Quran Garden

Session 468

Chapter 3

Verse 140

If a wound has touched you, then a similar wound touched the others.  Such are the days – We deal them out in turns among people so that God may know those who believe and select from among you witnesses to the truth; – God does not love the wrongdoers. 

(Chapter 3: Verse 140)

In this verse, God talks about two battles: Badr and Uhud.  The word "touch," translated from the Arabic المس (Al Mass), means a gentle and brief link between two objects. 

Let's consider the phrase, "If a wound has touched you, then a similar wound touched the others." When you hear:  if such happens...then such will occur in a sentence, it is usually a conditional statement.  A specific condition has to be met first; then, a particular result will happen.  For example, we tell a student, "If you study hard, then you will pass the exam." 

Does this apply to "If a wound has touched you, then a similar wound touched the others"?  No, it does not.  The disbeliever's defeat in Badr did not result from the Muslim's setback in Uhud.   The battle of Uhud, after all, happened a year after Badr.  So this is not a conditional statement but a comforting gesture from the Almighty to the Muslims.  He is telling them that the setback in Uhud should not demoralize them, for they will overcome this and be better and stronger.  We say to a team that just lost a game, "don't be down on yourselves!  Remember how badly you beat them a few weeks ago?  Now get up and focus on the future."

The verse continues with a general rule of life, "Such are the days – We deal them out in turns among people." Allah is talking about victory and defeat; as one side enjoys success one day, it may suffer a setback the next.  Here, it is worth remembering that unlike in Badr, where the disbelievers were resoundingly defeated, the battle of Uhud was neither a victory nor a defeat for either side.  How, you may ask?  We answer that in Uhud, neither side gained territory, captured anyone, took spoils, or remained on the battlefield.   

Take note that Allah says, "Such are the days – We deal them out in turns among people," and did not say, 'Such are the days – We deal them out in turns among the believers and disbelievers.'  This is because the disbelievers did not beat the believers; They defeated the archers who left their position against God's Messenger's instructions.  Had the Muslims stayed on the path, they would never have suffered a setback.  God says in aya 139 of Al Imran,

if you are true believers, you have the upper hand

And in another chapter,

Our word has already been given to Our servants, the messengers: it is they who will be helped, and that surely Our soldiers, they are certainly the victors. (37:171-173)

In the verse under study, the word "days" does not carry the literal meaning of a 24hr period of day and night.  Instead, it means the longer periods of the rise and fall of powers.  And such days would never have swung to the side of Quraysh had the Muslim archers obeyed the commands of our beloved Muhammad.  By violating his orders, they became ordinary men facing the superior army of Quraysh under the leadership of Khalid ibn Al Waleed.  When man's genius competes against man's genius, the best will win.  However, no human can overcome a group attached to the Lord.  We ask, why didn't the superior force of Quraysh or Khalid's brilliance appear in the battle of the Trench?  Because the Muslims had God's support, whereas in Uhud, they lost the divine intervention halfway through the battle.   

We have mentioned the following example before, but it is worth repeating.  When a child is in his father's company, school bullies do not dare come close and bother him.  But, if he goes to the playground alone, he becomes vulnerable.  This is why you should always be in God's company and never leave His side because as soon as you indulge in sin, you, too, will become vulnerable.  

This concept extends to humanity as a whole.  When you study the Quran, you will note that every mention of 'people' or 'humanity' away from God's path is full of bad news.  Listen to the following verses,

By the declining day!  The human is certainly in loss, except for those who believe, do good deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one another to steadfastness.  (Chapter 103)

And in another chapter,

Surely, the human has been created with a restless, impatient disposition.  He is fretful when evil visits him and tight-fisted when good fortune comes his way.  Except those who are devoted to the Prayer. (70:19-22)

So every time humans are mentioned, they are in bad shape.  Is there anything that can save them?  Of course: Adhering to the truth and staying firm on God's path.