22:39
أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَٰتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا۟ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ
Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory.
Translation · Saheeh International
Tafsir
Ibn Kathīr (abridged)
Permission to fight; this is the first Ayah of Jihad
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This was revealed about Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions, when they were expelled from Makkah." Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and others among the Salaf, such as Ibn `Abbas, `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, Zayd bin Aslam, Muqatil bin Hayan, Qatadah and others said, "This is the first Ayah which was revealed about Jihad." Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, "When the Prophet was driven out of Makkah, Abu Bakr said, `They have their Prophet. Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return; surely they are doomed."' Ibn `Abbas said, "Then Allah revealed the words:
أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَـتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُواْ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ
(Permission (to fight) is given to those (believers) fought against, because they have been wronged; and surely, Allah is able to give them victory.)" Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Then I knew that there would be fighting." Imam Ahmad added: "Ibn `Abbas said, `This was the first Ayah to be revealed concerning fighting."' This was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i in the Book of Tafsir of their Sunans. At-Tirmidhi said: "It is a Hasan Hadith."
وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ
(and surely, Allah is able to give them victory.) means, He is able to grant victory to His believing servants without any fighting taking place, but He wants His servants to strive their utmost in obeying Him, as He says: