Overview (Verses 36 - 38)

Separating the Good from the Bad
 
It is a common characteristic of unbelievers that they spend their money to cooperate in turning people away from God’s path. This they did on the day of the Battle of Badr. They did the same thing again after Badr to prepare for the next battle. God warns them that their purpose will be foiled and that they will come to rue the loss of their money. He promises them defeat in this life and the punishment of hell in the life to come: “The unbelievers spend their riches in order to turn people away from the path of God. They will go on spending them, and then this will become a source of intense regret for them; and then they shall be defeated. The unbelievers shall into hell be driven. God will separate the bad from the good. The bad He will place one upon another, so He may heap them all up together, and then cast them into hell. Those indeed are the losers.” (Verses 36-37)
 
Muĥammad ibn Isĥāq and others report: When the Quraysh suffered their major setback at the Battle of Badr, and their defeated army arrived back in Makkah, Abū Sufyān and his trade caravan had already returned there. ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabī`ah, `Ikrimah ibn Abī Jahl, Şafwān ibn Umayyah and a number of other people from the Quraysh who suffered the loss of their fathers, brothers or sons at Badr went to Abū Sufyān and his fellow merchants who had major shares in that trade caravan. They said to them: `Elders of the Quraysh, Muĥammad has levelled a heavy blow on you and killed a number of the best people among you. Help us to fight him by donating this money to the war effort. This may enable us to secure revenge against him. All of them agreed. It is in comment on their action that God revealed this Qur’ānic verse: “The unbelievers spend their riches in order to turn people away from the path of God. They will go on spending them, and then this will become a source of intense regret for them; and then they shall be defeated.” (Verse 36)
 
What happened before and after Badr was only an example of this continuous effort by the enemies of this faith. They spend their money, concentrate their efforts and use all their ability to turn people away from the path of God. They set up obstacles to impede the progress of this religion and to suppress the Muslim community everywhere and at all times. This war against Islam will not cease. Hostile forces will not leave this religion of Islam alone. They will not allow its advocates any time of peace and security. Hence, the method of this religion is to move forward to attack jāhiliyyah. It is the duty of its advocates to take pre-emptive measures to smash the ability of jāhiliyyah to wage aggression, and then to raise God’s banner high, immune from attacks by its enemies.
 
God warns those unbelievers who spend their money to turn people away from His path that they will come to rue their actions. They allocate their resources for a futile purpose. They will eventually be defeated and the truth will be triumphant. They will suffer the fate of hell, where they will taste the greatest regret. All this has the purpose outlined in the following statement: “God will separate the bad from the good. The bad He will place one upon another, so He may heap them all up together, and then cast them into hell. Those indeed are the losers.” (Verse 37) But how will this come about?
 
The money and other resources that are so allocated enable evil to sustain its aggression. The truth counters such aggression with a determined struggle, i.e. jihād, and moves to smash the ability of evil and falsehood to sustain their aggression. In this hard fought battle, natures crystallize and the truth is separated from the evil, as are the advocates and supporters of each side. Indeed, such separation takes place even within the ranks that initially join the side of the truth, and this before it begins to endure trials and hardship. Those who are firm believers, determined fighters and unwavering in their support of the truth are distinguished. These deserve to be granted victory by God, because they are well able to undertake the trust of its message. They will not abandon it under any circumstances, no matter what pressures and trials they are made to endure.
 
At this stage, God groups all the evil ones together and casts them into hell, where they suffer the greatest loss. The Qur’ānic expression shows evil as a sizeable mass, as if it is nothing more than a huge heap of dirt which is cast in hell with little regard: “The bad He will place one upon another, so He may heap them all up together, and then cast them into hell.” (Verse 37) This image gives the expression a stronger impact on our minds, as is always the case with Qur’ānic imagery.
 
With this clear outline of the destiny of heaped evil and allied falsehood, the sūrah directs the Prophet to issue a final warning to the unbelievers. The Muslim front is also commanded to fight until there is no more oppression on earth and human beings are all free to submit to God alone. The Muslim fighters are reassured that they receive support from God, their protector. Hence, they will not be overcome by any force or devious ploy.
 
Say to the unbelievers that if they desist, all that is past shall be forgiven them; but if they persist [in their erring ways], let them remember what happened to the like of them in former times. Fight them until there is no more oppression, and all submission is made to God alone. If they desist, God is certainly aware of all they do. But if they turn away, know that God is your Lord Supreme. How splendid is this Lord Supreme, and how splendid is this giver of support. (Verses 38-40)
 
The Prophet is ordered to make it clear to the unbelievers that they have an open chance to mend their ways, to stop forming alliances against Islam and its advocates, and allocating resources to turn people away from God’s path. The way is open to them to turn to God in repentance. If they do, God promises to forgive them all their past actions. The adoption of Islam waives all that a person has done in his past. He is just as innocent as a new-born child. But if they revert to their erring ways and continue with their aggression and rejection of the faith, then the laws God has set in operation in the universe will have their effect. These laws brought God’s punishment on the unbelievers of the past after they were warned and given clear proof of the truth. It is also God’s law to grant victory to the believers and to establish them in a position of power. This law will never fail. The unbelievers may make their choice now that they are at the crossroads. Thus the address to the unbelievers is concluded.