The Holy Quran 3:152 — Surah Ali 'Imran

Arabic text

وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَعْدَهُۥٓ إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ وَتَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَرَىٰكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ ۚ مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ ۖ وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Translation

Most assuredly Allaah fulfilled His promise to (assist) you (Muslims) when you killed them (the Mushrikeen) with His permission (So you continued to gain the upper hand in the Battle of Uhud because of Allaah's assistance) until (the time came when) you (some of the Sahabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم who were ordered to guard a mountain pass) lost courage, disputed about the order (to guard the pass) and disobeyed (the order to guard the pass regardless of what happens) after you were shown what you liked (after you saw the other Muslims gathering the booty. When this happened, Allaah's assistance was withdrawn). Some of you sought the world (the booty) while some of you sought the Aakhirah (choosing to remain posted at the pass and giving their lives defending it). Then Allaah turned you away from them (gave you an excuse to turn away from fighting the Mushrikeen, causing you to desert your posts at the pass) to test you (to test who will obey orders and remain on duty and who will not). Undoubtedly He (Allaah) has already pardoned you and verily Allaah is Most Kind towards the Mu'mineen. (Since Allaah had forgiven the Sahabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم for this, it is not permissible for anyone to criticise them for it.)

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The Prophet ﷺ had said beforehand that if you showed patience and steadfastness, Almighty Allah would grant you victory. And Allah indeed fulfilled His promise at the beginning of the battle: by the command of Allah they struck down the disbelievers, piling them up in heaps.

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