"Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?" Al-Hasan's interpretation: Do they not see that every time the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sent an expedition to a land, he became victorious over it and defeated its people? He says: We are reducing it by that, land after land.
Muhammad said: The meaning is as if He is reducing what the polytheists possess.
"And Allah decides; there is no adjuster of His decision," meaning: of His will.
Muhammad said: The root of 'ta'qib' (adjusting/reversing) in the language is turning back and returning, so it is as if He said:
﴿أَو لم يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَأْتِي الأَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا من أطرافها﴾ تَفْسِيرُ الْحَسَنِ: أَفَلا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ عليه السلام كُلَّمَا بَعَثَ إِلَى أَرْضٍ ظَهَرَ عَلَيْهَا وَغَلَبَ أَهْلُهَا؛ يَقُولُ: نَنْقُصُهَا بِذَلِكَ أَرْضًا فَأَرْضًا.
قَالَ محمدٌ: الْمَعْنَى: كَأَنَّهُ يَنْقُصُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِمَّا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ.
﴿وَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لحكمه﴾ أَيْ: لإِرَادَتِهِ.
قَالَ محمدٌ: أَصْلُ التَّعْقِيبِ فِي اللُّغَةِ: الْكَرُّ وَالرُّجُوعُ، فَكَأَنَّهُ قَالَ:
