68 Preface لَولا كِتابٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُم فيما أَخَذتُم عَذابٌ عَظيمٌYusuf AliHad it not been for a previous ordainment1 from God, a severe penalty would have reached you for the (ransom) that ye took.Though any motive of worldly gain, which may have been in the minds of some among the victorious Muslim army, is condemned as worthy of a severe penalty, what actually happened is ascribed to the Plan of God, which was preordained. Among the prisoners taken were the Prophet’s uncle al'Abbas and ʿAlī’s brother Aqil, who afterwards became Muslims. Al 'Abbas was an ancestor of the founder of the celebrated 'Abbasi Dynasty which played such a notable part in Islamic history. In his case the promise made in verse 70 was amply fulfilled. In the case of all prisoners, if there was any good in their hearts, their very fight against Islam and their capture led to their being blessed with Islam. Thus does God’s Plan work in a marvellous way, and evolve good out of seeming evil.