(Then lo! thy Lord - for those who became fugitives after they had been persecuted …) [16:110]. Said Qatadah: “It was related to us that when Allah, exalted is He, revealed before this verse that the people of Mecca who had embraced Islam would not be considered Muslim until they migrated to Medina, the people of Medina wrote to their companions in Mecca to inform them of this. When they received the message, they left Mecca but the idolaters caught up with them and took them back. Allah, exalted is He, then revealed (Alif. Lam. Mim. Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction?) [29:1-2], and the Muslims of Medina wrote to them to inform them about it. The Muslims of Mecca vowed to each other to leave Mecca and fight the idolaters of Mecca, were they to catch up with them, until they join Allah or escape to Medina. The idolaters did catch up with them. Some of them died fighting while others were able to flee. Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Then lo! thy Lord - for those who became fugitives after they had been persecuted, and then fought and were steadfast…)”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
