Allah said,

﴿ط£ظژظˆظژ ظ„ظژظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ط£ظژطµظژظ€ط¨ظژطھظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظڈطµظگظٹط¨ظژط©ظŒ﴾

(When a single disaster smites you), in reference to when the Muslims suffered seventy fatalities during the battle of Uhud,

﴿ظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ط£ظژطµظژط¨ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظگط«ظ’ظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظژط§﴾

(although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great,) during Badr, when the Muslims killed seventy Mushriks and captured seventy others,

﴿ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ‰ ظ‡ظژظ€ط°ظژط§﴾

(you say: "From where does this come to us'') why did this defeat happen to us

﴿ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظگ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ظپظڈط³ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(Say, "It is from yourselves.'') Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "When Uhud occurred, a year after Badr, Muslims were punished for taking ransom from the disbelievers at Badr ﴿in return for releasing the Mushriks whom they captured in that battle﴾. Thus, they suffered the loss of seventy fatalities and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah gave flight and abandoned him. The Messenger suffered a broken tooth, the helmet was smashed on his head and blood flowed onto his face. Allah then revealed,

﴿ط£ظژظˆظژ ظ„ظژظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ط£ظژطµظژظ€ط¨ظژطھظ’ظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظڈطµظگظٹط¨ظژط©ظŒ ظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ط£ظژطµظژط¨ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظگط«ظ’ظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظژط§ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’طھظڈظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژظ‰ ظ‡ظژظ€ط°ظژط§ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظگ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ظپظڈط³ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us'' Say, "It is from yourselves''.), because you took the ransom.'' Furthermore, Muhammad bin Ishaq, Ibn Jurayj, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said that the Ayah,

﴿ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ظ‡ظڈظˆظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظگ ط£ظژظ†ظ’ظپظڈط³ظگظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(Say, "It is from yourselves.'') means, because you, the archers, disobeyed the Messenger's command to not abandon your positions.

﴿ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظ‰ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظگ ط´ظژظ‰ظ’ط،ظچ ظ‚ظژط¯ظگظٹط±ظŒ﴾

(And Allah has power over all things.) and He does what He wills and decides what He wills, and there is none who can resist His decision.

Allah then said,

﴿ظˆظژظ…ظژط¢ ط£ظژطµظژظ€ط¨ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’طھظژظ‚ظژظ‰ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¬ظژظ…ظ’ط¹ظژط§ظ†ظگ ظپظژط¨ظگط¥ظگط°ظ’ظ†ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ﴾

(And what you suffered on the day the two armies met, was by the leave of Allah), for when you ran away from your enemy, who killed many of you and injured many others, all this occurred by Allah's will and decree out of His perfect wisdom,

﴿ظˆظژظ„ظگظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾

(in order that He might test the believers.) who were patient, firm and were not shaken,

﴿ظˆظژظ„ظگظٹظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظ†ظژط§ظپظژظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظˆظژظ‚ظگظٹظ„ظژ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ طھظژط¹ظژط§ظ„ظژظˆظ’ط§ظ’ ظ‚ظژط§طھظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظپظگظ‰ ط³ظژط¨ظگظٹظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط£ظژظˆظگ ط§ط¯ظ’ظپظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظژظˆظ’ ظ†ظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈ ظ‚ظگطھظژط§ظ„ط§ظ‹ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژطھظ‘ظژط¨ظژط¹ظ’ظ†ظژظ€ظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

(And that He might test the hypocrites, it was said to them: "Come, fight in the way of Allah or defend yourselves.'' They said: "Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you.'') ﴿3:167﴾,

This refers to the Companions of `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul who went back (to Al-Madinah) with him before the battle. Some believers followed them and encouraged them to come back and fight, saying,

﴿ط£ظژظˆظگ ط§ط¯ظ’ظپظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’﴾

(or defend), so that the number of Muslims increases, as Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Salih, Al-Hasan and As-Suddi stated. Al-Hasan bin Salih said that this part of the Ayah means, help by supplicating for us, while others said it means, man the posts. However, they refused, saying,

﴿ظ„ظژظˆظ’ ظ†ظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈ ظ‚ظگطھظژط§ظ„ط§ظ‹ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژطھظ‘ظژط¨ظژط¹ظ’ظ†ظژظ€ظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

("Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you.'') meaning, according to Mujahid, if we knew that you would fight today, we would join you, but we think you will not fight. Allah said,

﴿ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظگظ„ظ’ظƒظڈظپظ’ط±ظگ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژط¦ظگط°ظچ ط£ظژظ‚ظ’ط±ظژط¨ظڈ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظگظ„ط¥ظگظٹظ…ظژظ€ظ†ظگ﴾

(They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to faith,)

This Ayah indicates that a person passes through various stages, sometimes being closer to Kufr and sometimes closer to faith, as evident by,

﴿ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظگظ„ظ’ظƒظڈظپظ’ط±ظگ ظٹظژظˆظ’ظ…ظژط¦ظگط°ظچ ط£ظژظ‚ظ’ط±ظژط¨ظڈ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظ„ظگظ„ط¥ظگظٹظ…ظژظ€ظ†ظگ﴾

(They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to faith,)

Allah then said,

﴿ظٹظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ„ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط£ظژظپظ’ظˆظژظ‡ظگظ‡ظگظ… ظ…ظ‘ظژط§ ظ„ظژظٹظ’ط³ظژ ظپظگظ‰ ظ‚ظڈظ„ظڈظˆط¨ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’﴾

(saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts.) for they utter what they do not truly believe in, such as,

﴿ظ„ظژظˆظ’ ظ†ظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈ ظ‚ظگطھظژط§ظ„ط§ظ‹ ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژطھظ‘ظژط¨ظژط¹ظ’ظ†ظژظ€ظƒظڈظ…ظ’﴾

("Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you.'')

They knew that there was an army of idolators that came from a far land raging against the Muslims, to avenge their noble men whom the Muslims killed in Badr. These idolators came in larger numbers than the Muslims, so it was clear that a battle will certainly occur. Allah said;

﴿ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط£ظژط¹ظ’ظ„ظژظ…ظڈ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط§ ظٹظژظƒظ’طھظڈظ…ظڈظˆظ†ظژ﴾

(And Allah has full knowledge of what they conceal.)

﴿ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ط¥ظگط®ظ’ظˆظژظ†ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ‚ظژط¹ظژط¯ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظژظˆظ’ ط£ظژط·ظژط§ط¹ظڈظˆظ†ظژط§ ظ…ظژط§ ظ‚ظڈطھظگظ„ظڈظˆط§﴾

((They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed.'') had they listened to our advice and not gone out, they would not have met their demise. Allah said,

﴿ظ‚ظڈظ„ظ’ ظپظژط§ط¯ظ’ط±ظژط،ظڈظˆط§ ط¹ظژظ†ظ’ ط£ظژظ†ظپظڈط³ظگظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظژظˆظ’طھظژ ط¥ظگظ† ظƒظڈظ†طھظڈظ…ظ’ طµظژظ€ط¯ظگظ‚ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾

(Say: "Avert death from your own selves, if you speak the truth.'') meaning, if staying at home saves one from being killed or from death, then you should not die. However death will come to you even if you were hiding in fortified castles. Therefore, fend death off of yourselves, if you are right.

Mujahid said that Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "This Ayah ﴿3:168﴾ was revealed about `Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul (the chief hypocrite).''

﴿ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ طھظژط­ظ’ط³ظژط¨ظژظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظ‚ظڈطھظگظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظپظگظ‰ ط³ظژط¨ظگظٹظ„ظگ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط£ظژظ…ظ’ظˆظژطھط§ظ‹ ط¨ظژظ„ظ’ ط£ظژط­ظ’ظٹظژط§ط،ظŒ ط¹ظگظ†ط¯ظژ ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ظٹظڈط±ظ’ط²ظژظ‚ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ظپظژط±ظگط­ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ…ظژط¢ ط،ظژط§طھظژظ€ظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظ…ظگظ† ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظگظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط¨ظ’ط´ظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظ„ظژظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ‚ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¨ظگظ‡ظگظ… ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظ’ ط®ظژظ„ظ’ظپظگظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ط£ظژظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط®ظژظˆظ’ظپظŒ ط¹ظژظ„ظژظٹظ’ظ‡ظگظ…ظ’ ظˆظژظ„ط§ظژ ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظٹظژط­ظ’ط²ظژظ†ظڈظˆظ†ظژ - ظٹظژط³ظ’طھظژط¨ظ’ط´ظگط±ظڈظˆظ†ظژ ط¨ظگظ†ظگط¹ظ’ظ…ظژط©ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظچ ظˆظژط£ظژظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظژ ظ„ط§ظژ ظٹظڈط¶ظگظٹط¹ظڈ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگظٹظ†ظژ - ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط§ط³ظ’طھظژط¬ظژط§ط¨ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظگظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ط±ظ‘ظژط³ظڈظˆظ„ظگ ظ…ظگظ† ط¨ظژط¹ظ’ط¯ظگ ظ…ظژط¢ ط£ظژطµظژظ€ط¨ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ‚ظژط±ظ’ط­ظڈ ظ„ظگظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ط£ظژط­ظ’ط³ظژظ†ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط§طھظ‘ظژظ‚ظژظˆظ’ط§ظ’ ط£ظژط¬ظ’ط±ظŒ ط¹ظژط¸ظگظٹظ…ظŒ - ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظٹظ†ظژ ظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظژ ظ„ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظڈ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط§ط³ظژ ظ‚ظژط¯ظ’ ط¬ظژظ…ظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ظ„ظژظƒظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظژط§ط®ظ’ط´ظژظˆظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظپظژط²ظژط§ط¯ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظٹظ…ظژظ€ظ†ط§ظ‹ ظˆظژظ‚ظژط§ظ„ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط­ظژط³ظ’ط¨ظڈظ†ظژط§ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژظ†ظگط¹ظ’ظ…ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظˆظژظƒظگظٹظ„ظڈ - ظپظژط§ظ†ظ’ظ‚ظژظ„ظژط¨ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط¨ظگظ†ظگط¹ظ’ظ…ظژط©ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظچ ظ„ظ‘ظژظ…ظ’ ظٹظژظ…ظ’ط³ظژط³ظ’ظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط³ظڈظˆط،ظŒ ظˆظژط§طھظ‘ظژط¨ظژط¹ظڈظˆط§ظ’ ط±ظگط¶ظ’ظˆظژظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ظˆظژط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈ ط°ظڈظˆ ظپظژط¶ظ’ظ„ظچ ط¹ظژط¸ظگظٹظ…ظچ - ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظ…ظژط§ ط°ظژظ„ظگظƒظڈظ…ظڈ ط§ظ„ط´ظ‘ظژظٹظ’ط·ظژظ€ظ†ظڈ ظٹظڈط®ظژظˆظ‘ظگظپظڈ ط£ظژظˆظ’ظ„ظگظٹظژط§ط،ظژظ‡ظڈ ظپظژظ„ط§ظژ طھظژط®ظژط§ظپظڈظˆظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ظˆظژط®ظژط§ظپظڈظˆظ†ظگ ط¥ظگظ† ظƒظڈظ†طھظڈظ…ظ’ ظ…ظ‘ظڈط¤ظ’ظ…ظگظ†ظگظٹظ†ظژ ﴾

(169. Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.) (170. They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty and rejoice for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve.) (171. They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers.) (172. Those who answered (the Call of) Allah and the Messenger after being wounded; for those of them who did good deeds and feared Allah, there is a great reward.) (173. Those to whom the people said, "Verily, the people have gathered against you, therefore, fear them.'' But it (only) increased them in faith, and they said: "Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.'') (174. So they returned with grace and bounty from Allah. No harm touched them; and they followed the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the Owner of great bounty.) (175. It is only Shaytan that suggests to you the fear of his friends; so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are indeed believers.)