(Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them…) [3:173]. Abu Ishaq al-Tha'alibi informed us> Abu Salih Shu'ayb ibn Muhammad> Abu Hatim al-Tamimi> Ahmad ibn al-Azhar> Rawh ibn 'Ubadah> Sa'id> Qatadah who said: “This refers to the day of Uhud, following the deaths and wounds that the Muslims had suffered and after the idolaters, Abu Sufyan and his company, had left. The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said to his Companions: 'Would a group gather for war for Allah's sake and seek their enemy, for this is more prone to cause damage to the enemy and more likely to drive them away for a distance?' A group set off, despite of what Allah knew of their extreme exhaustion. When they reached Dhu'l-Hulayfah, the Bedouins and other people came to them, saying: 'Abu Sufyan is going to attack you', but they only said: 'Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust!' And so Allah, exalted is He revealed about them (Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them) [3:173] up to His saying (… and Allah is of Infinite Bounty) [3:174]”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
