These Ayat encourage, direct and recommend fighting against the idolators who
break the terms of their covenants, those who tried to expel the Messenger from
Makkah. Allah said in other Ayat,
[وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ
بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ
وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَـكِرِينَ ]
(And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or
to kill you, or to expell you; they were plotting and Allah too was plotting;
and Allah is the best of those who plot.) [8:30],
[يُخْرِجُونَ
الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّـكُمْ أَن تُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ]
(...and have driven out the Messenger and yourselves (from your homeland)
because you believe in Allah your Lord!) [60:1], and,
[وَإِن كَادُواْ
لَيَسْتَفِزُّونَكَ مِنَ الاٌّرْضِ لِيُخْرِجُوكَ مِنْهَا]
(And verily, they were about to frighten you so much as to drive you out from
the land.) [17:76] Allah's statement,
[وَهُم بَدَءُوكُمْ
أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ]
(while they did attack you first), refers to the battle of Badr when the
idolators marched to protect their caravan. When they knew that their caravan
escaped safely, they still went ahead with their intent to fight Muslims out of
arrogance, as we mentioned before. It was also said that these Ayat refer to the
idolators breaking the peace agreement with Muslims and aiding Bani Bakr, their
allies, against Khuza`ah, the ally of the Messenger of Allah . This is why the
Messenger of Allah marched to Makkah in the year of the victory, thus conquering
it, all thanks and praise is due to Allah. Allah said,
[أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ
فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَن تَخْشَوْهُ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤُمِنِينَ]
(Do you fear them Allah has more right that you should fear Him if you are
believers.) Allah says here, `Do not fear idolators, but fear Me instead, for I
am worthy of being feared by the servants due to My might and punishment. In My
Hand lies the matter; whatever I will occurs, and whatever I do not will does
not occur.' Allah next said, while ordering the believers and explaining the
wisdom of ordaining Jihad against them, all the while able to destroy their
enemies with a command from Him,
[قَـتِلُوهُمْ
يُعَذِّبْهُمُ اللَّهُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ وَيُخْزِهِمْ وَيَنْصُرْكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ
وَيَشْفِ صُدُورَ قَوْمٍ مُّؤْمِنِينَ ]
(Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands, and
disgrace them and give you victory over them, and heal the breasts of a
believing people.) This Ayah includes all believers, even though Mujahid,
`Ikrimah and As-Suddi said that it refers to Khuza`ah. Concerning the believers,
Allah said;
[وَيُذْهِبْ غَيْظَ
قُلُوبِهِمْ]
(and remove the anger of their hearts), then
[وَيَتُوبُ اللَّهُ
عَلَى مَن يَشَآءُ]
(Allah accepts the repentance of whom He wills), from His servants,
[وَاللَّهُ
عَلِيمٌ]
(Allah is All-Knowing), in what benefits His servants,
[حَكِيمٌ]
(All-Wise), in His actions and statements, whether narrative or legislative.
Allah does what He wills, decides what He wills, and He is the Just Who never
wrongs any. Not even the weight of an atom of good or evil is ever neglected
with Him, but rather, He compensates for it in this life and the Hereafter.
[أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن
تُتْرَكُواْ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ
يَتَّخِذُواْ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ رَسُولِهِ وَلاَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً
وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ]
(16. Do you think that you shall be left alone while Allah has not yet tested
those among you who have striven hard and fought, and have not taken Walijah
besides Allah and His Messenger, and the believers. Allah is well-acquainted
with what you do.)