"And when a Book came to them from Allah, confirming what is with them"—meaning: the Torah and the Gospel—"and before that they used to seek victory over those who disbelieved." Qatadah said: The Jews used to seek victory by Muhammad (peace be upon him) over the disbelievers of the Arabs. They used to say: O Allah, bring this Prophet who will kill the Arabs and humiliate them. But when they saw that he was from among others, they envied them and disbelieved in him. Allah the Exalted said: "So the curse of Allah is upon the disbelievers."

Muhammad said: Seeking victory (al-istiftah) here is in the sense of supplication (du'a), and al-futahah also means arbitration (al-hukumah).