Taberî states that the interrogative particle 'am' appearing in this verse is used to distinguish a question in the middle of speech from an initial question. The meaning of the verse is the questioning of the believers whether they think they will enter paradise without undergoing trials such as hardship, illness, and fear that befell the nations of previous prophets. Through these trials, Allah reveals the truth of His servants' faith and patience; the verse was revealed in the context of the hardship, hunger, and fear that the believers experienced on the day of the Battle of Khandaq, and these difficulties increased their faith and submission.

فمعنى الكلام: أم حسبتم أنكم أيها المؤمنون بالله ورسله تدخلون الجنة، ولم يصبكم مثل ما أصاب من قبلكم من أتباع الأنبياء والرسل من الشدائد والمحن والاختبار، فتبتلوا بما ابتلوا واختبروا به من البأساء وهو شدة الحاجة، والفاقة، والضراء

According to Zemahşerî, in this verse the verb 'hasiba' may be related to the meaning of 'qaddara' (to estimate/suppose), and 'am' here is evaluated as munqati'a (disconnected interrogation). The idrab (stylistic transition) here shows that this second supposition is more false than the first; for the first supposition is that a person thinks he will not be tried because of his faith, while the second is that he thinks he will not see the punishment of his evil deeds.

ومعنى الإضراب فيها : أن هذا الحسبان أبطل من الحسبان الأول ، لأن ذاك يقدر أنه لا يمتحن لإيمانه ، وهذا يظن أنه لا يجازي بمساويه

According to this exegete, the interrogative particle in the verse comes with the purpose of reproach and rebuke (tabbkit), and the meaning is: do you suppose you will enter paradise without jihad emanating from you? After Allah informed in the previous verse that He guided the believers to the truth, this verse explains how the previous nations endured great hardships and were patient with afflictions to uphold the truth after this guidance. Accordingly, the Companions of Prophet Muhammad can only deserve superiority in religion by enduring such trials.

إنه نهي وقع بحرف الاستفهام الذي يأتي للتبكيت ، وتلخيصه : لا تحسبوا أن تدخلوا الجنة ولم يقع منكم الجهاد

Kurtubî in this section examines the grammatical structure of the word 'qarib' in the verse, the meaning of the word 'zalzalu', and the different semantic layers of the rafa' and nasb readings in the expression 'hatta yaqul'. He states that the verse was revealed because of the hardship, hunger, cold, and difficulties that the Muslims experienced in the Battle of Khandaq, and that this difficulty brought them to the point of saying 'when will the help come'. According to the rafa' reading, the Prophet's speech was not cut off by the earthquake; he transmits that the nasb reading indicates this was for a purpose/end.

قال قتادة والسدي وأكثر المفسرين : نزلت هذه الآية في غزوة الخندق حين أصاب المسلمين ما أصابهم من الجهد والشدة والحر والبرد وسوء العيش وأنواع الشدائد

Ibn Kesîr transmits that the hardship, illness, and shaking mentioned in this verse are among the trials that befell the nations of previous peoples, and according to the view of Aisha, this is not related to the victory that Allah promised to His Messenger, but is related to the severity of the afflictions that came to the prophets. The afflictions and difficulties become so severe that even those with the believers begin to think that the prophets have been denied. Aisha read the verse emphatically, reading the word 'kadhdhabo' with emphasis.

ما وعد الله محمدا صلى الله عليه وسلم من شيء إلا قد علم أنه سيكون حتى مات ولكنه لم يزل البلاء بالرسل حتى يظنوا أن من معهم من المؤمنين قد كذبوهم

According to Beydâvî, this verse serves to encourage and console the Prophet and the believers regarding patience by presenting as examples the severe hardships and afflictions that befell the previous nations. The hardship becomes so severe and prolonged that the Messenger and the believers with him reach the point where their cords of patience would break and they ask when Allah's help will come. The following statement 'Allah's help is near' is a word spoken to them as an immediate glad tidings, in response to the hardship they have endured.

وفيه إشارة إلى أن الوصول إلى الله تعالى والفوز بالكرامة عنده برفض الهوى واللذات، ومكابدة الشدائد والرياضات كما قال عليه الصلاة والسلام «حفت الجنة بالمكاره، وحفت النار بالشهوات»