Al-Fath | The Victory
[48:1] Surely, We have granted you an open victory,
[48:2] so that Allah may forgive you of your previous and subsequent faults, and may complete His favour upon you, and may guide you to a straight path,
[48:3] and so that Allah may support you with a mighty support.
[48:4] He (Allah) is such that He sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers, so that they grow more in faith in addition to their (existing) faith. And to Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise,
[48:5] so that He admits believing men and believing women to the gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever, and so that He may write off their evil deeds, which is a great achievement in Allah‘s sight,
[48:6] and so that He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the mushriks (polytheists), men and women, who think evil thoughts about Allah. Bound for them there is a vicious circle, and Allah has become angry with them, and He has prepared Jahannam (Hell) for them, and it is an evil destination.
[48:7] To Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
[48:8] Indeed, We have sent you (O prophet,) as a witness and as a bearer of good news and as a warner,
[48:9] so that you (O people,) believe in Allah and His Messenger, and support him and revere him, and pronounce His (Allah‘s) purity morning and evening.
[48:10] Those who pledge allegiance with you (by placing their hands in your hand) they, in fact, pledge allegiance with Allah. Allah‘s hand is over their hands. Then, whoever breaks his pledge breaks it to his own detriment, and whoever fulfills the covenant he has made with Allah, He will give him a great reward.
[48:11] Those of the Bedouins who remained behind will say to you, ‘Our possessions and our families kept us busy, (hence we could not accompany you on your journey to Hudaibiyah). So, pray to Allah for our forgiveness’. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, ‘Then, who has the power to help you in anything against Allah, if He intends to do you harm, or intends to do you good? Rather, Allah is fully aware of what you do’.
[48:12] But you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never ever return to their families, and it seemed good to your hearts, and you thought an evil thought and became a people who are ruined (by their selfishness).
[48:13] If one does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, then We have prepared a blazing fire for the disbelievers.
[48:14] To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whomsoever He wills, and punishes whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Most-Forgiving Very-Merciful.
[48:15] Those who remained behind will say, ‘when you will proceed to the spoils (of war) to receive them, let us follow you’ They wish to change the words of Allah. Say, ‘You shall not follow us. Allah had said like this beforehand’. Then they will say, ‘No, but you are jealous of us’ On the contrary, they do not understand (the reality) but a little.
[48:16] Say to those of the Bedouins who remained behind, ‘You will be called against a people possessed of strong fighting power; you will have to fight them until they submit. So if you obey, Allah will give you a good reward, and if you turn away, as you had turned away earlier, He will punish you with a painful punishment’.
[48:17] There is no blame on the blind, nor is there any blame on the lame, nor is there any blame on the sick. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will admit him to the gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever turns away, He will punish him with a painful punishment.
[48:18] Allah was pleased with the believers when they were pledging allegiance with you (by placing their hands in your hands) under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them, and rewarded them with a victory, near at hand,
[48:19] and many spoils that they would receive. And Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[48:20] Allah had promised you many spoils that you would receive, so He gave these to you sooner, and stopped the hands of the people from (harming) you. And (He did this) so that it becomes a sign for believers, and so that He guides you to the right path.
[48:21] And (there is) another (victory) that has not come within your power as yet, (but) Allah has encompassed it. And Allah is Powerful over everything.
[48:22] Had the disbelievers fought you, they would have certainly turned their backs, then they would have found neither a supporter nor a helper,
[48:23] according to the consistent practice of Allah that went on since before, and you will never find a change in Allah‘s consistent practice.
[48:24] And He is the One who restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah after He had let you prevail over them, and Allah is watchful over what you do.
[48:25] They are those who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid-ul-Haram ), and (prevented) the sacrificial animals that were detained from reaching their due place. And (Allah would have allowed you to fight,) had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know that you might have trampled them, and thus a painful situation might have arisen for you because of them unknowingly; (This situation was avoided) so that Allah may admit to His mercy whom He wills. And if they (the believing men and women) had moved (from Makkah), We would surely have punished those of them who disbelieved with a painful punishment.
[48:26] When the disbelievers developed in their hearts indignation, the indignation of ignorance; then Allah sent down tranquility from Himself upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and made them stick to the word of piety, and they were very much entitled to it and competent for it. And Allah is All-Knowing about everything.
[48:27] Indeed, Allah has made true to His Messenger the dream (shown) with truth: You will definitely enter the Sacred Mosque insha’Allah (if Allah wills,) peacefully, with your heads shaved, and your hairs cut short, having no fear. So He knew what you did not know, and He assigned before that a victory, near at hand.
[48:28] He is the One who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the religion of truth, so that He makes it prevail over all religions. And enough is Allah for being a witness (to His promise).
[48:29] Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard on the disbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down in Ruku, prostrating themselves in Sajdah, seeking grace from Allah, and (His) good pleasure; their distinguishing feature is on their faces from the effect of Sajdah (prostration). This is their description in Torah; and their description in Injil is: like a sown crop that brings forth its shoot, then makes it strong, then it grows thick and stands straight on its stem, looking good to the farmers, so that He may enrage the disbelievers through them. Allah has promised forgiveness and a huge reward to those of them who believe in and do good deeds.
[48:1] Surely, We have granted you an open victory,
[48:2] so that Allah may forgive you of your previous and subsequent faults, and may complete His favour upon you, and may guide you to a straight path,
[48:3] and so that Allah may support you with a mighty support.
[48:4] He (Allah) is such that He sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers, so that they grow more in faith in addition to their (existing) faith. And to Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise,
[48:5] so that He admits believing men and believing women to the gardens beneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever, and so that He may write off their evil deeds, which is a great achievement in Allah‘s sight,
[48:6] and so that He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the mushriks (polytheists), men and women, who think evil thoughts about Allah. Bound for them there is a vicious circle, and Allah has become angry with them, and He has prepared Jahannam (Hell) for them, and it is an evil destination.
[48:7] To Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
[48:8] Indeed, We have sent you (O prophet,) as a witness and as a bearer of good news and as a warner,
[48:9] so that you (O people,) believe in Allah and His Messenger, and support him and revere him, and pronounce His (Allah‘s) purity morning and evening.
[48:10] Those who pledge allegiance with you (by placing their hands in your hand) they, in fact, pledge allegiance with Allah. Allah‘s hand is over their hands. Then, whoever breaks his pledge breaks it to his own detriment, and whoever fulfills the covenant he has made with Allah, He will give him a great reward.
[48:11] Those of the Bedouins who remained behind will say to you, ‘Our possessions and our families kept us busy, (hence we could not accompany you on your journey to Hudaibiyah). So, pray to Allah for our forgiveness’. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, ‘Then, who has the power to help you in anything against Allah, if He intends to do you harm, or intends to do you good? Rather, Allah is fully aware of what you do’.
[48:12] But you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never ever return to their families, and it seemed good to your hearts, and you thought an evil thought and became a people who are ruined (by their selfishness).
[48:13] If one does not believe in Allah and His Messenger, then We have prepared a blazing fire for the disbelievers.
[48:14] To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whomsoever He wills, and punishes whomsoever He wills. And Allah is Most-Forgiving Very-Merciful.
[48:15] Those who remained behind will say, ‘when you will proceed to the spoils (of war) to receive them, let us follow you’ They wish to change the words of Allah. Say, ‘You shall not follow us. Allah had said like this beforehand’. Then they will say, ‘No, but you are jealous of us’ On the contrary, they do not understand (the reality) but a little.
[48:16] Say to those of the Bedouins who remained behind, ‘You will be called against a people possessed of strong fighting power; you will have to fight them until they submit. So if you obey, Allah will give you a good reward, and if you turn away, as you had turned away earlier, He will punish you with a painful punishment’.
[48:17] There is no blame on the blind, nor is there any blame on the lame, nor is there any blame on the sick. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will admit him to the gardens beneath which rivers flow. But whoever turns away, He will punish him with a painful punishment.
[48:18] Allah was pleased with the believers when they were pledging allegiance with you (by placing their hands in your hands) under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them, and rewarded them with a victory, near at hand,
[48:19] and many spoils that they would receive. And Allah is Mighty, Wise.
[48:20] Allah had promised you many spoils that you would receive, so He gave these to you sooner, and stopped the hands of the people from (harming) you. And (He did this) so that it becomes a sign for believers, and so that He guides you to the right path.
[48:21] And (there is) another (victory) that has not come within your power as yet, (but) Allah has encompassed it. And Allah is Powerful over everything.
[48:22] Had the disbelievers fought you, they would have certainly turned their backs, then they would have found neither a supporter nor a helper,
[48:23] according to the consistent practice of Allah that went on since before, and you will never find a change in Allah‘s consistent practice.
[48:24] And He is the One who restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah after He had let you prevail over them, and Allah is watchful over what you do.
[48:25] They are those who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid-ul-Haram ), and (prevented) the sacrificial animals that were detained from reaching their due place. And (Allah would have allowed you to fight,) had there not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know that you might have trampled them, and thus a painful situation might have arisen for you because of them unknowingly; (This situation was avoided) so that Allah may admit to His mercy whom He wills. And if they (the believing men and women) had moved (from Makkah), We would surely have punished those of them who disbelieved with a painful punishment.
[48:26] When the disbelievers developed in their hearts indignation, the indignation of ignorance; then Allah sent down tranquility from Himself upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and made them stick to the word of piety, and they were very much entitled to it and competent for it. And Allah is All-Knowing about everything.
[48:27] Indeed, Allah has made true to His Messenger the dream (shown) with truth: You will definitely enter the Sacred Mosque insha’Allah (if Allah wills,) peacefully, with your heads shaved, and your hairs cut short, having no fear. So He knew what you did not know, and He assigned before that a victory, near at hand.
[48:28] He is the One who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the religion of truth, so that He makes it prevail over all religions. And enough is Allah for being a witness (to His promise).
[48:29] Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard on the disbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down in Ruku, prostrating themselves in Sajdah, seeking grace from Allah, and (His) good pleasure; their distinguishing feature is on their faces from the effect of Sajdah (prostration). This is their description in Torah; and their description in Injil is: like a sown crop that brings forth its shoot, then makes it strong, then it grows thick and stands straight on its stem, looking good to the farmers, so that He may enrage the disbelievers through them. Allah has promised forgiveness and a huge reward to those of them who believe in and do good deeds.
Tafsir
Overview of Surah Al-Fath
- Title and Position: Surah Al-Fath is the 48th chapter of the Quran. The title “Al-Fath” translates to “The Victory,” referring to the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which is considered a significant triumph for Muslims.
- Verses and Structure: This surah contains 29 verses. It is known for its emphasis on the events surrounding the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the moral and spiritual lessons derived from these events.
- Themes and Messages: Major themes include the affirmation of Muhammad’s prophethood, the significance of the peace treaty, the loyalty of the Prophet’s companions, and the promise of future victories and expansion of Islam.
- Significance in Islamic Thought: Surah Al-Fath is significant for its portrayal of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a divine victory and its focus on the unity, faith, and perseverance of the Muslim community.
Detailed Explanation
- The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah: The surah discusses the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, an agreement between the Muslims and the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. Though it appeared as a setback initially, it was later seen as a strategic victory and a turning point for Islam.
- Affirmation of Prophethood: It reaffirms Muhammad’s role as a prophet and messenger of God, validating his leadership and the divine support for his mission.
- Loyalty of the Companions: The surah praises the companions of the Prophet who stood by him during the Hudaybiyyah ordeal, highlighting their loyalty and commitment to the cause of Islam.
- Promises of Future Success: Surah Al-Fath promises future successes and expansions for the Muslim community, interpreting the events at Hudaybiyyah as a prelude to greater triumphs.
- Moral and Spiritual Lessons: It offers lessons on patience, faith, the importance of adhering to divine guidance, and the virtues of forgiveness and reconciliation.
FAQs
- Why is Surah Al-Fath named “The Victory”?
- The surah is named “Al-Fath” (The Victory) due to its depiction of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a significant victory for Islam, granted by God, marking a pivotal moment in the history of the Muslim community.
- How does Surah Al-Fath describe the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah?
- It presents the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a divine victory and a strategic success, highlighting its importance in facilitating the spread of Islam and ensuring the safety of Muslims.
- What does the surah teach about the loyalty of the Prophet’s companions?
- The surah commends the unwavering loyalty and steadfastness of the Prophet’s companions during the challenges faced at Hudaybiyyah, serving as an example of true commitment to faith.
- How does Surah Al-Fath contribute to understanding Islamic values and ethics?
- The surah imparts valuable lessons on patience, perseverance, the wisdom of strategic compromise, and the importance of unity and faithfulness in achieving long-term goals.
- The surah is named “Al-Fath” (The Victory) due to its depiction of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a significant victory for Islam, granted by God, marking a pivotal moment in the history of the Muslim community.
- It presents the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a divine victory and a strategic success, highlighting its importance in facilitating the spread of Islam and ensuring the safety of Muslims.
- The surah commends the unwavering loyalty and steadfastness of the Prophet’s companions during the challenges faced at Hudaybiyyah, serving as an example of true commitment to faith.
- The surah imparts valuable lessons on patience, perseverance, the wisdom of strategic compromise, and the importance of unity and faithfulness in achieving long-term goals.
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