"It is not for a prophet that he should have captives until he has thoroughly subdued [the enemies] in the land," up to His saying: "a great punishment" (Qur'an 8:67-68).
Al-Kalbi said: He means, it was not for any prophet before you, O Muhammad, to have captives until he has thoroughly subdued the land. "You desire the transient goods of this world, while Allah desires the Hereafter." This was concerning the captives of Badr. He says: You took the ransom from the captives in the very first battle against the polytheists before you had thoroughly subdued the land.
Al-Hasan said: Nothing had been revealed to the Prophet regarding that, so he consulted the Muslims, and they were unanimous in their opinion to accept the ransom. Muhammad [Ibn Abi Zamanin] said: Al-ithkhan (thorough subduing) in something means the strength of it, and the meaning of "he has thoroughly subdued the land" is that he becomes firmly established.
﴿مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الأَرْضِ﴾ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: ﴿عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾.
قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: يَقُولُ:
مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ قَبْلَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ أَسْرَى حَتَّى يُثْخِنَ فِي الأَرْضِ ﴿تُرِيدُونَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَالله يُرِيد الْآخِرَة﴾ كَانَ هَذَا فِي أَسْرَى بَدْرٍ، يَقُولُ: فَأَخَذْتُمُ الْفِدَاءَ مِنَ الأَسْرَى فِي أَوْلِ وَقْعَةٍ كَانَتْ فِي الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُثْخِنُوا فِي الأَرْضِ.
قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: وَلَمْ يَكُنْ أُوحِيَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ فِي ذَلِكَ شَيْءٌ؛ فَاسْتَشَارَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، فَأَجْمَعُوا رَأْيَهُمْ عَلَى قَبُولِ الْفِدَاءِ. قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: الإِثْخَانُ فِي الشَّيْءِ (قُوَّةُ) الشَّيْءِ، وَمَعْنَى يُثْخِنَ فِي الأَرْضِ أَي يتَمَكَّن.
