Surah Al-Ahzaab (33) — Ayah 22

(Ayah 22) ➊ {وَ لَمَّا رَاَ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ الْاَحْزَابَ … :} When, due to the large numbers of the disbelievers’ armies, the severity of the siege, the intensity of cold and hunger, and the treachery of Banu Qurayzah, the situation became extremely grave, the state of the hypocrites and the Muslims afflicted with doubts and suspicions was mentioned above—that they said the promises of Allah and His Messenger were nothing but deception. Now the state of the sincere believers is being described: when they saw these hardships, they said that these are the very stages of trial, hardship, and difficulty about which Allah and His Messenger had already informed beforehand, and after patience upon which His help was promised, as He said: «{ اَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ اَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَ لَمَّا يَاْتِكُمْ مَّثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ١ؕ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَاْسَآءُ وَ الضَّرَّآءُ وَ زُلْزِلُوْا حَتّٰى يَقُوْلَ الرَّسُوْلُ وَ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا مَعَهٗ مَتٰى نَصْرُ اللّٰهِ اَلَاۤ اِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيْبٌ}» [ البقرۃ :۲۱۴ ] “Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while there has not yet come to you the like of that which came to those who passed on before you? They were afflicted by hardship and adversity and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, ‘When is the help of Allah?’ Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.”

➋ {وَ صَدَقَ اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗ :} That is, the promise of trial made by Allah and His Messenger was true, and the promise of victory and help for the Muslims and defeat for the disbelievers after patience was also true, which was made in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:214) with the words {’’ اَلَاۤ اِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّٰهِ قَرِيْبٌ ‘‘}, and before that in the Meccan Surah Al-Qamar (45) with the words {’’ سَيُهْزَمُ الْجَمْعُ وَ يُوَلُّوْنَ الدُّبُرَ ‘‘}.

➌ { وَ مَا زَادَهُمْ اِلَّاۤ اِيْمَانًا وَّ تَسْلِيْمًا :} That is, they became even firmer in faith and more obedient to the commands of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). This verse is evidence that a person’s faith increases and decreases. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) has established this matter with eight verses and numerous hadiths in Sahih Bukhari. It is astonishing about those people who, despite clear verses and hadiths, insist that faith neither decreases nor increases.

1. That is, the hypocrites, upon seeing the large number of enemies and the severity of the situation, said that the promises of Allah and His Messenger were deception. In contrast, the people of faith said that the promise Allah and His Messenger made—that after putting you through a trial, you will be granted victory and help—was true.

2. That is, the intensity and horror of the situation did not shake their faith; rather, it further increased their faith and their spirit of obedience and their acceptance and contentment. This is evidence that, according to people's different states and circumstances, faith and its strength can increase or decrease, as is the position of the hadith scholars.

22. And when the believers saw the confederate armies, they said, "This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us." And the event only increased them in faith and submission [31].

[31]
Your Idea to Break Banu Ghatafan Away from the Allies and the Response of the Ansar:

After commenting on the character of the hypocrites, Allah described the character of the Muslims: as difficulties increased for them and the situation became more severe, their courage grew even more. Their trust in Allah and their faith also increased further. They knew well that it was they who had to face these difficulties. Then, when something was beyond their capacity, at that time surely Allah’s help would support them. Then, when Allah’s help actually reached them, their faith increased even more. Thus, when Banu Qurayzah also broke their covenant and joined the allied armies, and danger arose for the Muslims both from within and from outside, at that time a suggestion came to the mind of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which was merely for the reassurance of the Ansar. That suggestion was that Banu Ghatafan, who were an extremely greedy and covetous tribe and whose golden rule of politics was merely the acquisition of wealth, should be tempted with a third of the produce of Madinah to break them away from the allies, so that they would take their tribe and return. Since this tribe was fiercely warlike, their withdrawal could have spread general demoralization among the rest of the army. Thus, in this regard, you ﷺ called the chief of the Aws tribe, Sa’d ؓ bin Mu’adh, and the chief of the Khazraj tribe, Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah, and consulted them. Both of them asked in unison: “Is this Allah’s command, or do you wish to seek our opinion? If it is Allah’s command, then it is upon our eyes and heads, but if you ﷺ wish to do this for our sake, then we absolutely do not accept it. By Allah, even in the state of polytheism, we never gave these people a single grain. Why should we give it now as Muslims? For them, we have only the sword.” The response of the Ansari chiefs pleased you, and you said: “This is not Allah’s command; I only thought of this for your reassurance.” [الرحيق المختوم اردو ص 487]