Allah tells us how he drove the Confederates away from Al-Madinah by sending
against them a wind and troops of angels. If Allah had not made his Messenger a
Mercy to the Worlds, this wind would have been more severe than the barren wind
which He sent against `Ad, but Allah says:
[وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ
لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ]
(And Allah would not punish them while you are amongst them) (8:33). So,
Allah sent them a wind which dispersed them after they had gathered on the basis
of their whims. They were a mixture of tribes and parties with a variety of
opinions, so it was befitting that a wind should be sent against them that would
scatter them and break up their gathering, driving them back disappointed and
lost in their hatred and enmity. They did not achieve any worldly good such as
the victory and booty that they had hoped for, nor did they achieve any good in
the Hereafter, because of their sin of declaring enmity against the Messenger
and seeking to kill him and destroy his army. Whoever wants and seriously
intends to do a thing is the same as one who actually does it.
[وَكَفَى اللَّهُ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتَالَ]
(Allah sufficed for the believers in the fighting.) means, they did not have
to fight them in order to expel them from their land, but Allah Alone sufficed
them and helped His servant and granted victory to His troops. Hence the
Messenger of Allah used to say,
«لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا
اللهُ وَحْدَهُ، صَدَقَ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَأَعَزَّ جُنْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ
الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ، فَلَا شَيْءَ بَعْدَه»
(None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, Alone, He was true to His
promise, and He helped His servant, and He gave might to His soldiers and
defeated the Confederates alone and there is nothing after Him.) This was
reported from a Hadith of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him. In the
Two Sahihs it was recorded that `Abdullah bin Abi `Awfa, may Allah be pleased
with him, said: "The Messenger of Allah invoked Allah against the Confederates
and said:
«اللَّهُمَّ مُنْزِلَ
الْكِتَابِ سَرِيعَ الْحِسَابِ، اهْزِمِ الْأَحْزَابَ، اللَّهُمَّ اهْزِمْهُمْ
وَزَلْزِلْهُم»
(O Allah, Who revealed the Book and is swift in bringing to account, defeat
the Confederates, O Allah defeat them and shake them.)
[وَكَفَى اللَّهُ
الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْقِتَالَ]
(Allah sufficed for the believers in the fighting.) This Ayah indicates that
there would be a cessation of war between them and Quraysh; after this, the
idolators did not attack the Muslims, on the contrary, the Muslims attacked them
in their own land. Imam Ahmad recorded that Sulayman bin Surad, may Allah be
pleased with him, said: "On the day of Al-Ahzab, the Messenger of Allah said:
«الْآنَ نَغْزُوهُمْ
وَلَا يَغْزُونَا»
(Now we will attack them and they will not attack us.) This was also recorded
by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih.
[وَكَانَ اللَّهُ
قَوِيّاً عَزِيزاً]
(And Allah is Ever All-Strong, All-Mighty.) means, by His power and might He
drove them back disappointed and lost, and they did not achieve anything, and
Allah granted victory to Islam and its followers, and fulfilled His promise and
helped His servant and Messenger; to Him be blessings and praise.
[وَأَنزَلَ الَّذِينَ
ظَـهَرُوهُم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمْ وَقَذَفَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ
الرُّعْبَ فَرِيقاً تَقْتُلُونَ وَتَأْسِرُونَ فَرِيقاً - وَأَوْرَثَكُمْ
أَرْضَهُمْ وَدِيَـرَهُمْ وَأَمْوَلَهُمْ وَأَرْضاً لَّمْ تَطَئُوهَا وَكَانَ
اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيراً ]
(26. And those of the People of the Scripture who backed them, Allah brought
them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts; a group you
killed, and a group you made captives.) (27. And He caused you to inherit their
lands, and their houses, and their riches, and a land which you had not trodden.
And Allah is able to do all things.)