were at its lower side. {And the caravan was lower than you}. Al-Kalbi said: This means Abu Sufyan and the caravan. Abu Sufyan and the caravan were at the lower part of the valley—it is claimed by three miles—on the coastal road. The polytheists did not know the location of their caravan, and the people of the caravan did not know the location of the polytheists.
Muhammad said: The reading {asfala} (lower) is in the accusative case (nasb), meaning: the caravan was in a location lower than you.
{And if you had made an appointment}—you and the polytheists—{you would have differed over the appointment. But [it was so] that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined}, meaning: in it was your victory and the favor upon you, {so that those who perished would perish upon evidence and those who lived would live upon evidence}, meaning: after the proof.
Surah Al-Anfal from verse (43) to verse (45).
بأسفله ﴿والركب أَسْفَل مِنْكُم﴾ قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: يَعْنِي: أَبَا سُفْيَانَ وَالْعِيرَ؛ كَانَ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ وَالْعِيرُ أَسْفَلَ مِنَ الْوَادِي - زَعَمُوا بِثَلاثَةِ أَمْيَالٍ - فِي طَرِيقِ السَّاحِلِ لَا يَعْلَمُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ مَكَانَ عِيرِهِمْ، وَلا يَعْلَمُ أَصْحَابُ الْعِيرِ مَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: الْقِرَاءَة (أَسْفَل) بِالنّصب؛ على معنى: والراكب مَكَانًا أَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْ.
﴿وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدْتُمْ﴾ أَنْتُمْ وَالْمُشْرِكُونَ ﴿لاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِي الْمِيعَادِ وَلَكِنْ لِيَقْضِيَ اللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولا﴾ أَيْ: فِيهِ نَصْرُكُمْ، وَالنِّعْمَةُ عَلَيْكُمْ ﴿لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ وَيَحْيَى مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ﴾ يَعْنِي: بعد الْحجَّة.
سُورَة الْأَنْفَال من الْآيَة (٤٣) إِلَى الْآيَة (٤٥).
