"Those who wait and watch about you" are the hypocrites; they used to wait and watch for the Messenger of Allah and the believers. "If there is for you a victory from Allah" meaning aid and spoils of war, "they say, 'Were we not with you?'" "And if there is for the disbelievers a share" meaning a calamity befalling the believers, "they say" to the disbelievers, "'Did we not prevail over you?'" that is, did we not adopt your religion, "'and protect you from the believers?'" meaning those who believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). This means: we were spies for you, bringing you their news and helping you against them; and that used to take place in secret. Allah said: "Allah will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection," placing the believers in Paradise and placing the disbelievers in the Fire. "And never will Allah give the disbelievers over the believers a way," meaning, an argument in the Hereafter.
﴿الَّذين يتربصون بكم﴾ هم المُنَافِقُونَ؛ كَانُوا يتربصون برَسُول الله وَبِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فتح من الله﴾ نصر وغنيمة ﴿قَالُوا أَلَمْ نَكُنْ مَعَكُمْ﴾. ﴿وَإِنْ كَانَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ﴾ نكبة على الْمُؤمنِينَ ﴿قَالُوا﴾ للْكَافِرِينَ. ﴿ألم نستحوذ عَلَيْكُم﴾ أَي: ندين بدينكم ﴿وَنَمْنَعْكُمْ مِنَ الْمُؤمنِينَ﴾ يعنون: من آمن بِمُحَمد ﷺ أَيْ: كُنَّا لكم عيُونا نأتيكم بأخبارهم، ونعينكم عَلَيْهِم؛ وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي السِّرّ. قَالَ الله: ﴿فَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْم الْقِيَامَة﴾ فَيجْعَل الْمُؤمنِينَ فِي الْجنَّة، وَيجْعَل الْكَافرين فِي النَّار. ﴿وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلا﴾ أَي: حجَّة فِي الْآخِرَة.
