It is an amazing watchfulness of the Qur’an that one topic...
It is an amazing watchfulness of the Qur’an that one topic does not distract it from other realities. It is evident from above that not all of the responders were sincere to Allah in this matter; some of them were not true doers of good to others nor did they sincerely guard, themselves against evil - and these are the important characteristics, which make one eligible for great reward from Allah.
Some people have said that “min” (= from, among) in ‘minhum” (among them), is not here to indicate a portion; rather it is explanatory, in the same way as it is in verse 48:29, where it says: Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are severe against the unbelievers. . . Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward. But it is an interpretation, which does not agree with the context.
Also, it is clear that their praise contained in later verses, “Those to whom the people said ...’, is intended for a selected band of them although in wordings it is attributed to the whole group. QUR’AN: Those to whom the people said: “Surely men have gathered against you ... and-Allah is the Lord of mighty grace: “an-Nas” (people, men) is used for human beings when no distinguishing factor (to separate one from another) is taken into account.
The first an-nas (translated here as “people”) is different from the second (translated as “men”); the latter refers to the enemy that was gathering army to fight the believers, while the former were those who had forsaken the believers in Uhud and held back from them and were now talking with them in this way to keep them back, so that they (the believers) would not proceed forth to fight the polytheists.
In other words, the latter refers to the polytheists and the former to their agents within the Muslim camp who insidiously worked against the believers. The verse manifestly shows that they were a group not one person. It supports the report that the verses were revealed not about the events of the lesser Badr, but about the Prophet’s campaign when, after Uhud, he went forth with the remnants of his companions in pursuit of the polytheists. Both events will be narrated in the coming “Traditions”.
“Surely men have gathered against you”, that is, they have gathered to attack you again.