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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al Mizan an Exegesis of the Quran (volume Seven) Volume 7: Surah Ale-imran, Verses 172-175 (As for) those who responded (at Ohud) to the call of Allah and the Messenger after the wound had befallen them, those among them who do good (to others) and guard (against evil)shall have a great reward.

(172) Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. (173) So they returned with favor from Allah and (His) grace, no evil touched them and they followed the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace. (174) It is only the Shaitan that causes you to fear from his friends, but do not fear them, and fear Me if you are believers.

(175) COMMENTARY These verses have connection with those revealed about the battle of Uhud, as may be understood from the clause, “after the wound had afflicted them”, when read in conjunction with the preceding words; “If a wound has afflicted you (at Uhud), a wound like it has also afflicted the (unbelieving) people”. QUR’AN: (As for) those who responded to the call of Allah and the Messenger. . .

shall have a great reward: “al-Istijabah” and "al-ijabah" both reportedly have the same meaning: You ask for something and get positive response. Allah and His Messenger both have been mentioned here, although either word would have sufficed. Perhaps it is because the Muslims in Uhud disobeyed Allah and the Prophet both. They disobeyed Allah by fleeing and retreating from the battlefield, while Allah had ordered them to fight and forbidden them to flee.

They disobeyed the Prophet when the archers violated his order not to leave their post in any case, and when the rest of the Muslims ran off precipitately and did not respond to his call although he was calling them from their rear. Now that they did respond positively on this later occasion, they were described as responding to Allah and the Messenger both, to set the matter in parallel.

The clause, “those among them who do good (to others) and guard (against evil) shall have a great reward”, restricts the promise to only a group among those who had responded. It is because the response is an external action, which does not necessarily spring from the reality of doing good and guarding against evil - on which the great reward depends.