The Disbelievers spend Their Wealth to hinder Others from Allah's Path, but this will only cause Them Grief

Allah states;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ لِيَصُدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَسَيُنفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾

Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcome. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto Hell.

Muhammad bin Ishaq narrated that Az-Zuhri, Muhammad bin Yahya bin Hibban, Asim bin Umar bin Qatadah, and Al-Husayn bin Abdur-Rahman bin Amr bin Sa`id bin Mu`adh said,

"The Quraysh suffered defeat at Badr and their forces went back to Makkah, while Abu Sufyan went back with the caravan intact. This is when Abdullah bin Abi Rabiah, Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl, Safwan bin Umayyah and other men from Quraysh who lost their fathers, sons or brothers in Badr, went to Abu Sufyan bin Harb.

They said to him, and to those among the Quraysh who had wealth in that caravan, `O people of Quraysh! Muhammad has grieved you and killed the chiefs among you. Therefore, help us with this wealth so that we can fight him, it may be that we will avenge our losses.'

They agreed.''

Muhammad bin Ishaq said,

"According to Ibn Abbas, this Ayah was revealed about them,

(إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ ... Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth... until, هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ they who are the losers).''

Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hakam bin Uyaynah, Qatadah, As-Suddi and Ibn Abza said that;

this Ayah was revealed about Abu Sufyan and his spending money in Uhud to fight the Messenger of Allah.

Ad-Dahhak said that;

this Ayah was revealed about the idolators of Badr.

In any case, the Ayah is general, even though there was a specific incident that accompanied its revelation.

Allah states here that the disbelievers spend their wealth to hinder from the path of truth. However, by doing that, their money will be spent and then will become a source of grief and anguish for them, availing them nothing in the least. They seek to extinguish the Light of Allah and make their word higher than the word of truth. However, Allah will complete His Light, even though the disbelievers hate it. He will give aid to His religion, make His Word dominant, and His religion will prevail above all religions. This is the disgrace that the disbelievers will taste in this life; and in the Hereafter, they will taste the torment of the Fire. Whoever among them lives long, will witness with his eyes and hear with his ears what causes grief to him. Those among them who are killed or die will be returned to eternal disgrace and the everlasting punishment. This is why Allah said,

فَسَيُنفِقُونَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَسْرَةً ثُمَّ يُغْلَبُونَ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ يُحْشَرُونَ

And so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcome. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto Hell.