18883 - And from Ka'b al-Ahbar that he said: Allah the Almighty says to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): "My servant, the trustworthy, the chosen one, is neither harsh, nor coarse, nor clamorous in the marketplaces, nor does he repay evil with evil; rather, he pardons and forgives. His birthplace is in Makkah, his migration is in Taba (Madinah), his dominion is in al-Sham, and his nation are the 'Hammudun' (those who praise much), who praise Allah in every state and in every situation. They have a humming sound like the humming of bees in the atmosphere of the sky at the time of dawn. They wash their extremities and wear their izars (waist-wrappers) at their mid-sections. Their rank in fighting is like their rank in prayer." Then he recited: "Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His way in a row as if they were a solid structure." They are the shepherds of the sun; they perform prayer wherever it overtakes them, even if it be on the back of an animal. (1)

His saying, the Almighty: "A solid structure"

18884 - From Qatada regarding "as if they were a solid structure": Have you not looked at the builder, how he does not like for his building to be uneven? Likewise, Allah the Almighty does not allow His command to be uneven. Allah has aligned the believers in their fighting and aligned them in their prayer, so hold fast to the command of Allah, for it is a protection for whoever takes hold of it. (2)

18885 - From Muqatil who said: The believers said: "If we knew the most beloved of deeds to Allah, we would perform it." So He guided them to the most beloved of deeds to Him and said: "Indeed, Allah loves those who fight in His way in a row." So it was clarified to them, then they were tested on the day of Uhud with that, and they turned away from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in retreat. So Allah revealed regarding that: "O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?" (3)

18886 - Ali ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us in his book, Zayd ibn al-Mubarak narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Thawr narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, from 'Ata', from Ibn 'Abbas regarding His saying: "as if they were a solid structure," he said: "Fixed, does not move, with each part attached to the other." (4)

His saying, the Almighty: "a transaction"

18887 - From Sa'id ibn Jubayr regarding His saying: "O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction..." (the verse), he said: When it was revealed, the Muslims said: "If we knew what this transaction was, we would give our wealth and our families for it." Then He clarified the transaction to them and said: "You believe in Allah and His Messenger." (5)

18888 - From Qatada regarding "O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction..." (the verse), he said: Had it not been that Allah clarified it and guided to it, the men would have been eager to know it so that they could seek it. Then Allah guided them to it and said: "You believe in Allah and His Messenger..." (the verse). (6)