سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 173
ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَـٰنًا وَقَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ ﴿173﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: "Allâh (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
قَالَ
qāla
said
لَهُمُ
lahumu
to them
ٱلنَّاسُ
l-nāsu
[the people]
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the people
قَدْ
qad
(have) certainly
جَمَعُوا۟
jamaʿū
gathered
لَكُمْ
lakum
against you
فَٱخْشَوْهُمْ
fa-ikh'shawhum
so fear them
فَزَادَهُمْ
fazādahum
But it increased them
إِيمَـٰنًۭا
īmānan
(in) faith
وَقَالُوا۟
waqālū
and they said
حَسْبُنَا
ḥasbunā
Sufficient for us
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(is) Allah
وَنِعْمَ
waniʿ'ma
and (He is the) best
ٱلْوَكِيلُ
l-wakīlu
[the] Disposer of affairs
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
173. These are the ones to whom people said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it only increased them in faith [171], and they said, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs."
[171]
Abu Sufyan’s Escape from His Own Challenge:
On the return from the Battle of Uhud, Abu Sufyan addressed the Muslims. [3: 152] In that address, he challenged the Muslims that there would be another confrontation in the field of Badr after one year, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted this challenge. But when the appointed time drew near, Abu Sufyan himself lost courage, because that year there was a famine in Mecca. To hide his own shame and regret and to shift the blame onto others, he devised a plan: he secretly sent a man, Nu‘aym bin Mas‘ud, to Madinah and, after giving him some reward, assigned him the task of spreading the news there that this time the Quraysh had made such tremendous preparations and were gathering such a huge army that the whole of Arabia would not be able to face it. His only purpose was to terrify the Muslims so that they would not have the courage to confront. Accordingly, he went to Madinah and spread this rumor widely. But the effect of this propaganda turned out contrary to Abu Sufyan’s expectations. This news further increased the faith-driven zeal of the Muslims, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out towards the field of Badr with fifteen hundred Companions. In this context, consider the following hadith from Bukhari: It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ that when Ibrahim ؑ was thrown into the fire, he said
﴿وَّقَالُوْا حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ﴾
and when people said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that the disbelievers of Quraysh had gathered a great army against you, he also said the same words, and upon hearing this news, the faith of the Companions increased and they too said the same words. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير] When Abu Sufyan learned of this situation, he was compelled to set out. Thus, he departed from Mecca with a force of two thousand. But after traveling two days’ distance, he began to say to his companions, “It does not seem appropriate to fight this year; we will come next year.” His companions already wanted the same. So, they returned to Mecca from there, and there were several reasons for this: for example, this time his army was only two-thirds of what it was at the Battle of Uhud, while the Muslim army was more than double. Secondly, he had already witnessed the courage and faith of the Muslims. Thirdly, in relation to the propaganda he had previously made, his army was very small. Thus, he was so overawed that he considered it safer to turn back. This expedition is also called the Battle of Sawiq, because Abu Sufyan had brought roasted barley meal as provisions, which kept falling along the way, and on the return, they left this provision behind.
Results of the Battle of Sawiq:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed at the place of Badr for eight days waiting for Abu Sufyan. During this time, the noble Companions ؓ did business with a trading caravan and profited greatly. Then, when it became known that Abu Sufyan had returned, the Prophet ﷺ also returned to Madinah.
[171]
Abu Sufyan’s Escape from His Own Challenge:
On the return from the Battle of Uhud, Abu Sufyan addressed the Muslims. [3: 152] In that address, he challenged the Muslims that there would be another confrontation in the field of Badr after one year, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ accepted this challenge. But when the appointed time drew near, Abu Sufyan himself lost courage, because that year there was a famine in Mecca. To hide his own shame and regret and to shift the blame onto others, he devised a plan: he secretly sent a man, Nu‘aym bin Mas‘ud, to Madinah and, after giving him some reward, assigned him the task of spreading the news there that this time the Quraysh had made such tremendous preparations and were gathering such a huge army that the whole of Arabia would not be able to face it. His only purpose was to terrify the Muslims so that they would not have the courage to confront. Accordingly, he went to Madinah and spread this rumor widely. But the effect of this propaganda turned out contrary to Abu Sufyan’s expectations. This news further increased the faith-driven zeal of the Muslims, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out towards the field of Badr with fifteen hundred Companions. In this context, consider the following hadith from Bukhari: It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas ؓ that when Ibrahim ؑ was thrown into the fire, he said
﴿وَّقَالُوْا حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ﴾
and when people said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ that the disbelievers of Quraysh had gathered a great army against you, he also said the same words, and upon hearing this news, the faith of the Companions increased and they too said the same words. [بخاري، كتاب التفسير] When Abu Sufyan learned of this situation, he was compelled to set out. Thus, he departed from Mecca with a force of two thousand. But after traveling two days’ distance, he began to say to his companions, “It does not seem appropriate to fight this year; we will come next year.” His companions already wanted the same. So, they returned to Mecca from there, and there were several reasons for this: for example, this time his army was only two-thirds of what it was at the Battle of Uhud, while the Muslim army was more than double. Secondly, he had already witnessed the courage and faith of the Muslims. Thirdly, in relation to the propaganda he had previously made, his army was very small. Thus, he was so overawed that he considered it safer to turn back. This expedition is also called the Battle of Sawiq, because Abu Sufyan had brought roasted barley meal as provisions, which kept falling along the way, and on the return, they left this provision behind.
Results of the Battle of Sawiq:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stayed at the place of Badr for eight days waiting for Abu Sufyan. During this time, the noble Companions ؓ did business with a trading caravan and profited greatly. Then, when it became known that Abu Sufyan had returned, the Prophet ﷺ also returned to Madinah.
