Allah says to the disbeliever,
[إِن
تَسْتَفْتِحُواْ]
(If you ask for a judgement), you invoked Allah for victory, judgement and a
decision between you and your believing nemesis, and you got what you asked for.
Muhammad bin Ishaq and several others reported from Az-Zuhri from `Abdullah bin
Tha`labah bin Su`ayr who said that Abu Jahl said on the day of Badr, "O Allah!
Whichever of the two camps (pagans and Muslims) severed the relation of the womb
and brought us what is not familiar, then destroy him this day.'' This Ayah was
later on revealed,
[إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُواْ
فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ الْفَتْحُ]
(If you ask for a judgement, then now has the judgement come unto you,) until
the end of the Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin Tha`labah said, "Abu
Jahl asked for (Allah's judgment) when he said upon facing the Muslims, `O
Allah! Those among us who severed the relations of the womb and brought forth
what we do not recognize, then destroy him this day.''' This was also recorded
by An-Nasa'i in the Book of Tafsir (of his Sunan) and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak,
and he said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of the Two Shaykhs, and they
did not record it. ''. Similar statements were reported from Ibn `Abbas,
Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah, Yazid bin Ruwman and several others. As-Suddi
commented, "Before the idolators left Makkah for Badr, they clung to the
curtains covering the Ka`bah and supplicated to Allah for victory, `O Allah!
Give victory to the exalted among the two armies, the most honored among the two
groups, and the most righteous among the two tribes.' Allah revealed the Ayah, F
[إِن تَسْتَفْتِحُواْ
فَقَدْ جَآءَكُمُ الْفَتْحُ]
(If you ask for a judgement, then now has the judgement come unto you.) Allah
says here, `I accepted your supplication and Muhammad gained the victory.'''
`Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said; "This is Allah the Most High's answer
to their supplication;
[وَإِذْ قَالُواْ
اللَّهُمَّ إِن كَانَ هَـذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِندِكَ]
(And (remember) when they said: "O Allah! If this is indeed the truth from
you..)'' [8:32]
Allah said next,
[وَإِن
تَنتَهُواْ]
(and if you cease...) from your disbelief and rejection of Allah and His
Messenger ,
[فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ
لَّكُمْ]
(it will be better for you), in this life and the Hereafter. Allah said,
[وَإِن تَعُودُواْ
نَعُدْ]
(and if you return, so shall We return...) This is similar to another Ayah,
[وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ
عُدْنَا]
(but if you return (to sins), We shall return (to Our punishment).) [17:8]
meaning, `if you persist in your disbelief and misguidance, We shall repeat the
defeat that you suffered,'
[وَلَن تُغْنِىَ
عَنكُمْ فِئَتُكُمْ شَيْئاً وَلَوْ كَثُرَتْ]
(and your forces will be of no avail to you, however numerous they be...) for
even if you gather whatever forces you can, then know that those whom Allah is
with cannot be defeated,
[وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ
مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ]
(and verily, Allah is with the believers.) in reference to the Prophet's
group, the side of the chosen Messenger .
[يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ
ءَامَنُواْ أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلاَ تَوَلَّوْاْ عَنْهُ وَأَنتُمْ
تَسْمَعُونَ - وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ قَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَهُمْ لاَ
يَسْمَعُونَ - إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِندَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ
لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ - وَلَوْ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا لأَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ
أَسْمَعَهُمْ لَتَوَلَّواْ وَّهُم مُّعْرِضُونَ ]
(20. O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from
him while you are hearing. ) (21. And be not like those who say: "We have
heard,'' but they hear not.) (22. Verily, the worst of living creatures with
Allah are the deaf and the dumb (the disbelievers), who understand not.) (23.
Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and
even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with
aversion.)