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wa-ʾin kādū la-yastafizzūnaka mina l-ʾarḍi li-yukhrijūka minhā wa-ʾidhan lā yalbathūna khilāfaka ʾillā qalīlan
They were about to hound you out of the land, to expel you from it, but then they would not have stayed after you but a little.
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Isra’ – Verse 76
76. “And verily they were about to startling you from the land so as to expel you from it; and then, they would not have tarried after you but a little.”
It is said that this verse and the following one have been revealed about the people of Mecca who gathered and decided to expel the Prophet (S) from Mecca. After that, this decision was seconded and changed into the verdict for the execution of the Prophet (S) in Mecca, then the house of the Prophet (S) was surrounded in all directions. As we know the Prophet (S) was miraculously saved and started to Medina, which marks the beginning of Hijrah (the Exodus).
In the previous verses, of course, we noted that the pagans wanted to influence the prophet (S), making him deviate from the right path, when Allah’s grace came to his help, disrupting their plans. But, following that, they embraced on a new plan to thwart his call. They planned to oust him to a distant spot which was out of reach. This plan was also thwarted. The verse says:
“And verily they were about to startling you from the land so as to expel you from it…”
The noble verse implies that you were about to be ousted skillfully according to their well-calculated plan from this land. Then the Qur’an issues a dire warning to them meaning that if they succeeded they would have entangled themselves in a severe Divine punishment. Thus, they would not remain there much longer after you. The verse says:
“…and then, they would not have tarried after you but a little.”
For this was a very great sin, whereby people might seek to oust and expel their compassionate leader and their savior from their city, thereby, showing their ungratefulness towards the greatest blessing of Allah. Such a people are not entitled to live and a devastating penalty would, therefore, call on them. This event happened for soon, after a short time, in the ‘Battle of Badr’, many of them were killed, while a few of them were able to escape or to embrace the faith.
Thus, one notes that the mere presence of the Prophet (S) among the people may obstruct the Divine punishment. In case they oust him from amongst themselves, or distance him, they are certain to perish instantly. The blissful Qur’an does two things simultaneously. While it informs us about the invisible world, it also provides the Prophet (S) with information with respect to the frustrations and failures of the conspiracies of his enemies, hence, condoling him.