165. " yet, when a disaster befalls you while you have certainly afflicted
(the fow) with twice as much, you say: ` whence is this ? '
say: ` it is from your own selves.' surely allah is all-powerful
over all things ."

commentary:
when seventy persons from muslim troop were killed in the battle
of 'uhud and muslims were defeated, they asked each other why they were
defeated. the lord tells them they had afflicted the enemy with twice as
many in the battle of badr the previous year. they killed seventy people
of them and captured seventy men from them, too. besides that, the
failure of that year was for their own disunity and inactivity, and that they
did not obey their commander.

explanations:
1. when judging, consider both the bitter and sweet aspects. (do
not think of the failure of `uh¤ud alone and forget the triumph of badr).

" yet, when a disaster befalls you while you have certainly afflicted
(the fow) with twice as much,..."

2. in searching for the factors of failure, begin with the innate,
spiritual and mental factors; and then go to follow other factors.

"... you say: ` whence is this ?' say: `it is from your own selves.'..."

3. allah is powerful over all things, but we must obtain the
necessary conditions and eligibilities of enjoying it.

"... surely allah is all-powerful over all things'."

4. do not imagine that to be only muslim is enough for winning the
battle and, consequently, in every failure use the question of `why' and
how,
" whence is this ? ", but beside faith, it is necessary that the military
rules, and divine way be paid attention to.