Overall meaning : The Almighty declares that He has turned in His mercy to the Prophet, the Emigrants and the Helpers, who obeyed him by going forth with him to participate in the Battle of Tabuk at a time when they were really hard-pressed: the heat was oppressive, the journey was rather long, the provisions were meagre and the water and mounts they had for the arduous journey were barely sufficient. He turned in His mercy to them and pardoned them after the hearts of a party of them had almost deviated and swerved from duty and the truth. Once again He turned to them in His mercy, for He is All-Compassionate and All-Merciful to them. He explains that He has also pardoned and turned in His mercy to the three companions of the Prophet whose case the Prophet had deferred and left awaiting Allah’s judgement. When they were so despondent that the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for them and their own souls became utterly constricted for them because of the distress, anguish and sorrow they had suffered and they knew for certain that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him, He turned to them in His mercy so that they might repent; for He is the Acceptor of Repentance, the All-Merciful. Allah then commands the faithful to fear Him by doing what He commands and avoiding what He forbids and to be with the truthful who uphold the cause of the truth.