Shafaqna – Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:123-127)
By: Mohammad Sobhanie
The Battle of Uhud-Part (2)
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ ۖ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ﴿١٢٣﴾ إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَلَن يَكْفِيَكُمْ أَن يُمِدَّكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِثَلَاثَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُنزَلِينَ ﴿١٢٤﴾ بَلَىٰ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِهِمْ هَٰذَا يُمْدِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُم بِخَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مُسَوِّمِينَ ﴿١٢٥﴾ وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَىٰ لَكُمْ وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُكُم بِهِ ۗ وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ ﴿١٢٦﴾ لِيَقْطَعَ طَرَفًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْ يَكْبِتَهُمْ فَيَنقَلِبُوا خَائِبِينَ ﴿١٢٧﴾
3:123 And already had Allah assisted you at (the Battle of) Badr (by granting you victory) while you were few in number. Therefore, observe your duty to Allah so that you may be grateful.
3:124 (Recall) when you (the Prophet) said to the believers, “Is it not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down?”
3:125 Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and (if) the enemy comes upon you (attacking) in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks (of distinction).
3.126 And Allah made it (the descension of the Angels) not except as (a sign of) good tidings for you and to reassure your hearts thereby. And victory is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise —
3.127 That He might cut down a section of the disbelievers or suppress them so that they turn back disappointed.
Commentary: At the Battle of Uhud, the Quraysh mistakenly believed they had killed the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Thinking that their honor had been restored by avenging their losses in the Battle of Badr, they began their return to Mecca. Along the way, however, they regretted leaving their victory incomplete and decided to return to Medina. Their aim was to plunder the city, crush the Muslims, and kill Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) if he was still alive. They believed this would free them from Islam and its followers once and for all. Accordingly, the order to return to Medina was issued.
This marked the most dangerous phase of the Battle of Uhud. The Muslims had lost many fighters, suffered numerous wounds, and their remaining forces struggled with low morale. Meanwhile, the Quraysh, emboldened by their victory, prepared to resume the fight.
At this critical juncture, the above verses were revealed, urging the Muslim army to pursue the Quraysh before they could reorganize and mount another attack.
In direct response to this divine guidance, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) ordered the army to march toward the polytheists, even calling upon those who were seriously wounded. Ali (a.s.), for example, despite his more than sixty wounds, prepared himself to fight again.
This news reached the leaders of Quraysh, who were greatly alarmed by the Muslims’ remarkable resolve. They speculated that a new group of Muslims from Medina might have joined them, and that a renewed encounter could change the outcome of the war. Therefore, they chose to preserve their victory and return to Mecca. In the following sections, a brief commentary on these verses will be presented.
Verses 3:123 and 3:124 together strengthen the morale of the Muslim army by recalling their remarkable victory at the Battle of Badr and emphasizing the divine support they received. Verse 3:123 states, “And Allah had already assisted you at the Battle of Badr (granting you victory) while you were few in number (وَلَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ بِبَدْرٍ وَأَنتُمْ أَذِلَّةٌ),” concluding with the phrase, “So fear Allah (فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ), that you may be grateful (لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ)”
Verse 3:124 builds on this recollection by reminding the believers of the divine help they received when the Prophet said (إِذْ تَقُولُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ), “Is it not sufficient (help) for you (أَلَن يَكْفِيَكُمْ) that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels (أَن يُمِدَّكُمْ رَبُّكُم), sent down (مُنزَلِينَ)?”
The phrase “So fear Allah” (فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ) may refer to following the Prophet’s command to march toward the Quraysh army and serves as a reminder of the expectation of faith and obedience when divine help is granted.
In the Battle of Badr, the Muslim army consisted of 313 men, a few horses, and about 70 camels. They defeated the polytheists’ army of approximately 1,000 men, which had around 100 horses and 700 camels. Building on the significance of this victory, verse 3:125 boosts the morale of the believers and strengthens their resolve by stating, “Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah (بَلَىٰ ۚ إِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا), and if the enemy comes upon you in a sudden and intense rush (وَيَأْتُوكُم مِّن فَوْرِهِمْ هَٰذَا), your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels (بِخَمْسَةِ آلَافٍ مِّنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ), marked (for distinction) (مُسَوِّمِينَ).”
The word Musawwimīn (مُسَوِّمِينَ) is generally translated as “marked” or “designated.” It implies that the angels were either distinguished by a specific appearance for recognition or specially designated for participation in battle.
The word fawrihim (فَوْرِهِمْ) refers to the sudden, immediate, and intense onset of the enemy’s attack during battle.
Verse 3:126 reminds the believers that victory comes only from Allah (swt), the Mighty and the Wise, and that the angels are merely bearers of good tidings meant to instill confidence in the hearts of the believers. The verse reads, “And Allah made it only as good tidings for you (وَمَا جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بُشْرَىٰ لَكُمْ) and to reassure your hearts thereby (وَلِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُكُم بِهِ). And victory is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise (وَمَا النَّصْرُ إِلَّا مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ).”
Verse 3:127 highlights that Allah’s help serves to weaken the disbelievers—by cutting down a portion of them through killing or capture (لِيَقْطَعَ طَرَفًا) and disgracing them through defeat (يَكْبِتَهُمْ), so that they turn back without hope of future victory (فَيَنقَلِبُوا خَائِبِينَ). The verse reads: “That He might cut down a section of the disbelievers (لِيَقْطَعَ طَرَفًا) or disgrace them (يَكْبِتَهُمْ), so that they turn back disappointed (فَيَنقَلِبُوا خَائِبِينَ).”
In verse 3:127, the word yakbitahum (يَكْبِتَهُمْ) means “to humiliate them,” “to subdue them,” “to bring them low,” or “to suppress them.” It refers to God weakening the disbelievers and causing them to fall into a state of frustrated despair, disappointment, or even destruction after their plans fail.
The Battle of Uhud-Part (3): Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:128-129)