جُندٌ ما هُنالِكَ مَهزومٌ مِنَ الأَحزابِ

[They are but] a routed host out there, from among the factions.

EXEGESIS

Jund (host) means a group that has gathered in preparation for war.^{‎[1]Tibyan, 8/547.}           

Hunālika (out there) means ‘there’, but referring to a far-off place, whilst hunāka also means ‘there’, but not too far, and hunā means ‘close’.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/547. This is similar to dhā, dhāka, and dhālika. We can also note that the untranslated mā in this verse is meant to connect jund and hunālika, essentially saying: a host that is out there. It has also been said to be used here for the purpose of demeaning, in the sense of ‘what an insignificant host’ (Mudarrisi, 11/326; Tantawi, 12/136).} Alternatively, it has been said to mean a future time, There (hunālika) every soul will examine what it has sent in advance (10:30).^{‎[3]Alusi, 12/163.} Although in the context of this verse a combination of these two meanings seems possible as well.

Mahzūm (routed) comes from hazīmah, meaning being routed in a battle.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 8/547.}

Aḥzāb (factions) is the plural of ḥizb, meaning a tightly knit group.^{‎[5]Raghib, p. 231.} Here it should refer to all the various nations and groups that gathered together to oppose God’s messengers.^{‎[6]Nemuneh, 19/226.}

EXPOSITION

Before going to the main theme, verses 11-14 present a brief interlude to remind of the fate of other nations that gathered to fight God’s message. The Meccan elite, so lost in their conceit, are told to look at the fate of previous nations who opposed their messengers. Quraysh is just another group among the many factions and hosts that gathered to fight God’s will, and they were all eventually routed. In other words, they are told that they are just another gathered host out there, that will eventually be routed and defeated like the rest of the factions. The next verse then follows this up by naming some examples of such factions.

This verse, while serving as a warning to the Meccan elite, was also a wondrous message of hope and promise of divine aid to the small group of Muslims at the time who were few, abased in the land (8:26). For God to describe their far more powerful oppressors as a routed host was something to wonder at indeed.^{‎[7]Nemuneh, 19/228.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

The scholars are divided over the exact meaning of the factions:

1. Ṭūsī asserts it is Iblīs and his followers.^{‎[8]Tibyan, 8/547.}
2. Ṭabrisī says God is declaring already in Mecca that the enemies of the Prophet will be routed in battle, and that this was manifested in the Battle of Badr, The league will be routed and turn its back (54:45).^{‎[9]Tabrisi, 8/729; Tabari, 23/82-83; Thalabi, 8/180; Baghawi, 4/55. Ṭabrisī tries to explain the connection to the previous verse by saying that God is in effect declaring: how could the Meccan faithless hope to ascend to the heavenly realms when they are so scattered and divided into different tribes and factions?}
3. Qummī claims it is those who gathered to fight the Muslims in the Battle of Khandaq, by which he should mean a manifestation of the verse, the same applying to the previous opinion.^{‎[10]Qummi, 2/229.} This opinion probably exists because the Battle of Khandaq is also known as the Battle of Aḥzāb (factions).
4. Rāzī says it should be referring to the conquest of Mecca, since the word hunālika should mean that the Meccan elite will be overcome in the same place in which they had just ridiculed the Prophet.^{‎[11]Razi, 26/370; Muhit, 9/140.}

The first opinion is the most appropriate as all the hosts that are then mentioned in the next verses can be classified as belonging to Satan’s confederates (ḥizb) (58:19). The three opinions thereafter are all examples of manifestations of God’s promise of Indeed it is Satan’s confederates who are the losers! (58:19).

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. ‘Therefore wait for me,’ declares the Lord, ‘for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them – all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.’^{‎[12]Zephaniah 3:8.}

Note: In the passage of Zephaniah, it describes God’s anger as being ‘my jealous anger’ (qinʿatī). Jealous (qannā) is a name and attribute given to God in other parts of the Bible as well, such as the passage ‘for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God’ (Exodus 34:14). This could be understood as one who is protective of his friends (ghayūr) rather than one who is envious (ḥasūd). In some translations it is rendered ‘zealous’ instead of ‘jealous’.

[1] Tibyan, 8/547.
[2] Tibyan, 8/547. This is similar to dhā, dhāka, and dhālika. We can also note that the untranslated mā in this verse is meant to connect jund and hunālika, essentially saying: a host that is out there. It has also been said to be used here for the purpose of demeaning, in the sense of ‘what an insignificant host’ (Mudarrisi, 11/326; Tantawi, 12/136).
[3] Alusi, 12/163.
[4] Tibyan, 8/547.
[5] Raghib, p. 231.
[6] Nemuneh, 19/226.
[7] Nemuneh, 19/228.
[8] Tibyan, 8/547.
[9] Tabrisi, 8/729; Tabari, 23/82-83; Thalabi, 8/180; Baghawi, 4/55. Ṭabrisī tries to explain the connection to the previous verse by saying that God is in effect declaring: how could the Meccan faithless hope to ascend to the heavenly realms when they are so scattered and divided into different tribes and factions?
[10] Qummi, 2/229.
[11] Razi, 26/370; Muhit, 9/140.
[12] Zephaniah 3:8.