"O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah"—and of Muhammad, through fighting for His religion—"as Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples," who are the elect of the prophets, "'Who are my supporters for Allah?" meaning, alongside Allah.
"And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved." So the believing faction fought the disbelieving faction, "and We supported"—meaning We aided—"those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant" over them, having triumphed over them.
Muhammad [Ibn Abi Zamanin] said: The word "al-hawariyyun" (the disciples) originates from "al-tahwir" regarding garments and other things, which is whitening. You say: "hawwartu al-thawb" (I washed and whitened the garment). "Ihwarat al-qidr" means the meat within the pot turned white before it was cooked. "Al-hawra" also comes from this, and it refers to a woman who is extremely white. The "huwwara" bread is also from this, because it is pure, white, and clean. It is as if the "hawari" (disciple) among people is one who is clear of faults, pure in his religion, and clean. And Allah knows best.
﴿يَا أَيهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا أَنْصَارَ اللَّهِ﴾ ولمحمدٍ بِالْقِتَالِ على دينه ﴿كَمَا قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ﴾ وهم أصفياء الْأَنْبِيَاء ﴿مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى الله﴾ أَي مَعَ اللَّه.
﴿فَآمَنَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَكَفَرَتْ طَائِفَةٌ﴾ فقاتلت الطائفةُ المؤمنة الطَّائِفَة الْكَافِرَة ﴿فأيدنا﴾ أعنا ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَى عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبحُوا ظَاهِرين﴾ عَلَيْهِم قد ظفروا بهم.
قَالَ مُحَمَّد: (الحواريون) أصل الْكَلِمَة من التحوير للثياب وَغَيرهَا وَهُوَ التّبْييضُ، تَقول: حوَّرتُ الثَّوْب، أَي: غسلته وبيضته، واحْوَرَّت القِدْرُ ابيضَّ لَحمهَا قبل أَن ينضج، والحَوْرَاء من هَذَا أَيْضا وَهِي الشَّدِيدَة الْبيَاض، وخبز الحُوَّارَى هُوَ من هَذَا؛ لِأَنَّهُ خالصٌ أَبيض نقيٌّ، فَكَأَن الحَوَارِيَّ من النَّاس الصافي من العُيوب الْخَالِص فِي دينه النقي، وَالله أعلم.
