"And they say, 'If we were to follow the guidance with you,'" meaning: the monotheism, "'we would be swept from our land,'" due to our small numbers amidst the multitude of the Arabs. For it is only our adherence to their religion that wards off war from us; if we were to believe in you and follow you, we fear that the people would snatch us away. Allah said to the Prophet: "'Have We not established for them a safe sanctuary?'" [to the end of] the verse. He says: They have been in My sanctuary, eating My provision and worshipping other than Me while they were safe, yet they fear that if they believe, I will unleash upon them those who will kill them and take them captive?! I would not do that. "'But most of them do not know,'" meaning: those among them who do not believe.
﴿وَقَالُوا إِنْ نَتَّبِعِ الْهُدَى مَعَكَ﴾ يَعْنِي: التَّوْحِيدَ ﴿نُتَخَطَّفْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا﴾ لِقِلَّتِنَا فِي كَثْرَةِ الْعَرَبِ، وِإِنَّمَا يَنْفِي الْحَرْبَ عَنَّا أَنَّا عَلَى دِينِهِمْ؛ فَإِنْ آمَنَّا بِكَ وَاتَّبَعْنَاكَ خَشِينَا أَنْ يَتَخَطَّفَنَا النَّاسُ؛ قَالَ الله للنَّبِي: ﴿أَو لَو نمكن لَهُم حرما آمنا﴾ الْآيَةُ. يَقُولُ: قَدْ كَانُوا فِي حَرَمِي يَأْكُلُونَ رِزْقِي وَيَعْبُدُونَ غَيْرِي وَهُمْ آمِنُونَ، فَيَخَافُونَ إِنْ آمَنُوا أَنْ أُسَلِّطَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَنْ يَقْتُلُهُمْ وَيَسْبِيهِمْ؟! مَا كُنْتُ لِأَفْعَلَ ﴿وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرهم لَا يعلمُونَ﴾ يَعْنِي: من لم يُؤمن مِنْهُم
