The Madinan Period, Part 11: The Battle of Uḥud, Part Three
Section 8 of 14 · The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Madinan Period
The Ayāt That Answered the Rumour
Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, revealed verses talking about this incident — the hypocrites saying that the Muslims should not go out and fight, and the confidence the Muslims had in victory. Verses 172 to 175 of Sūrat Āl ʿImrān say:
ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَجَابُوا۟ لِلَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَآ أَصَابَهُمُ ٱلْقَرْحُ ۚ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا۟ لَكُمْ فَٱخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَـٰنًا وَقَالُوا۟ حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ فَٱنقَلَبُوا۟ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ لَّمْ يَمْسَسْهُمْ سُوٓءٌ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ رِضْوَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَظِيمٍ إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَآءَهُۥ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمْ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
“Those who responded to the call of Allah and the Messenger, even after they had received the wound, for those of them who did good deeds and feared Allah there is a great reward - (that is) those to whom people said, “The people have gathered against you; so, fear them.” It increased them in Faith and they said, “Allah is fully sufficient for us, and the best One in whom to trust.” So, they returned with bounty from Allah, and grace, with no evil having even touched them, and submitted to the pleasure of Allah. Allah is the Lord of great bounty. It is none but Satan who frightens (you) of his friends. So, do not fear them; but fear Me, if you are believers.” (3:172–175)
So the true believers, in front of these rumours — which were spread by Satan and the hypocrites with the intention of weakening their morale — found these rumours made them stronger instead, and they said, "Ḥasbunā Allāhu wa niʿma al-wakīl: sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs." They did not even fight, and yet they returned with favour from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them, because they pursued the pleasure of Allah. So Shayṭān would come to us and say that the enemy is powerful, the enemy is strong: look at his aircraft, look at his tanks, look at his rockets, look at his weapons, look at the numbers of his army. And Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, says that this is just from Shayṭān, with the purpose of weakening you. But if you say, ḥasbiya Allāhu wa niʿma al-wakīl, and if you depend on Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, Allah will give you victory.