(147) وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلا أَنْ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

(148) فَآتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ الآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

Meaning: "How many of the prophets fought (in Allah's way), and with them (fought) Large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah Loves those who are firm and steadfast." (146) "All that they said was: 'Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty: Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith.'" (147) "And Allah gave them a reward in this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For Allah Loves those who do good." (148)

Sayyid Quthub rahimahullah, when analyzing the above verses said, "The defeat at the battle of Uhud was the first defeat experienced by the Muslims. Before that, Allah had given them victory at the battle of Badar. As if it was already firmly entrenched in their souls that victory in every war had already become a fixed law of nature. Due to that, when they suffered defeat at the battle of Uhud, they were bedeviled in facing the various trials, as if they had never imagined it before."

Maybe this is why the battle of Uhud is discussed at length in the Qur'an. The narrative flows in such a way that sometimes it is in the form of mercy for the Muslims, sometimes negation, sometimes reassurance, sometimes by giving examples and sometimes in the form of tarbiyah for their souls, streamlining their perspective and as an exercise for them to face the future. Because the road ahead was very long. The events that they would experience would be very severe. The sacrifices they had to muster would be so enormous and the future goals that they wanted to achieve was supreme.

The example given in this verse is general in nature. Not just on a certain Prophet or certain community of people. Allah wants to attach the Muslims with the kafilah of the believers and He wants to teach them about the adab of the believers. Allah wants to illustrate to them that trials are a certainty that happens to all da'wah. Allah wants to attach them to their predecessors, the followers of the Prophets in order to instill in their senses that the believers are close to the believers, as well as embedding in their hearts that the affairs of aqeedah is one. That they are a part of one great forces of Iman!

وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ نَبِيٍّ قَاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرٌ فَمَا وَهَنُوا لِمَا أَصَابَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُوا وَمَا اسْتَكَانُوا

"How many of the prophets fought (in Allah's way), and with them (fought) Large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah Loves those who are firm and steadfast." (QS 3 : 146)

...How many Prophets had fought in battles with their jama'ah in huge number, their spirits did not weaken in facing the trials, sorrows, hardships and injuries. Their strength did not fade to keep on fighting and they did not yield to the enemies because they were patient. This is the condition of the believers who struggle for their aqeedah and religion.

وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّابِرِينَ

"And Allah loves those who are patient."

…The people whose souls are not weak or giving in, whose spirits do not fade and whose strength do not dwindle. This expression of love from Allah for those who are patient contains the love that heals the wound, removes the sorrow and puts behind the hardship, pain and bitter struggle.

As far as here, this explanation has made a clear picture for the believers about their position in times of trials and hardships, and then continued by illustrating the condition hidden in their souls and feelings. An illustration of adab towards Allah when they are facing a tense situation that shakes the souls, and the distress that are chaining them. But all those could not divert the souls of the believers from turning to Allah. It is not help that they are asking for first. But this is what usually appears first in the psyche of the humans. But what they are asking for is pardon and forgiveness. Confessing their sins and errors before asking for firmness and help in confronting the enemies.

وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلا أَنْ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

"All that they said was: 'Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty: Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith.'"

They do not ask for delights or wealth. In fact, they don’t even ask for rewards and repayments. Not asking for repayments in this world, as well as the hereafter. They are very ethically courteous towards Allah in making do’a to Him when they are fighting in the cause of Allah. Nothing that they ask from Him except for forgiveness of sins and the solidification of footholds, as well as assistance in order to defeat the people of kufr. To the extent that they don’t even ask for assistance for their own selves, but what they ask is the defeat of the kafir as a punishment for their kufr. This is a very proper adab for the people who have iman towards Allah, the Most Sublime.

They do not ask anything for themselves. So Allah then gives to them everything that becomes a fantasy for the seekers of the world, in fact even more. Allah also gives to them what becomes a fantasy for the seekers of the afterlife:

فَآتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ ثَوَابَ الدُّنْيَا وَحُسْنَ ثَوَابِ الآخِرَةِ

"And Allah gave them a reward in this world, and the excellent reward of the Hereafter."

Allah SWT also testifies that they are the people who do good. They have been well mannered, conducting jihad well and Allah expresses His love for them. This is greater than the joys and rewards.

وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ