وَإِذْ غَدَوْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ تُبَوِّئُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَقَـٰعِدَ لِلْقِتَالِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ 121
Translations
And [remember] when you, [O Muḥammad], left your family in the morning to post the believers at their stations for the battle [of Uḥud] - and Allāh is Hearing and Knowing -
Transliteration
Wa-idh ghada-wta min ahlik tubauwwi-u al-mu'minīna maqā-'ida li-l-qitāl; wa-Allāhu samī-'un 'alīm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Battle of Uhud, when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) went out early in the morning from his family to arrange the believers in their positions for battle. The ayah emphasizes that Allah witnessed all the Prophet's preparations and strategic decisions, as He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this as evidence of Allah's awareness of the Prophet's careful military planning and his concern for the believers' safety.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader discussion of the Battle of Uhud (which occurred in 3 AH/625 CE), the second major military engagement between the Muslims and the Quraysh. The surah provides lessons from this battle where the Muslims initially succeeded but suffered a reversal due to some archers abandoning their posts. This particular verse highlights the Prophet's preparation phase before the battle commenced.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (3954) and Sahih Muslim (1777) contain detailed accounts of the Battle of Uhud where the Prophet's tactical arrangements are described. The Sunnah collections also record that the Prophet positioned archers strategically, demonstrating the military prudence mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that righteous leaders must carefully plan and prepare for challenges while maintaining trust in Allah's complete knowledge and oversight. It reminds us that meticulous preparation combined with reliance on Allah (tawakkul) is the Islamic approach to facing difficulties.
Related Ayahs
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا۟ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
And establish prayer and give zakāh, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allāh. Indeed Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَـٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَـٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمْ ۙ إِن فِى صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَّا هُم بِبَـٰلِغِيهِ ۚ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
Indeed, those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh without [any] evidence having come to them - there is not within their breasts except pride, [the extent of] which they cannot reach. So seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Seeing.
وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا ٱلْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنكُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا ٱلْمُسْتَـْٔخِرِينَ
And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].
رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِى وَمَا نُعْلِنُ ۗ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ
Our Lord, indeed You know what we conceal and what we declare, and nothing is hidden from Allāh on the earth or in the heaven.