Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Anfal -> The Command to answer and obey Allah and His Messenger

Al-Bukhari said,

﴿اسْتَجِيبُواْ﴾

"(Answer), obey,

﴿لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ﴾

(that which will give you life) that which will make your affairs good.'' Al-Bukhari went on to narrate that Abu Sa`id bin Al-Mu`alla said, "I was praying when the Prophet passed by and called me, but I did not answer him until I finished the prayer. He said,

«مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنِي؟ أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ:

(What prevented you from answering me Has not Allah said:

﴿يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ﴾

(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life)' He then said:

«لَأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرآنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُج»

(I will teach you the greatest Suah in the Qur'an before I leave.) When he was about to leave, I mentioned what he said to me. He said,

﴿الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ ﴾

(All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of all that exists...) ﴿1:1-6﴾.

«هِيَ السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي»

(Surely, it is the seven oft-repeated verses.)''' Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Muhammad bin Ja`far bin Az-Zubayr said that `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr explained this Ayah,

﴿يأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ﴾

(O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life,) "Answer when called to war (Jihad) with which Allah gives you might after meekness, and strength after weakness, and shields you from the enemy who oppressed you.''