Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Muhammad, Ayah 21
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Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
would be to offer obedience and honourable words that is words that are kind to you. Then when the matter has been resolved upon that is to say when fighting has been prescribed if they are loyal to God in faith and obedience it will be better for them the sentence beginning with law ‘if’ constitutes the response to idhā ‘when’.
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Ibn Abbas Commentary
(Obedience) He says: for the believers, this is an act of obedience towards Allah and His Messenger, (and a civil word) and kind word; it is also said that this means: the hypocrites' obedience of Allah and His Messenger and kind speech to the Prophet (pbuh) is better for them than transgression, disobedience and hatred; and it is also said this means: show obedience to Allah and say kind words to Muhammad (pbuh). (Then, when the matter is determined) when the matter is resolved, Islam becomes manifest and the Muslims are numerous, (if they) i.e. the hypocrites (are loyal to Allah) through their faith and jihad (it will be well for them) it will be better for them than transgression.