Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 142

(Ayah 142) {وَ لَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ جٰهَدُوْا …:} Some of the Salaf have interpreted this to mean "Allah has not yet manifested it." They say that Allah has knowledge of everything—past, present, and future—so the translation "Allah has not yet known" is not correct. However, the meaning of {’’عَلِمَ يَعْلَمُ ‘‘} is indeed "to know"; for "to manifest," words like { ”لَمَّا يُظْهِرِ اللّٰهُ“ } or similar should have been used. The reality is that the types of Allah's attributes are eternal, but their instances occur in time, such as creating, hearing, and knowing, etc., as He said: «كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ » [ الرحمٰن : ۲۹ ] "Every day He is in a new affair." He is the Creator from eternity, but when He creates something, the creation of that thing comes into existence at that time. Similarly, in the verse: «قَدْ سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِيْ تُجَادِلُكَ فِيْ زَوْجِهَا » [ المجادلۃ : ۱ ] "Indeed, Allah has heard the statement of the woman who disputes with you concerning her husband," the actual hearing occurred after the woman's dispute. In the same way, the actual knowledge of those who strive (in jihad) will only occur after jihad takes place. The point is that Allah has not yet known, in the sense of occurrence, who among you has performed jihad. In {”وَ يَعْلَمَ الصّٰبِرِيْنَ“}, the verb يَعْلَمَ is in the accusative case due to the omitted {’’ لامِ كَيْ‘‘}, so the translation is "and so that He may know those who are patient." In summary, do you think you will attain the highest ranks in Paradise without such trials? The meaning is that until you successfully pass such tests, you cannot attain the highest ranks in Paradise.

142. 1 Will you enter Paradise without being tested by combat? No! Rather, Paradise will be granted to those who prove themselves in trials. You have not yet faced the state that befell those before you; they were afflicted with poverty and hardships and were severely tested. Furthermore, it is said: Do people think that they will be left alone just by saying, "We have believed," and that they will not be tested?

142. 2 This subject has already been mentioned earlier in Surah Al-Baqarah; here, due to the context, it is being stated again that Paradise will not be attained so easily. For it, you must first pass through the furnace of trials and be tested on the battlefield of jihad—whether, when surrounded by enemies, you display sacrifice, patience, and steadfastness or not.

142. Did you think that you would enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those among you who strive (in His cause) [129] and those who are patient?

[129]
Trial Through Jihad:

That is, do you think that you will reach those high ranks and stations in Paradise where Allah wants to place you just by sitting comfortably without any effort, and that Allah will not test you to see who among you participates in jihad and who remains steadfast in it? Only those people will attain the lofty ranks of Paradise who are ready to endure all kinds of hardships and make sacrifices in the way of Allah. Here too, the meaning of Allah’s seeing or knowing is the same as mentioned in the previous verse, that is,
﴿ وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنْكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ ﴾
that the entire community of Muslims should witness this situation with their own eyes.

Khabbab bin Al-Aratt and the Punishments of the Polytheists of Makkah:

During the Makkan period, the Muslims were subjected to immense oppression and hardships by the Quraysh of Makkah. Hazrat Khabbab bin Al-Arattؓ became somewhat distressed by these hardships and wished to go and ask the Messenger of Allahﷺ when the time would come that he used to give glad tidings of. Thus, he himself narrates that I came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ while he was sitting in the shade of the Ka'bah, reclining on a sheet. At that time, we were enduring severe difficulties from the polytheists. I said to him, “Why do you not supplicate to Allah against these polytheists?” Upon hearing this, he (left the cushion and) sat up straight, and his face became red (with anger) and he said: “People before you have passed who had iron combs run through their flesh and nerves down to the bone, but they did not turn away from their true religion, and saws were placed on the middle of their heads and they were cut into two pieces, but they did not turn away from their true religion. And Allah will surely complete this matter one day.”
[بخاری، باب بنیان الکعبة باب مالقی النبی و أصحابہ من المشرکین بمکۃ]
And in another narration, these words are also mentioned: “But you people are hasty.” Thus, the Messenger of Allahﷺ also taught Hazrat Khabbab bin Al-Arattؓ the same lesson of patience, perseverance, and steadfastness that is being taught to the Muslims in this verse.