[160] al-Wāḥidī, Ibn Kathīr and Ibn ʿĀshūr are of the opinion that the ones who are meant by this are the pagans of Makkah who drove the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions from the Sanctuary and dedicated it to idol worshipping: thus, the ‘desolation’ of the place of worship (masjid). Some Qur’anic ayas (8: 34 and 48: 25) allude to the actions of the pagans regarding prohibiting Muslims from worshipping God in the same terms.
[161] God decrees here that the just punishment of those who commit such a vile act is that they will only enter places of worship in a state of fear and trepidation expecting Divine justice will be exacted on them or that the Believers will seize them. (al-Ṭabarī, al-Saʿdī, Ibn ʿĀshūr)