“Fighting has been prescribed for you,” meaning: it has been made obligatory upon you, “and it is hateful to you. But it may be that you hate a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you.” Al-Kalbi said: This was when Jihad became an obligation. “And Allah knows, while you do not know.” Al-Kalbi said: He knew that there would be among them those who would fight in the cause of Allah and be martyred.
Muhammad said: “Hateful to you” means: a hardship for you, not that the believers hate an obligation. It is said: “karihtu ash-shay’a karhan wa kurhan wa karahatan” (I disliked the thing with dislike). The reading is “kurh” (with a damma); its interpretation is: that which is of a hateful nature to you.
﴿كتب عَلَيْكُم الْقِتَال﴾ أَي: فرض عَلَيْكُم ﴿وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ﴾ قَالَ الْكَلْبِيّ: (ل ٢٩) كَانَ هَذَا حِين كَانَ الْجِهَاد فَرِيضَة (وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تعلمُونَ﴾ قَالَ الْكَلْبِيّ: علم أَنه سَيكون فيهم من يُقَاتل فِي سَبِيل اللَّه، فيستشهد.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: ﴿كُرْهٌ لكم﴾ مَعْنَاهُ: مشقة لكم، لَا أَن الْمُؤمنِينَ يكْرهُونَ فرض؛ وَيُقَال: كرهت الشَّيْء كَرها وكُرها وَكَرَاهَة. وَالْقِرَاءَة: ((كره)) بِالضَّمِّ؛ وتأويله: ذُو كره لكم.
