[689] At times of abundance and scarcity.
[690] The image here is of ‘swallowing one’s anger’, kaẓm al-ghayẓ.
[691] By committing less grievous sins.
[692] Abū Bakr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “There is not a Muslim who commits a sin, then performs ablution, Prays two rakʿahs and asks Allah for forgiveness without Allah forgiving him”. “…the ones who upon committing a ˹gravely˺ vile deed or doing themselves an injustice…” (3:135), and: “Whoever commits a misdeed or does himself an injustice, then he asks Allah for forgiveness, he will find Allah All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (4: 110). (Abū Dāwūd: 1521, al-Tirmidhī: 406, Ibn Mājah: 1395)
[693] They realize that what they did is sinful, and that they are liable to Punishment if they do not mend their ways. Repentance is mandatory on them, and God accepts such repentance. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn ʿAṭiyyah, Ibn Kathīr)
[694] Those Divine laws and canons which stipulate that victory and defeat take turns and are ever interchangeable between Believers and Deniers. In this way, the reins are slackened for the Deniers to further lure them into the trap of their annihilation and the deliverance of the Believers is assured after putting them to the test. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī)
[697] Suffered a blow, in the Battle of Uḥud.
[698] al-Qawm, the other side who tasted bitter defeat during the Battle of Badr.
[699] This is the nature of time.
[700] Li yaʿlama Allāh, lit. “so that Allah may know”. A literal translation would cut against the grain of the correct Muslim Belief that Allah is Omniscient. According to scholars, it is in this instance ʿilm ẓuhūr or ʿilm shahādah; the kind of knowledge that enables one to bear witness confidently. This not only entails that the witness knows things for a fact but also that enough conclusive evidence is found and known.
[701] Thus God grants the lofty status of martyrdom ˹shahādah˺ to some of His servants.