Verses 22 and 23 of Surah al-Ahzab speak about those who stayed true to their covenant with God and sacrificed their lives along the way. Commentators have linked verse 23 of this surah to the courage and loyalty of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) in battles and his complete devotion to the faith.
Verse 22 of Surah al-Ahzab
وَ لَمَّا رَأَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزابَ قالُوا هذا ما وَعَدَنَا اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ صَدَقَ اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ ما زادَهُمْ إِلاَّ إيماناً وَ تَسْليماً
“And when the believers saw the confederate armies, they said: ‘This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.’ And it only increased them in faith and submission.”
Verse 23 of Surah al-Ahzab
«مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ رِجالٌ صَدَقُوا ما عاهَدُوا اللهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَضى نَحْبَهُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَظِرُ وَ ما بَدَّلُوا تَبْديلاً»
“Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their vow [by death], and others are still waiting, and they have not changed in the least.”
According to a narration from Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) in the the al-Ghadir pilgrimage payer, these verses recall the exalted station of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him).
In a passage of the al-Ghadir pilgrimage payer referring to verse 22 of Surah al-Ahzab, it is stated:
«وَ أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ عِلْمِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ حِكَمِ التَّأْوِيلِ وَ فَصْلِ الْخِطَابِ، لَكَ الْمَنَازِلُ الْمَشْهُودَةُ وَ الْمَقَامَاتُ الْمَعْلُومَةُ، وَ الْأَيَّامُ الْمَذْكُورَةُ، مِنْهَا يَوْمُ بَدْرٍ وَ يَوْمُ الْأَحْزَابِ، إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَ لَمَّا رَأَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزابَ قالُوا هذا ما وَعَدَنَا اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ صَدَقَ اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ ما زادَهُمْ إِلاَّ إيماناً وَ تَسْليماً»
“You are the master of Qur’anic knowledge, the wisdom of interpretation, and decisive speech. The attested stations and known ranks belong to you, and the famous days—among them the day of Badr and the day of Ahzab. For Allah Almighty said: ‘And when the believers saw the confederate armies, they said: This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth. And it only increased them in faith and submission.'”
In a passage of the al-Ghadir pilgrimage payer referring to verse 23 of Surah al-Ahzab, it is stated:
وَ أَغْنَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْ مَدْحِ الْمَادِحِينَ وَ وَصْفِ الْوَاصِفِينَ، فَقَالَ تَعَالَى: مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ رِجالٌ صَدَقُوا ما عاهَدُوا اللهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَضى نَحْبَهُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَظِرُ وَ ما بَدَّلُوا تَبْديلاً
“And Allah Almighty made Himself independent of the praise of praisers and the description of describers. For He said: ‘Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their vow [by death], and others are still waiting, and they have not changed in the least.'”
Verses 22 and 23 of Surah al-Ahzab, which are among the ‘Alawi verses of the Noble Qur’an, describe the qualities of true believers and speak of steadfastness and keeping one’s word. Verse 23 emphasizes a group of believers who remained true to their covenant with God, some of whom sacrificed their lives along the way. In Shia exegeses, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) is presented as the most prominent example of these qualities.
Ali ibn Ibrahim, a Shia narrator and commentator, reported regarding verse 22 of Surah al-Ahzab:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَصَفَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَنَّهُمْ صَدَّقُوا بِمَا أَخْبَرَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ) مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ الَّذِي يُصِيبُهُمْ فِي الْخَنْدَقِ، فَقَالَ: وَ لَمَّا رَأَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزابَ قالُوا هذا ما وَعَدَنَا اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ صَدَقَ اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ ما زادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِیماناً؛ يَعْنِي ذَلِكَ الْبَلَاءَ وَ الْجَهْدَ وَ الْجُبْنَ وَ الْخَوْفَ (1)
“Indeed, Allah Almighty described the believers as having believed in what the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had told them of the trial that would befall them at Khandaq. So He said: ‘And when the believers saw the confederate armies, they said: This is what Allah and His Messenger promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth. And it only increased them in faith’—meaning that trial, hardship, fear, and terror.”
It is narrated that Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), referring to verse 22 of Surah al-Ahzab, would pray as follows when throwing dirt onto a grave:
«اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي آمَنْتُ بِكَ وَ صَدَّقْتُ رُسُلَكَ وَ أَيْقَنْتُ بِالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ»
Then he said:
«مَنْ قَرَأَ هَذَا الدُّعَاءَ كُتِبَ لَهُ بِعَدَدِ كُلِّ ذَرَّةٍ حَسَنَةٌ» (2)
“O Allah, I believe in You, I affirm Your messengers, and I am certain of the Last Day… Whoever recites this supplication, for every speck of dust a good deed is written for him.”
- Tafsir Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), vol. 12, p. 116; Al-Qummi, vol. 2, p. 188; Nur al-Thaqalayn
- Tafsir Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), vol. 12, p. 118; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 79, p. 21
