{ We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, because they have ascribed associates to Allah for which He did not send down authority; their dwelling is Hellfire, and miserable is the abode of the oppressors. And Allah was true to his promise to you when by His permission you wiped them out, until you lost heart and quarreled with each other about the issue and disobeyed after He had shown you the things you love; some of you desire this world while some of you desire the hereafter. Then He sent you away from them to test you, but He has forgiven you. And Allah holds abundance for the Believers } Al ‘Imran 151-152

Know that this verse is the completion of what preceded His statement here; for indeed the Most High made mention of many ways of arousing desire for jihad and showing no concern for the Disbelievers [Kuffar]. What is mentioned in this verse brings together the totality of all these, in that the Most High cast fear into the hearts of the Disbelievers. And there is no doubt that this is part of what determines that the Muslims overpower them. … { To test you } : The aim was that the Most High, when He sent them away to that place, through this they strengthened their position there by jihad and in defending the rest of the Muslims. And there is no doubt that courageously undertaking jihad after defeat, and after they had witnessed the killing of their kinsfolk and loved ones on that battlefield, was one of the most formidable kinds of ordeals.