop the idea of re-attacking the Muslims and should return to Meccah. This put the non-believers under pressure and they returned. However, on the way back they met a caravan of Abd al-Qays who were going to Medinah and told them that if they met the Holy Prophet ﷺ on the way, they should tell him that Abu Safyan had gathered a large army and will soon be attacking them to eliminate them all. Their purpose was that this would put pressure on the Muslims. So, when these people met the Holy Prophet ﷺ after reaching Hamra al-Asad they quoted this, but rather than being impressed the Holy Companions said this sentence which has been quoted in this verse with praise.