Surah 22. Al-Hajj, Ayah 40

Lit., "were it not that God repels some people by means of others" (cf. the identical phrase in the second paragraph of {2: 251}).

The implication is that the defence of religious freedom is the foremost cause for which arms may - and, indeed, must - be taken up (see 2:193 and the corresponding note [170]), or else, as stressed in the concluding clause of 2:251 , "corruption would surely overwhelm the earth".

To allow a righteous people to fight against a ferocious and mischief-loving people was fully justified. But the justification was far greater here, when the little Muslim community was not only fighting for its own existence against the Makkan Quraish, but for the very existence of the Faith in the One True God. They had as much right to be in Makkah and worship in the Ka'ba as the other Quraish; yet they were exiled for their Faith. It affected not the faith of one peculiar people. The principle involved was that of all worship, Jewish or Christian as well as Muslim, and of all foundations built for pious uses.

'Aziz means Exalted in power, rank, dignity; Incomparable; Full of might and majesty; Able to enforce His Will. The last signification is the one that predominates here.