﴿ وَمَن جَٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ﴾

“Hence, whoever strives hard [in God’s cause] does so only for his own good: for, verily, God does not stand in need of anything in all the worlds!”

It was then revealed about 'Ali and his two fellow companions and the boasting they had uttered: (And whosoever striveth) in the way of Allah on the Day of Badr, (striveth only for himself) he has the reward of that, (for lo! Allah is altogether Independent of (His) creatures) He is free of need for the striving of His creatures.