Surah At-Tawbah, Ayah 40
Quran 9:40 · The Repentance · Madani · Para 10 · Page 193
اِلَّا تَنْصُرُوْهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللّٰهُ اِذْ اَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوْا ثَانِیَ اثْنَیْنِ اِذْ هُمَا فِی الْغَارِ اِذْ یَقُوْلُ لِصَاحِبِهٖ لَا تَحْزَنْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَا ۚ فَاَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ سَكِیْنَتَهٗ عَلَیْهِ وَاَیَّدَهٗ بِجُنُوْدٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلٰی ؕ وَكَلِمَةُ اللّٰهِ هِیَ الْعُلْیَا ؕ وَاللّٰهُ عَزِیْزٌ حَكِیْمٌ ۟
Transliteration
Illa tansuroohu faqad nasarahuAllahu ith akhrajahu allatheena kafaroo thaniyaithnayni ith huma fee alghari ithyaqoolu lisahibihi la tahzan inna AllahamaAAana faanzala Allahu sakeenatahu AAalayhiwaayyadahu bijunoodin lam tarawha wajaAAala kalimata allatheenakafaroo assufla wakalimatu Allahi hiyaalAAulya wallahu AAazeezun hakeem
Saheeh International
If you do not aid him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] - Allāh has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allāh is with us." And Allāh sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with soldiers [i.e., angels] you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allāh - that is the highest. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir
If you O believers, do not help the Messenger (peace be upon him) and respond to his call to strive for the sake of Allah, then Allah has already helped him when you were not with him; when the idolaters drove him away from Mecca with Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), and the two of them hid in the cave of Thawr from the disbelievers who were chasing them. On that occasion, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told his companion Abū Bakr, who was scared that the idolaters would discover him, not to worry, because Allah was with them, supporting and helping them. Allah sent down His reassurance and tranquility upon the heart of His Messenger, and sent angels which they could not see to support them, making the word of the idolaters the lowest, and the word of Allah the highest by aiding His Religion. Allah is Mighty in His essence, power and force – nothing can overcome Him – and He Wise in His planning, decree and laws.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (abridged)
If you help him (Muhammad ﷺ) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two; when they were both in the cave, he said to his companion: "Be not sad (or afraid), surely, Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise (40)
Allah supports His Prophet (ﷺ)
Allah said,
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ
(If you help him not), if you do not support His Prophet ﷺ, then it does not matter, for Allah will help, support, suffice and protect him, just as He did,
إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ
(when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of the two;)
During the year of the Hijrah, the idolators tried to kill, imprison or expel the Prophet ﷺ, who escaped with his friend and Companion, Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafah, to the cave of Thawr. They remained in the cave for three days so that the pagans who were sent in their pursuit, returned (to Makkah), and they proceed to Al-Madinah. While in the cave, Abu Bakr was afraid the pagans might discover them for fear that some harm might touch the Messenger ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ kept reassuring him and strengthening his resolve, saying,
يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَـنُّكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا
(O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two, with Allah as their third)
Imam Ahmad recorded from Anas that Abu Bakr said to him, "I said to the Prophet when we were in the cave, 'If any of them looks down at his feet, he will see us.' He said,
يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَـنُّكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا
(O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two with Allah as their third?)" This is recorded in the Two Sahihs. This is why Allah said,
فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ
(Then Allah sent down His Sakinah upon him) sent His aid and triumph to His Messenger ﷺ, or they say it refers to Abu Bakr,
وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا
(and strengthened him with forces which you saw not), the angels,
وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا
(and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah that became the uppermost;)
Ibn 'Abbas commented, 'The word of those who disbelieved', is Shirk, while, 'The Word of Allah' is 'La ilaha illallah." It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about a man who fights because of courage, or out of rage for his honor, or to show off. Whom among them is in the cause of Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ said,
مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ
(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.)" Allah said next,
وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ
(and Allah is All-Mighty), in His revenge and taking retribution, He is the Most Formidable and those who seek refuge with Him and take shelter by adhering to what He instructs are never made to suffer injustice,
حَكِيمٌ
(All-Wise), in His statements and actions.