المشاركات
http://www.recitequran.com/tafsir/en.ibn-kathir/48:1
48
Al-Fath
The Victory
Ibn Kathir - English
Verse
1
Page 511
The Merit of Surah Al-Fath
Imam
Ahmad recorded from `Abdullah bin Mughaffal, who said that Allah's
Messenger recited Surah Al-Fath on the (day) of the conquest of Makkah,
riding on his she-camel. He recited it in a vibrating and pleasant tone.
Mu`awiyah (a subnarrator) added: "Were I not afraid that the people
would crowd around me, I would surely try to imitate and produce his
recitation.'' Both Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded this Hadith through
Shu`bah.
﴿ بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ﴾
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
﴿ إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا •
لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ
وَيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُ ۥ عَلَيۡكَ وَيَہۡدِيَكَ صِرَٲطً۬ا مُّسۡتَقِيمً۬ا • وَيَنصُرَكَ ٱللَّهُ نَصۡرًا عَزِيزًا ﴾
(1.
Verily, We have given you a manifest victory.) (2. That Allah may
forgive you your sins of the past and the future, and complete His favor
on you, and guide you on the straight path,) (3. And that Allah may
help you with strong help.)
The Reason behind revealing Surat Al-Fath
This
honorable Surah was revealed after the Messenger of Allah returned from
the area of Al-Hudaybiyyah, during the month of Dhul-Qa`dah, in the
sixth year of Hijrah. This is when the idolaters prevented him from
reaching Al-Masjid Al-Haram to perform the `Umrah he intended. They
stopped the Prophet from reaching Makkah at that time, but then were
prone to peace negotiations. A peace treaty was conducted stipulating
that the Messenger would return this year and then come back for `Umrah
the following year. The Messenger agreed. However, some of the
Companions disliked these terms, including `Umar bin Al-Khattab, as we
will mention in detail, Allah willing, while explaining this Surah.
After the Prophet slaughtered his sacrificial animals in the area where
he was stopped and headed back to Al-Madinah, Allah the Exalted and Most
Honored revealed this Surah about what occurred between him and the
idolaters. Allah declared the Al-Hudaybiyyah peace treaty a manifest
victory, because of the benefits peace would carry and the good results
that did originate from it. `Abdullah bin Mas`ud and other Companions
said, "You consider the conquering of Makkah to be Al-Fath (the
victory), while to us, Al-Fath is the treaty conducted at
Al-Hudaybiyyah.'' Jabir (bin `Abdullah) said, "We only considered
Al-Fath to be the day of Hudaybiyyah!'' Al-Bukhari recorded that
Al-Bara' (bin `Azib) said, "You consider Al-Fath to be the conquest of
Makkah, which was indeed a victory. However, we consider Al-Fath to be
the pledge of Ar-Ridwan on the Day of Al-Hudaybiyyah. Then, we were
fourteen hundred with the Messenger of Allah. Al-Hudaybiyyah had a well,
whose water we consumed, not leaving a drop of water in it. When the
news of what happened reached the Messenger of Allah, he came towards us
and sat on the edge of the well. Then he asked to be brought a bucket
of water and used it for ablution. He next rinsed his mouth, invoked
Allah and poured that water into the well. Soon after, that well
provided us, as well as our animals, with sufficient water, in whatever
amount of water we wished. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab
said, "We were with the Messenger of Allah on a trip, and I asked him
about a matter three times, but he did not answer me. So I said to
myself, `May your mother lose you, O son of Al-Khattab! You were
stubborn in repeating your question three times to the Messenger of
Allah; each time he did not respond to you.' So I mounted my animal, my
camel, and went ahead for fear that a part of the Qur'an might be
revealed in my case. Suddenly, I heard a caller calling, `O `Umar!' So, I
went to the Messenger while fearing that part of the Qur'an was
revealed about me. The Prophet said,
« نَزَلَ عَلَيَّ الْبَارِحَةَ سُورَةٌ هِيَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا:
﴿ إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا • لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ﴾
(Last
night, a Surah was revealed to me that is dearer to me than this life
and all that it contains: (Verily, We have given you a manifest victory.
That Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future.))
Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith from several
chains of narration through Malik, may Allah grant him His mercy. `Ali
bin Al-Madini commented, "This is a good chain of narration consisting
of the scholars of Al-Madinah.'' Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik
said, "This Ayah was revealed to the Prophet,
﴿ لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ﴾
(That Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future,) on his return from Al-Hudaybiyyah. The Prophet said,
« لَقَدْ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيَّ اللَّيْلَةَ آيَةٌ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا عَلَى الْأَرْض »
(Tonight,
an Ayah, that is dearer to me than all that the earth carries, was
revealed to me.) The Prophet recited the Ayah to them. They said,
`Congratulations, O Allah's Messenger! Allah the Exalted and Most
Honored has stated what He will do with you. So what will He do with us'
These Ayat were revealed to the Prophet,
﴿ لِّيُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ ﴾
(That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow...), until,
﴿ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمً۬ا ﴾
(...a
supreme success.)'' This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs. Imam
Ahmad recorded that Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah said, "The Prophet used to
pray until both his feet were swollen. He was asked, `Has not Allah
forgiven you all your sins of the past and of future' He said,
« أَفَلَا أَكُونُ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا؟ »
(Should
I not be a thankful servant)'' The two collectors of the Sahihs
collected this Hadith, as well as, the rest of the Group, except Abu
Dawud. Allah's statement,
﴿ إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا ﴾
(Verily,
We have given you a manifest victory.) means, clear and apparent
victory. This Ayah is about the treaty at Al-Hudaybiyyah, which resulted
in great goodness, including people embracing Islam in large crowds and
having the chance to meet each other openly. During that time, the
believers preached to the idolaters and thus beneficial knowledge and
faith spread all around. Allah's statement,
﴿ لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ ﴾
(That
Allah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future,) contains
one of the special virtues of the Messenger, and no one else shares this
honor with him. There is not an authentic Hadith that states that any
person other than the Messenger earned forgiveness for all of his sins
of the past and future on account of performing good deeds. This,
indeed, is a great honor for the Messenger of Allah, who fulfilled the
requirements of Allah's obedience, righteousness and straightness at a
level never surpassed by a human being in past generations, nor will it
ever be surpassed in the generations to come. Muhammad is the perfect
human being and the leader and chief of all mankind in this life and the
Hereafter. And since he was, and will always be, the most obedient of
Allah's creation to Him and the most honoring of Allah's commands and
prohibitions, he said when his she- camel insisted on kneeling down,
« حَبَسَها حَابِسُ الْفِيل »
(He Who stopped the elephant, has stopped her too.) The Prophet then declared,
«
وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَا يَسْأَلُونِّي الْيَوْمَ شَيْئًا
يُعَظِّمُونَ بِهِ حُرُمَاتِ اللهِ إِلَّا أَجَبْتُهُمْ إِلَيْهَا »
(By
the Name of Him in Whose Hand my soul is, this day, if they ask me
anything which will respect the ordinances of Allah, I will grant it to
them.) And when the Messenger obeyed Allah and accepted the peace offer
from the Quraysh, Allah the Exalted said to him,
﴿ إِنَّا فَتَحۡنَا لَكَ فَتۡحً۬ا مُّبِينً۬ا • لِّيَغۡفِرَ لَكَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنۢبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ وَيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُ ۥ عَلَيۡكَ ﴾
(Verily,
We have given you a manifest victory. That Allah may forgive you your
sins of the past and the future, and complete His favor on you,) in this
life and the Hereafter,
﴿ وَيَہۡدِيَكَ صِرَٲطً۬ا مُّسۡتَقِيمً۬ا ﴾
(and guide you on the straight path,) with the glorious legislation and the straight religion that He ordains on you,
﴿ وَيَنصُرَكَ ٱللَّهُ نَصۡرًا عَزِيزًا ﴾
(And
that Allah may help you with strong help.) due to your obedience of the
orders of Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored; Allah will elevate your
status and give you victory above your enemies. An authentic Hadith
states,
« وَمَا زَادَ اللهُ عَبْدًا بِعَفْوٍ إِلَّا عِزًّا. وَمَا تَوَاضَعَ أَحَدٌ للهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَّا رَفَعَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى »
(No
servant pardons but Allah grants him honor, and none humbles himself
for Allah except that Allah the exalted and sublime raises him (in
rank).) `Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "You will never punish someone who
disobeyed Allah with you better than obeying Allah the Exalted and Most
Honored with him.''
﴿
هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِى قُلُوبِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ
لِيَزۡدَادُوٓاْ إِيمَـٰنً۬ا مَّعَ إِيمَـٰنِہِمۡۗ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمً۬ا •
لِّيُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن
تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا وَيُڪَفِّرَ عَنۡهُمۡ
سَيِّـَٔاتِہِمۡۚ وَكَانَ ذَٲلِكَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمً۬ا •
وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكَـٰتِ ٱلظَّآنِّينَ بِٱللَّهِ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوۡءِۚ عَلَيۡہِمۡ
دَآٮِٕرَةُ ٱلسَّوۡءِۖ وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَعَنَهُمۡ
وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَآءَتۡ مَصِيرً۬ا • وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا ﴾
(4.
He it is Who sent down As-Sakinah into the hearts of the believers,
that they may grow more in faith along with their faith. And to Allah
belong the armies of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is Ever
All-Knower, All-Wise.) (5. That He may admit the believing men and the
believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow to abide therein
forever, and He may expiate from them their sins; and that is with Allah
supreme success,) (6. And that He may punish the hypocrites men and
women, and also the idolaters men and women, who think evil thoughts
about Allah, for them is a disgraceful torment. And the anger of Allah
is upon them, and He has cursed them and prepared Hell for them and
worst indeed is that destination.) (7. And to Allah belong the armies of
the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.)
Allah sent down the Sakinah into the Hearts of the Believers
Allah the Exalted said,
﴿ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ ﴾
(He
it is Who sent down As-Sakinah), meaning, tranquility. Qatadah
commented, "Grace into the hearts of the believers'', that is, the
Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on the Day of
Al-Hudaybiyyah. The companions were they, who accepted the call of Allah
and His Messenger and obeyed the decisions of Allah and His Messenger .
When their hearts felt content with acceptance and were at peace, Allah
increased their faith, joining it to the faith they already had.
Al-Bukhari, and other Imams, relied on this Ayah as proof that faith
increases and decreases in the hearts. Allah the Exalted said next that
had He willed, He would have inflicted defeat on the disbelievers, Allah
says;
﴿ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ ﴾
(And
to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth) and had He
willed to send only one angel to them, that angel would have brought
destruction to all what they had. However, Allah the Exalted willed
Jihad and fighting to be established for, and by, the believers for
great wisdom, clear reasons and unequivocal evidences that He had in all
this. This is why Allah the Great said next,
﴿ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمً۬ا ﴾
(and Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-Wise.) Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said,
﴿ لِّيُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا ﴾
(That
He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under
which rivers flow to abide therein forever,) We mentioned the Hadith
that Anas narrated in which the Companions said, "Congratulations, O
Allah's Messenger! This good news is for you, so what good news do we
have'' Allah the Exalted sent down this Ayah,
﴿ لِّيُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِہَا ٱلۡأَنۡہَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا ﴾
(That
He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under
which rivers flow to abide therein forever,) meaning they will remain
in Paradise forever,
﴿ وَيُڪَفِّرَ عَنۡهُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِہِمۡۚ ﴾
(and
He may expiate from them their sins;) Allah will not punish them for
their errors and mistakes. Rather, He will forgive, absolve and pardon
them and cover the errors, grant mercy and appreciate,
﴿ وَكَانَ ذَٲلِكَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمً۬ا ﴾
(and that is with Allah supreme success.) Allah the Exalted said in a similar Ayah,
﴿ فَمَن زُحۡزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدۡخِلَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَقَدۡ فَازَۗ ﴾
(And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful.) (3:185) Allah said,
﴿ وَيُعَذِّبَ ٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقِينَ وَٱلۡمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتِ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ وَٱلۡمُشۡرِكَـٰتِ ٱلظَّآنِّينَ بِٱللَّهِ ظَنَّ ٱلسَّوۡءِۚ ﴾
(And
that He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and also the
idolaters, men and women, who think evil thoughts about Allah,) who
question the wisdom in Allah's decisions and think that the Messenger
and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) might be killed and
exterminated. This is why Allah the Exalted said,
﴿ عَلَيۡہِمۡ دَآٮِٕرَةُ ٱلسَّوۡءِۖ وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَعَنَهُمۡ ﴾
(for
them is a disgraceful torment. And the anger of Allah is upon them, and
He has cursed them) He has cast them away from His mercy,
﴿ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَآءَتۡ مَصِيرً۬ا ﴾
(and
prepared Hell for them -- and worst indeed is that destination.) Allah
the Exalted and Most Honored asserted His ability to take revenge from
the enemies of Islam and all disbelievers and hypocrites,
﴿ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا ﴾
(And to Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.)
﴿ إِنَّآ أَرۡسَلۡنَـٰكَ شَـٰهِدً۬ا وَمُبَشِّرً۬ا وَنَذِيرً۬ا • لِّتُؤۡمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُڪۡرَةً۬ وَأَصِيلاً •
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ ٱللَّهَ يَدُ
ٱللَّهِ فَوۡقَ أَيۡدِيہِمۡۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ
نَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَنۡ أَوۡفَىٰ بِمَا عَـٰهَدَ عَلَيۡهُ ٱللَّهَ
فَسَيُؤۡتِيهِ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمً۬ا ﴾
(8.
Verily, We have sent you as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and
as a warner.) (9. In order that you (O mankind) may believe in Allah
and His Messenger and that you Tu`azziruh and Tuwaqqiruh, and Tusabbihuh
Bukrah and Asila.) (10. Verily, those who give pledge to you, they are
giving pledge to Allah. The Hand of Allah is over their hands. Then
whosoever breaks his pledge, breaks it only to his own harm; and
whosoever fulfills what he has the covenants he makes with Allah, He
will bestow on him a great reward.)
