1. Please declare (0 beloved Muhammad) "O infidels" (2).
Background of its Revelation:
Some leaders of the Quraish had come to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم and said that accept some parts of our religion and we will accept some parts of your religion. Or, for one year you must worship our idols and for one year we will worship your Allah. In this way we will make peace between us. To this, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم :replied "Allah Forbid! I can never commit polytheism". Hearing this, they said: "Why not kiss our idols out of respect? If you do this, we will accept you as a true Prophet. On that occasion, this Surah was revealed (Tafseer Khazainul Irfaan, Tafseer Khazin, Azizi, etc.). From this we learn that a religious truce with the infidels is not only totally forbidden, but that this would amount to infidelity. Furthermore, the respect of the big days of the infidels is infidelity.
2. By this is meant those infidels who had committed infidelity concerning the Knowledge of Allah Almighty and had been destined to die of infidelity, like Abu Jahl, Aas bin Waa'il, Umayyah bin Khalf, etc. as is understood from the subsequent subject. Thus, after the revelation of this Surah, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم proceeded to the Haram Shareef, where there was a crowd of infidels. He made this proclamation and recited this Surah, which disheartened those people. Thereafter, they began to persecute the Holy Prophet, and his Noble Companions.
From this, emerge a few issues:
1. In the heart of the believer there should be no fear for the infidel.
2. The infidels should not be remembered with good titles, without a religious reason.
3. To call an infidel an infidel is Islamic culture, because the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم did not address these wretches as brother or uncle, but addressed them as "O infidels".
