SURAH (48) AL-FATH (AYA 11 to 29)

SECTION 2

False excuses given by the hypocrites

The false excuses given by the hypocrites for not going to war along with the believers---ALLAH (SWT) forgives and chastises whomsoever He wills---The persons exempted from going to battle.

سَيَقُولُ لَكَ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ شَغَلَتْنَا أَمْوَالُنَا وَأَهْلُونَا فَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ۚ يَقُولُونَ بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ مَا لَيْسَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ فَمَنْ يَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ ضَرًّا أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ نَفْعًا ۚ بَلْ كَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا {48:11}

[Q48:11] Sa yaqoolu lakal mukhal lafoona minal-A'raabi shaighalatnaaa amwaalunaa wa ahloonaa fastaghfir lanaa; yaqooloona bi alsinatihim maa laisa fee quloobihim; qul famany yamliku lakum minaL Laahi shai'an in araada bikum darran aw araada bikum naf'aa; bal kaanaL Laahu bimaa ta'maloona Khabeeraa. 
[Q48:11] Those of the dwellers of the desert who were left behind will say to you: Our property and our families kept us busy, so ask forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: Then who can control anything for you from ALLAH (SWT) if He intends to do you harm or if He intends to do you good; nay, ALLAH (SWT) is Aware of what you do:

[Q48:11] Orang-orang "A'raab" (kaum Arab Badwi) yang ketinggalan tidak turut (bersama-sama denganmu ke Hudaibiyah), akan berkata kepadamu (wahai Muhammad): Kami telah dihalangi oleh urusan menjaga keselamatan harta benda dan anak isteri kami; oleh itu, pohonkanlah ampun kepada ALLAH (SwT) untuk kami. Mereka berkata dengan lidahnya apa yang tidak ada dalam hatinya. Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad: Jika demikian sebab ketinggalan kamu) maka adakah sesiapa yang berkuasa mempertahankan kamu daripada terkena atau menerima sesuatu ketetapan dari ALLAH (SwT) jika Dia tetapkan kamu ditimpa bahaya atau beroleh manfaat? (Tidak ada sesiapapun dan apa yang kamu katakan itu bukanlah menjadi sebab) bahkan ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha Mendalam pengetahuanNya tentang sebab ketinggalan yang kamu lakukan itu (dan Dia akan membalasnya).

When the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) started from Madina on the journey to Makka, he asked all the Muslims to join him in the pious act of performing ‘umrah’, and he had a good response, BUT some stayed back and made excuses. They wanted to save their skins from the possible attack by the Makkans.

£  NO POWER ON THE EARTH OR IN THE HEAVENS CAN INTERVENE IF ALLAH (SWT) INTENDS TO GIVE ANY PEOPLE LOSS OR PROFIT.

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(48:11) (O Prophet), the bedouins who were left behind say to you: *20 “We were occupied with our goods and families. So ask forgiveness for us.” They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. *21 Say to them: “Who can be of any avail to you against Allah if He should intend to cause you any harm or confer upon you any benefit?” Allah is well aware of all that you do. *22

*20 This refers to the people living in the suburbs of Madinah whom the Holy Prophet had invited to accompany him in his march out for `Umrah, but they had not left their homes in spite of their claim to Faith just because they were afraid of death. Traditions show that these were the people of the tribes of Aslam, Muzainah, Juhainah, Ghifar, Ashja`, Dil and others. 
*21 This has two meanings: (1) "That after your returning to Madinah the excuse that these people will present for not going out with you, would only be a lame excuse, because they know in their hearts why they had stayed behind"; and (2) °that their imploring the Messenger of Allah for a prayer of forgiveness would only be an empty word of mouth, for in fact, they are neither feeling remorse for their failure to accompany you, nor have they any feeling that they committed a sin by not going out with the Messenger, nor are ,they seeking forgiveness sincerely. As for themselves they think that they did a wise thing by not going on the dangerous journey; had they any desire for Allah and His forgiveness, they would not have stayed behind at home."
*22 That is, "Allah's decision will be on the basis of the knowledge that He has about the reality of your actions. If your actions deserve the punishment and I pray for your forgiveness, my this prayer will not save you from Allah's punishment; and if your actions do not deserve the punishment, and I do not pray for your forgiveness, my failure to pray will not do any harm to you. Everything is in Allah's control, not mine, and no one's empty words can deceive Him. Therefore, even if I accept as true what you say and then also pray for your forgiveness on its basis, it will be vain and without result. " 

بَلْ ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ لَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ الرَّسُولُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِيهِمْ أَبَدًا وَزُيِّنَ ذَٰلِكَ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَظَنَنْتُمْ ظَنَّ السَّوْءِ وَكُنْتُمْ قَوْمًا بُورًا{48:12}

[Q48:12] Bal zanantum al lany yanqalibar Rasoolu walmu'minoona ilaaa ahleehim abadanw wa zuyyina zaalika fee quloobikum wa zanantum zannnas saw'i wa kuntum qawmam booraa. 
[Q48:12] Nay! You rather thought that the Messenger and the believers would not return to their families ever, and that was made fairseeming to your hearts and you thought an evil thought and you were a people doomed to perish.

[Q48:12] (Itu bukanlah sebabnya) bahkan sebabnya kamu telah menyangka bahawa Rasulullah dan orang-orang yang beriman (yang pergi berperang akan binasa semuanya dan) tidak akan kembali lagi kepada anak isteri dan keluarga masing-masing selama-lamanya dan sangkaan yang demikian itu diperelokkan (oleh Syaitan) di dalam hati kamu (serta menerimanya) dan lagi kamu telah menyangka berbagai-bagai sangkaan yang buruk (terhadap agama ALLAH (SwT) yang dibawa oleh RasulNya) dan (dengan itu) menjadilah kamu kaum yang rosak binasa.

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(48:12) (But the truth is not what you say.) You had imagined that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and this notion was embellished in your hearts. *23 You harboured an evil thought, and you are an immensely evil people.” *24

*23 That is,"You were delighted to think that you had saved yourselves from the danger into which the Messenger and his believing supporters were going. You thought you had done so by dint of your great wisdom; and you also did not feel any compunction in rejoicing at the thought that the Messenger and the believers would not return alive from their expedition. You did not feel uneasy in spite of your claim to the Faith but were pleased to think that you did not put yourselves in the danger by accompanying the Messenger. " 
*24 The word ba- ir (pl.bur in the original) has two meanings: (1) A sinful, perverted and evil-minded person, who is incapable of doing anything good; and (2) one who is doomed to an evil end, who is following the path of destruction, 

  

وَمَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَإِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ سَعِيرًا {48:13}

[Q48:13] Wa mal lam yu'mim biLLaahi wa Rasoolihee fainnaaa a'tadnaa lilkaafireena Sa‘eeraa. 
[Q48:13] And whoever does not believe in ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger, then surely We have prepared burning fire for the unbelievers.

[Q48:13] Dan (ingatlah bahawa) sesiapa yang tidak beriman kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya, maka sesungguhnya Kami sediakan bagi orang-orang kafir itu api Neraka yang menjulang-julang. 

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(48:13) As for those who do not believe in Allah and His Messenger, for such unbelievers We have prepared a Blazing Fire. *25

*25 Here, Allah in clear words is declaring alI such people disbelievers and devoid of the faith, who are not sincere with regard to AIlah and His Religion, who shirk endangering their interests, their lives and wealth for the sake of Allah's Religion when the time comes of their trial and test. But one should remember that this is not the .sort of disbelief on the basis of which somebody in the world may be regarded as excommunicated from Islam, but this is the disbelief because of which he will be declared a disbeliever in the Hereafter. The reason is that the Holy Prophet even after the revelation of this verse did not regard as outside Islam those people in respect of whom it was sent down, nor treated them like the disbelievers. 

وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ يَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا {48:14}

[Q48:14] Wa liLLaahii mulkus samaawaati wal ard; yaghfiru limany yashaaa'u wa yu'azzibu many yashaaa'; wa kaanaL Laahu Ghafoorar Raheemaa. 
[Q48:14] And ALLAH (SWT)'s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He forgives whom He pleases and punishes whom He pleases, and ALLAH (SWT) is Forgiving, Merciful.

[Q48:14] Dan (ingatlah juga bahawa) kuasa pemerintahan langit dan bumi adalah hak kepunyaan ALLAH (SwT), Dia berkuasa mengampunkan sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya dan Dia juga berkuasa menyeksa sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya dan ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha Pengampun, lagi Maha Mengasihani.

EVIL MUST INEVITABLY HAVE ITS PUNISHMENT, BUT THERE IS ONE WAY OF ESCAPE---THROUGH REPENTANCE, BUT the mercy of ALLAH (SWT) may bring pardon or the justice of ALLAH (SWT) may inflict penalty. IT DEPENDS UPON THE INDEPENDENT DECISION OF THE LORD.

†  It is said that the Treaty at Hudaibiyya was made in the sixth year of ‘Hijrat’ (Migration to Madina) AND in the seventh year befell the expedition to Khaiber.

The HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said that ALLAH (SWT) had Commanded that everyone who was in Hudaibiyya, i.e., all those who had sworn allegiance to the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), should proceed to Khaiber ---and promised a sure victory, AND SAID that the others need not join the expedition.

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(48:14) To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He pleases and chastises whom He pleases. He is Most Forgiving, Most Compassionate. *26

*26 The mention of Allah's being All-Forgiving and All-Merciful after the foregoing warning, contains in it a subtle aspect of admonition. It means this: 'Even now if you give up your insincere attitude and way of life and adopt sincerity, you will fmd Allah All- Forgiving and All-Merciful. He will forgive you your previous shortcomings and will treat you according to the quality of your sincerity in the future." 

سَيَقُولُ الْمُخَلَّفُونَ إِذَا انْطَلَقْتُمْ إِلَىٰ مَغَانِمَ لِتَأْخُذُوهَا ذَرُونَا نَتَّبِعْكُمْ ۖ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُبَدِّلُوا كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ۚ قُلْ لَنْ تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَٰلِكُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ فَسَيَقُولُونَ بَلْ تَحْسُدُونَنَا ۚ بَلْ كَانُوا لَا يَفْقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا {48:15}

[Q48:15] Sa yaqoolul mukhalla foona izan talaqtum ilaa maghaanima litaakhuzoohaa zaroonaa nattabi'kum yureedoona any yubaddiloo KalaamaLLaah; qul lan tattabi'oonaa kazaalikum qaalaL Laahu min qablu fasa yaqooloona bal tahsudoonanna; bal kaanoo laa yafqahoona illaa qaleelaa. 
[Q48:15] Those who are left behind will say when you set forth for the gaining of acquisitions: Allow us (that) we may follow you. They desire to change the word of ALLAH (SWT). Say: By no means shall you follow us; thus did ALLAH (SWT) say before. But they will say: Nay! You are jealous of us. Nay! They do not understand but a little.

[Q48:15] Orang-orang (munafik) yang tidak turut berjuang (bersama-sama kamu) akan berkata semasa kamu pergi (mengepong musuh serta) mendapat harta rampasan perang: Biarkanlah kami turut serta dengan kamu! Mereka (dengan itu) hendak mengubah janji ALLAH (SwT) (yang menentukan hanya orang-orang yang turut hadir di Hudaibiyah sahaja yang berhak mendapat harta rampasan perang itu). Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Kamu tidak dibenarkan sama sekali turut serta dengan kami; demikianlah ALLAH (SwT) menegaskan (larangan itu) semenjak dahulu lagi. Mereka akan berkata pula: (Bukan Tuhan yang melarang) bahkan kamu dengki kepada kami, (apa yang mereka katakan itu tidaklah benar), bahkan mereka tidak faham kecuali sedikit sahaja; (mereka hanya faham tentang kehidupan dan kesenangan dunia semata-mata). 

SOON AFTER his return from Hudaibbiya the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) decided to proceed against the Jews of Khaiber, AND declared that he would take with him only those who had accompanied him to Hudaibbiya, BECAUSE those who stayed behind at the time of going on that journey and now desired to be there when booty could be available, were debarred from joining the jihad.

©  JIHAD IS NOT FOR PERSONAL GAIN OR BOOTY. JIHAD IS STRIVING HARD, IN WAR AND PEACE, IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH (SWT).

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(48:15) When you press forth for the spoils, those who were left behind will say: “Let us accompany you.” *27 They want to change the command of Allah. *28 Say to them (in clear words): “You shall not accompany us. Thus has Allah already said.” *29 Then they will say: “Nay; but you are jealous of us.” The truth is that they understand little.

*27 That is, `The time is approaching when these very people who were shirking accompanying you on the dangerous journey, would see you going on an expedition in which there would be the possibility of attaining easy victory and much booty. Then they would come running and request you to take them also along." Such a time came just three months after the truce of Hudaibiyah, when the Holy Prophet invaded Khaiber and took it easily. At that time everyone could see that after the truce with the Quraish not only Khaiber but the Jewish settlements of Taima, Fadak, Wadi-al-Qura' and others also of northern Arabia would not be able to withstand the might of the Muslims and would easily fall to the Islamic State. Therefore, Allah in these verses forewarned the Holy Prophet that the opportunists of the suburbs of Madinah would come up to take part in and receive their share when they would see easy victories being attained, and that he should tell them plainly: "You will never be allowed to take part in these, because only those who had gone forth to offer their lives in the conflict at Hudaibiyah regardless of every danger would be entitled o them." 
*28 "Allah's decree" implies the decree that only those people would be allowed to accompany the Holy Prophet in the expedition to Khaiber, who had taken part in the expedition to Hudaibiyah and sworn the pledge there for AIIah has reserved the spoils of Khaiber cxclusively for them; as has been stated clearly in verse 18 blow.
*29 The words "Allah has already said this before" caused the people the misunderstanding that this refers to some other command bearing upon the same subject that might have been sent down before this verse, and since no such command is found in this Surah before this verse, they started looking for it at other places in the Qur'an till they found verse 84 of Surah At-Taubah, in which this very subject has been dealt with for another occasion. But that verse, in fact, does not apply to this, for it was sent down in connection with the Battle of Tabuk, and its period of revelation is three years after the period of revelation of Surah AI-Fat-h. The fact of the matter is that this verse refers to vv. 18-19 of this Surah itself, and Allah's already having said this does not mean its having been said before this verse but it’s having boon said to the laggards before this conversation. This conversation with the laggards about which advance instructions are being given to the Holy Prophet was to take place at the time of the expedition to Khaiber, and this whole Surah, including vv. 18-19, had been sent down three months earlier on return from Hudaibiyah on the way. A careful study of the context shows that Allah here is giving this instruction to His Messenger: "When after your return at Madinah the laggards come to you with their excuses, you should give them this reply, and when they express their desire to accompany you in the expedition to Khaiber, you should tell them this." 

قُلْ لِلْمُخَلَّفِينَ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ سَتُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ تُقَاتِلُونَهُمْ أَوْ يُسْلِمُونَ ۖ فَإِنْ تُطِيعُوا يُؤْتِكُمُ اللَّهُ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ۖ وَإِنْ تَتَوَلَّوْا كَمَا تَوَلَّيْتُمْ مِنْ قَبْلُ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا {48:16}

[Q48:16] Qul lilmukhallafeena minal A'raabi satud'awna ilaa qawmin ulee baasin shadeedin tuqaati loonahum aw yuslimoona fa in tutee'oo yu'tikumuL Laahu ajran hasananw wa in tatawallaw kamaa tawallaitum min qablu yu'azzibkum 'azaaban aleemaa. 
[Q48:16] Say to those of the dwellers of the desert who were left behind: You shall soon be invited (to fight) against a people possessing mighty prowess; you will fight against them until they submit; then if you obey, ALLAH (SWT) will grant you a good reward; and if you turn back as you turned back before, He will punish you with a painful punishment.

[Q48:16] Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad) kepada orang-orang yang tidak turut berjuang (bersama-samamu) dari kalangan kaum-kaum Arab Badwi: Kamu akan diajak menentang satu kaum (penceroboh) yang sangat kuat gagah supaya kamu memeranginya atau mereka menurut perintah Islam (secara damai). Jika kamu taat (menjalankan perintah ALLAH (SwT) ini), ALLAH (SwT) akan mengurniakan kamu dengan balasan yang baik (di dunia dan akhirat) dan kalau kamu berpaling ingkar seperti keingkaran dahulu, nescaya ALLAH (SwT) akan menyeksa kamu dengan azab yang tidak terperi sakitnya. 

It is said here that those who stayed behind at the time of journey to Hudaibiyya where there was danger and no prospect of booty, would soon be summoned to fight against ferocious fighters.

Some commentators say that "the people of mighty prowess" refers to the Romans or Persians against whom the Muslims fought after the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad); BUT the prefix "sin" in satud-awna indicates "near future" and also "if you turn back, as you have done before" refers to reversal and desertion which took place in Tabuk, Muta and Hunayn in the lifetime of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

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(48:16) Say to the bedouins who were left behind: “You will be called against those who possess great might and be asked to fight against them unless they surrender. *30 If you obey (the command to fight), Allah will bestow upon you a goodly reward. But if you turn away, as you turned away before, He shall inflict upon you a grievous chastisement.”

*30 The words au yuslimun in the original can have two meanings and both are implied: (1) 'That they should accept Islam"; and (2) 'that they should submit to the Islamic rule." 

لَيْسَ عَلَى الْأَعْمَىٰ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْأَعْرَجِ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى الْمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۖ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّ يُعَذِّبْهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا {48:17}

[Q48:17] Laisa 'alal a'maa harajunw wa laa 'alal a'raji harajunw wa laa 'alal mareedi haraj' wa many yutil'iL Laaha wa Rasoolahoo yudkhilhu jannaatin tajree min tahtihal anhaaru wa many yatawalla yu'azzibhu 'azaaban aleemaa. 
[Q48:17] There is no harm in the blind, nor is there any harm in the lame, nor is there any harm in the sick (if they do not go forth); and whoever obeys ALLAH (SWT) and His Messenger, He will cause him to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, and whoever turns back, He will punish him with a painful punishment.

[Q48:17] Tidaklah menjadi salah kepada orang buta dan tidaklah menjadi salah kepada orang tempang dan tidaklah menjadi salah kepada orang sakit (tidak turut berperang, kerana masing-masing ada uzurnya) dan (ingatlah), sesiapa yang taat kepada ALLAH (SwT) dan RasulNya, akan dimasukkannya ke dalam Syurga yang mengalir di bawahnya beberapa sungai dan sesiapa yang berpaling ingkar, akan diseksanya dengan azab yang tidak terperi sakitnya.

µ  The [1] blind, the [2] maimed and the [3] infirm are exempted from active compliance with the call to jihad.

Those who obey the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s call to jihad will get the spiritual rewards of the hereafter, and those who turn back, desert and abandon the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) will be punished.

Ì  See commentary of Bara-at 9:25 to 27 to know about the deserters.

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(48:17) There is no blame on the blind, nor on the lame, nor on the sick (if they do not go forth to fight). *31 Allah will admit those who obey Allah and His Messenger to the Gardens beneath which rivers flow and will inflict a grievous chastisement on those who turn away.

*31 That is, the one who has a genuine excuse for not joining Jihad is not accountable, but if the able-bodied, strong people make excuses for not joining it, they cannot be regarded as sincere with regard to AIIah and His Religion, and they cannot be given the opportunity to take advantage of the gains as members of the Muslim community, but when time comes for making sacrifices for Islam, they should lag behind and seek the safety of their lives and properties." Here, one should know that two kinds of the people have been exempted from Jihad duty by the Shari ah: (1) Those who are not physically fit for Jihad. e.g. young boys, women, the insane, the blind and such patients as cannot perform military duties, and such disabled people as cannot take part in war; and (2) those for whom it may be difficult to join Jihad for other sound reasons, e.g. the slaves, or those persons who may be ready for Jihad but may not afford weapons of war and other necessary equipment, or such debtors who may have to pay their debts at the earliest opportunity and the creditors may not be willing to allow them more time, or such people whose parents (or a parent) might be alive, who stand in need of the children's help. In this regard, it should also be known that the children should not join Jihad without the permission of their parents if they are Muslims, but if they are non-Muslims it is not permissible for a person to stay away from Jihad in case they refuse permission. 

SECTION 3

More victories for Islam assured

More victories for Islam assured---The Great grace for ALLAH (SWT) upon the believers in the various expeditions---The obstruction from the infidels.

لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا{48:18}

[Q48:18] Laqad radiyaL Laahu 'anil mu'mineena iz yubaayi 'oonaka tahtash shajarati fa'alima maa fee quloobihim fa anzalas sakeenata 'alaihim wa asaa bahum fat han qareebaa;
[Q48:18] Certainly ALLAH (SWT) was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity on them and rewarded them with a near victory,

[Q48:18] Demi sesungguhnya! ALLAH (SwT) reda akan orang-orang yang beriman, ketika mereka memberikan pengakuan taat setia kepadamu (wahai Muhammad) di bawah naungan pohon (yang termaklum di Hudaibiyah); maka (dengan itu) ternyata apa yang sedia diketahuiNya tentang (kebenaran iman dan taat setia) yang ada dalam hati mereka, lalu Dia menurunkan semangat tenang tenteram kepada mereka dan membalas mereka dengan kemenangan yang dekat masa datangnya; 

THE MENTION OF BELIEVERS AMONG THOSE WHO SWORE ALLEGIANCE AT HUDAIBIYYA UNDER THE TREE (see commentary of verse 1 and 10 of this surah) PROVE THAT THERE WERE BELIEVERS AS WELL AS HYPOCRITES AMONG THE SWEARERS.

±  As mentioned in the commentary of 4, 5 and 6 of this surah the believers are promised tranquility (sakina) and victory in near future (at Khaybar).

ALLAH (SWT) IS PLEASED ONLY WITH THE BELIEVERS TO WHOM ALONE HE SENT DOWN TRANQUILITY WHICH HELPED THEM TO STAND FIRM WITH THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) IN THE SUBSEQUENT BATTLES. The HYPOCRITES who were among the swearers of fealty AND exposed themselves by running away from the battles WERE NATURALLY NOT THE RECIPIENTS OF THE TRANQUILITY. In other matters also they demonstrated lack of tranquility before and after the revelation of this verse.

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(48:18) Allah was much pleased with the believers when they swore fealty to you under the tree. *32 He knew what was in their hearts. So He bestowed inner peace upon them *33 and rewarded them with a victory near at hand

*32 Here again the pledge taken from the Companions at Hudaibiyah has been mentioned. This is called Bai 'at Ridwan for AIIah in this verse has given the good news that he became well pleased with those who on this dangerous occasion did not show the least hesitation in offering their lives for the cause of Islam and gave an express proof of their being true in their faith by taking the pledge on the hand of the Holy Prophet. The Muslims at this time were equipped only with a sword each numbered only 1,400, were unprepared for warfare, but were donning the pilgrim garments, were 25 miles away from their military headquarters (Madinah), while the enemy's stronghold (Makkah) wherefrom it could get any kind of help was just 13 miles off. Had these people been lacking in their sincerity to AIIah and His Messenger and His Religion in any degree, they would have abandoned the Messenger on this extremely dangerous occasion, and Islam would have been vanquished for ever. Apart from their own sincerity there was no external pressure under which they might have been compelled to take the pledge. Their becoming ready at that time to fight in the cause of Allah's Religion regardless of the dangers, is a clear proof that they were true and sincere in their Faith and loyal to the cause of AIIah and His Messenger in the highest degree. THAT IS WHY AIIAH HONOURED THEM WITH THIS CERTIFICATE OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE. NOW IT SOME ONE BECOMES ANGRY WITH THEM AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN HONOURED WITH THIS CERTIFICATE OF ALLAH'S GOOD PLEASURE, OR SLANDERS AND VILIFIES THEM, HIS ENMITY IS WITH ALLAH, NOT WITH THEM. Those who say that at that time when Allah honoured them with this certificate of His good pleasure, they were sincere, but afterwards they became disloyal to AIlah and His Messenger, perhaps harbour a mistrust about Allah that while sending down this verse He was unaware of their future; therefore, He (Allah) awarded them this warrant only in view of their state at that time, and probably due to the same unawareness inscribed this verse in His Holy Book as well so that afterwards also, when those people have turned disloyal, the world should continue reading this verse about them and praising the knowledge of the unseen of that AIlah Who, God forbid, had granted these faithless and disloyal people the warrant of His good pleasure. About the Tree under which this pledge was taken Ibn `Umar's slave Hadrat Nafi's tradition has generally spread saying that the people had started visiting it and offering Prayers by it, so that when Hadrat 'Umar came to know of it, he rebuked and warned the people and ordered it to be cut down . (Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd, vol. II, p. l00). But there are several other traditions which contradict it. A tradition from Hadrat Nafi' himself has been reported in Tabaqat of Ibn S`ad to the effect that many years after the Bai at Ridwan the Companions looked for the Tree but they could not recognize it and differed as to which tree it was. (p. 106). The second tradition has been reported in Bukhari, Muslim, and Tabaqat on the authority of Hadrat Said bin al-Musayyab. He says that his father was one of those who had participated in the Bai `at Ridwan. He told him that when they had gone for 'Umrah al-Qada the following year, they had forgotten the Tree, and they could not locate it even after looking for it. The third tradition is from lbn Jarir. He says that when Hadrat `Umar during his caliphate passed by Hudaibiyah, he enquired about the Tree under which the pledge had been sworn. Someone pointed to one tree and another one to another tree. At this Hadrat `Umar told the people to forget it as there was no real need to bother about it. 
*33 Here, sakinat means that state of the heart on whose strength a man throws himself into dangers with complete calm and peace of mind for the sake of a great objective and resolves without fear and consternation to undertake it regardless of the consequences. 

وَمَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةً يَأْخُذُونَهَا ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا {48:19}

[Q48:19] Wa maghaanima kaseera tany yaakhuzoonahaa; wa kaanaL Laahu 'Azeezan Hakeemaa. 
[Q48:19] And many acquisitions which they will take; and ALLAH (SWT) is Mighty, Wise.

[Q48:19] Dan juga dengan banyak harta rampasan perang, yang mereka akan dapat mengambilnya. Dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha kuasa, lagi Maha Bijaksana. 

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(48:19) and with abundant spoils which they shall acquire. *34 Allah is Most Mighty, Most Wise.

*34 The reference is to the conquest of Khaiber and its rich spoils and this verse expressly points out that AIlah had reserved this reward only for those People who had taken part in the Bai at Ridwan; apart from them no one else was entitled to take part in the victory and have a share in the spoils. That is why when the, Holy Prophet marched out to attack Khaiber in Safar, A.H. 7, he took only those people with him. No doubt afterwards he gave some of the spoils of Khaiber to those emigrants also who returned from Habash and to some Companions from the Dus and Ash'ar tribes as well, but this was given either from Khums (one fifth of the spoils of war given into the public treasury), or with the approval of the Companions who had taken the pledge of Ridwan; no one else was given any share of it. 

وَعَدَكُمُ اللَّهُ مَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةً تَأْخُذُونَهَا فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَٰذِهِ وَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَ النَّاسِ عَنْكُمْ وَلِتَكُونَ آيَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا {48:20}

[Q48:20] Wa'adakumuL Laahu ma ghaanima kaseeratan taakhuzoo nahaa fa'ajjala lakum haazihee wa kaffa aydiyan naasi 'ankum wa litakoona aayatal lilmu'mineena wa yahdiyakum siraatam mustaqeemaa; 
[Q48:20] ALLAH (SWT) promised you many acquisitions which you will take, then He hastened on this one for you and held back the hands of men from you, and that it may be a sign for the believers and that He may guide you on a right path.

[Q48:20] (Sebagai memuliakan orang-orang yang memberi pengakuan taat setianya di Hudaibiyah, Tuhan menujukan firmanNya kepada mereka): ALLAH (SwT) menjanjikan kepada kamu harta rampasan yang banyak yang kamu akan mengambilnya, lalu Dia menyegerakan untuk kamu harta rampasan perang ini, serta Dia telah menahan tangan manusia (pihak musuh di situ) daripada menyerang kamu; (ALLAH (SwT) melakukan yang demikian supaya kamu beroleh manfaat) dan supaya menjadi tanda (yang membuktikan kebenaran janjiNya) bagi orang-orang yang beriman dan juga supaya Dia menambahkan kamu hidayat ke jalan yang lurus.

"Promise of many gains" refers to the gains the Muslims got at Khaiber and Hawazan, which followed the capture of Makka.

"He has restrained the hands of people from you" refers to the restraint which the powerful tribes of Bani Asad and Bani Ghaftan exercised, effected by ALLAH (SWT), when they were planning to attack Madina.

"A sign for the believers" IS THE VALOUR OF ALI HE DEMONSTRATED IN THE BATTLE OF KHAIBER.

µ  Since after the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s immigration to Madina, the Jews, jealous and apprehensive of the evergrowing power and authority of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) were constantly hatching plots to stop the march of Islam.

µ  In Shawwal, 6 Hijra, the Jews of Khaybar began a fresh campaign to launch an attack against the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his followers.

µ  THEREFORE in Muharram, 7 Hijra, he undertook an expedition against them to put an end to their plots. The Jews rallied round their chief, the king of their nation, named Kinana. He lived in a strongly fortified citadel of Khaybar named al Qamus.

µ  The siege of al Qamus was the most trying task for the Muslims, who had never before forced their way into such a stronghold.

Abul Fida writes in Tarikh Abul Fida

°         That the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) handed over his standard to Abu Bakr directing him to lead the assault, BUT he was vigorously repulsed by the Jews and forced to retreat.

°         Next the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) sent Umar bin Khattab, BUT the result was no better than a forced retreat (Tabari; Sirat Muhammadiya, Rawdat al Ahbab; Tarikh al Khamis).

°         The soldiers, coming back to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), charged their leader, Umar, with cowardice, while Umar blamed them of lack of courage (Tabari; Sirat Muhammadiya).

THEN the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said:

"Tomorrow I shall give my flag to one who loves ALLAH (SWT) and His Prophet, and who is the beloved of ALLAH (SWT) and His Prophet, a fearless constant charger who never turns his back upon a foe, at his hands the Lord will give victory." (Waqidi, Bukhari; Muslim; Ahmad bin Hanbal, Nasa-i, Tirmidhi; Tabari; Ibn Athir and Suyuti).

ß  EVERYONE of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s chief companions was anxious to be signalised on the morrow as the "beloved of ALLAH (SWT) and His Prophet." No one thought of Ali, the ever victorious hero of all the previous wars, the vicegerent of the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), BECAUSE, suffering with sore eyes, he was not present (Tabari; Tarikh al Khamis).

ß  The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), HOWEVER, as commanded by ALLAH (SWT), recited Nadi Ali:

"Call on Ali,

(He) is able to bring about the extraordinary.

You will find him an effective supporter in all calamities.

(All) worries and sorrows will soon disappear.

O Ali, O Ali, O Ali."

ß  As soon as the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) called Ali, he appeared on the scene. The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), taking Ali's head into his lap, applied the saliva of his mouth to his eyes. At once his eyes become so clear as if he had not suffered from the disease at all (Ibn Hisham; Tabari; Nasa-i).

ß  Then he gave his sacred banner into the hands of Ali, AND THUS Ali became the beloved of ALLAH (SWT) and the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) (Ibn Hisham; Tabari etcetera). The Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) told Ali: "Go and conquer the fort".

A VERY REASONABLE QUESTION ARISES HERE as to why he did not do the same at the beginning itself. It is quite obvious that it is not that the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) did not know that the enemy was not conquerable by the others BUT it was the divine plan, [*] to give the chance first to the others and let the others themselves prove their own mettle at such times of facing the formidable enemies, [*] to prove to the world who was who in Islam and in the Muslim ranks and who and what Ali was. It is all for the guidance of mankind and particularly for those who are sincerely after knowing the truth.

TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE PEOPLE IN EVERY AGE THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), UNDER THE COMMAND OF ALLAH (SWT), GAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO HIS SENIOR MOST COMPANIONS TO PROVE THEIR ABILITIES, BUT THEY FAILED, AND THEIR FAILURE IS RECORDED IN THE HISTORY FOR EVER.

£  A Jewish monk, when he came to know that the name of the new commander was Ali, told his men that it was mentioned in their scripture that a man named Elia would conquer the fort of Khaybar.

£  Harith, a Jewish champion, who had successfully repulsed the attacks of Abu Bakr and Umar, stepped forward to meet Ali in single combat. Ali slew him.

£  The brother of Harith, Marhab, was a man of gigantic stature. He was unequalled in valour among the Jews. To avenge the death of his brother, he came out, covered with a double coat of mail, with a huge sword and a big spear with triple-forked sharp pointed heads.

"I am Marhab," he cried, "as all Khaybar knows, a warrior bristling with arms in a furiously raging war."

Ali advanced in response to his challenge and said: "I am he whom his mother named Hayder, a lion of the wilderness"

£  As they came near each other, Marhab thrust his three-pronged lance at Ali, missed and lost concentration and balance for a brief moment, and before he could recover, Ali dealt him a blow with the dhulfiqar, which passed through his iron head-gear, skull, head, chest and body down to his saddle, severing him in two equal parts. "ALLAHUAKBAR", said Ali and all knew that Ali was victorious.

£  When Harith, Marhab, Antar, Rabi-i, Dajij, Dawd, Morra and Yasir, the most distinguished Jew warriors, were killed by Ali, the Jews retreated into the fort and closed its huge iron gate.

£  Ali jumped over a trench and wrenched the door of the irongate off its hinges and used it as a sheild. In some traditions it is reported that he spread the door over the trench as a bridge to make easy the entry of the Muslim soldiers into the fort. It is mentioned in Sirat Ibn Hisham, Tarikh Kamil and Tarikh Abul Fida that, after the war, several men tried to turn it over but failed. This is the "sign" referred to in this verse for the guidance of the believers unto the right path.

£  After the conquest of al Qamus, the remaining strongholds capitulated and their lands were subjected to a tax of half of the produce.

£  ***WHEN THE INHABITANTS OF FADAK GAVE THEIR LAND TO THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) VERSE 17:26 OF BANI ISRAIL: "GIVE TO THE NEAR OF KIN THAT WHICH IS DUE," WAS REVEALED.***

ì  Ibn Hisham, Tabari, Zarqani and Abul Fida say that as the income from Fadak belonged wholly to the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) on account of its being given to him without use of force, he gave it to Bibi Fatimah (Kanzal Ammal by Ali Muttaqi).

ì  Refer to the commentary of Bani Israil 17:26; Naml 27:15 & 16; Nahl 16:90 and Maryam 19:2 to 15 for the issue of Fadak.

WHILE THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) WAS AT KHAYBAR, AN ATTEMPT AT HIS LIFE WAS MADE BY A JEWESS, DAUGHTER OF HARITH, WHO DRESSED A LAMB, POISONED IT WITH A DEADLY POISON AND SENT IT AS A GIFT WHEN THE EVENING REPAST WAS BEING SERVED TO HIM.

v  As soon as the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) took a bite of the meat he knew at once that it was poisoned, so he spat it forth. Bishr bin Bara, in the meantime, swallowed some of it and at once fell down and died without even stirring his limbs.

v  The poison was so deadly that, though it only touched the Holy Prophet (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)'s tongue, it slowly spread to his neck. **During his sickness, before his departure from this world, when the mother of Bishr came to see him, he told her that the same poison, which killed her son, was now killing him.

v  ***THUS THE DEATH OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) OCCURRED AS A MARTYR.***

At least a very brief note on the historic event of the expedition to Khaiber for a sincere student of the Holy Qur’an to know:-

[a] At whose hands the great success for Islam, was given to the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and

[b] Who was true to his pledge to ALLAH (SWT) and the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) AND

(1)     How the companions of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), one after another returned to the camp defeated by the enemy.

(2)     How the paining eyes of Ali were once for all cured by the mere application of the saliva from the mouth of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

(3)     How the same enemy who was proved unconquerable, was in one single effort, conquered and crushed forever by Ali

(4)     How Ali demonstrated the godly strength, powers and prowess divinely endowed in him, AND

(5)     Ali being declared by the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) as the one who loved ALLAH (SWT) and whom ALLAH (SWT) and His Apostle loved.

IT NEEDS ALWAYS TO BE REMEMBERED BY EVERY SINCERE STUDENT OF THE HOLY QUR’AN THAT MANY THINGS IN THE QUR’AN COULD BE UNDERSTOOD ONLY IN THEIR CONTEXT AND WITH THE ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE BACKGROUND OF THE IMPORTANT EVENT CONCERNING IT.

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(48:20) Allah has promised you abundant spoils which you shall acquire. *35 He has instantly granted you this (victory) *36 and has restrained the hands of people from you *37 that it may be a Sign for the believers *38 and He may guide you to a Straight Way. *39

*35 This refers to the other victories that the Muslim achieved successively after Khaiber. 
*36 This implies the treaty of Hudaibiyah which has been described as "a manifest victory" in the beginning of the Surah. 
*37 That is, "He restrained the disbelieving Quraish from attacking you at Hudaibiyah although from all appearances they were in a much better position and yours was a much weaker side militarily." FURTHERMORE, it also implies that no enemy power could muster courage to attack Madinah in those days, whereas after the departure of 1,400 soldiers the Madinah front had become very weak, and the Jews, the polytheists and hypocrites could take advantage of the situation. 
*38 SIGN of this as to how Allah helps the one who remains steadfast on obedience to Allah and His Messenger and comes out to support and defend the Truth and righteousness with his trust and faith in Allah. 
*39 "To the right way": "To the way of greater insight and faith so that you may remain steadfast on obedience to Allah and His Messenger in the future and may go on marching on the way of truth with trust in AIlah, and may learn this lesson from these experiences that the believer should take practical steps to do whatever is demanded by Allahs Religion with his trust in Him, and should not overestimate either his own strength or the strength of the unbelievers." 

وَأُخْرَىٰ لَمْ تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهَا قَدْ أَحَاطَ اللَّهُ بِهَا ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرًا {48:21}

[Q48:21] Wa ukhraa lam taqdiroo 'alaihaa qad ahaataL Laahu bihaa; wa kaanaL Laahu 'alaa kulli shai'in qadeera. 
[Q48:21] And others which you have not yet been able to achieve ALLAH (SWT) has surely encompassed them, and ALLAH (SWT) has power over all things.

[Q48:21] Dan ada lagi harta rampasan lain yang kamu belum dapat menguasainya, (tetapi) ALLAH (SwT) telah memelihara harta itu dengan kekuasaanNya (untuk kamu mendapatnya); dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha Kuasa atas tiap-tiap sesuatu. 

"Other gains" REFERS TO THE PREVALENCE OF ISLAM AS A MORAL AND SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE IN THE HUMAN SOCIETY TILL THE END OF THIS WORLD, IN ALL AGES. If it is restricted to immediate future then the battles of Hunayn, Tabuk and other advantages the Muslims obtained by steadily reducing the sphere of influence of the disbelievers under the leadership of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) should be construed.

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(48:21) He also promises you other spoils which you have not yet taken, but Allah has encompassed them. *40 Allah has power over everything.

*40 Most probably this is a reference to the Conquest of Makkah. The same is the opinion of Qatadah and Ibn Jarir. It seems to mean this: "Though Makkah has not yet fallen to you, Allah has encircled it, and as a result of this victory at Hudaibiyah, it will also fall to you." 

وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوَلَّوُا الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا {48:22}

[Q48:22] Wa law qaatalakumul lazeena kafaroo la wallawul adbaara summa laa yajidoona waliyanw-wa laa naseeraa.
[Q48:22] And if those who disbelieve fight with you, they would certainly turn (their) backs, then they would not find any protector or a helper.

[Q48:22] Dan sekiranya orang-orang kafir (dari penduduk Mekah) itu memerangi kamu (di Hudaibiyah), tentulah mereka akan berpaling melarikan diri dengan kekalahan; kemudian mereka tidak akan beroleh sesiapapun yang menjadi pelindung atau memberikan pertolongan. 

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(48:22) Had the unbelievers fought against you at that time, they would have turned their backs (in flight), and would have found none to protect or help them. *41

*41 That is, "Allah did not prevent fighting at Hudaibiyah because there was a possibility of your being defeated there, but there were other reasons for it, which are being stated in the following verses. Had that factor not been there and AIlah had allowed the war to take place, the disbelievers would surely have been routed and Makkah would have fallen to you at that very time. " 

سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَنْ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلًا {48:23}

[Q48:23] SunnataL Laahil latee qad khalat min qablu wa lan tajida lisunnatiL Laahi tabdeelaa. 
[Q48:23] Such has been the course of ALLAH (SWT) that has indeed run before, and you shall not find a change in ALLAH (SWT)'s course.

[Q48:23] (Kekalahan orang-orang yang menentang Rasul ALLAH (SwT) sudah tetap menurut) "Sunnatullah" (peraturan ALLAH (SwT)) yang telah berlaku semenjak dahulu lagi dan engkau tidak akan mendapati sebarang perubahan bagi cara dan peraturan ALLAH (SwT) itu. 

Refer to the commentary of Anfal 8:7-8; Bani Israil 17:81 and Ahzab 33:62. "The practice or dispensation of ALLAH (SWT)" refers to THE CONFLICT BETWEEN TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD WHICH ULTIMATELY ENDS IN THE DEFEAT OF FALSEHOOD AND TRIUMPH OF TRUTH.

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(48:23) Such is Allah’s Way that has come down from the past. *42 Never shall you find any change in the Way of Allah.

*42 Here, "the Way of Allah" means: Allah disgraces the disbelievers who fight His Messenger and helps His own Messenger. 

وَهُوَ الَّذِي كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنْكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا {48:24}

[Q48:24] Wa Huwal lazee kaffa aydiyahum 'ankum wa aydiyakum 'anhum bibatni Makkata mim ba'di an azfarakum 'alaihim; wa kaanaL Laahu bimaa ta'maloona Baseeraa. 
[Q48:24] And He it is Who held back their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makka after He had given you victory over them; and ALLAH (SWT) is Seeing what you do.

[Q48:24] Dan Dialah yang telah menahan tangan mereka (yang musyrik) daripada melakukan perkara yang buruk terhadap kamu dan tangan kamu daripada berbuat demikian kepada mereka di kawasan Mekah, sesudah Dia menjadikan kamu dapat menewaskan mereka. Dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha Melihat akan segala yang kamu kerjakan. 

DURING THE COURSE OF EVENTS AT HUDAIBIYYA ANY INCIDENT MIGHT HAVE PLUNGED THE QURAYSH AND THE MUSLIMS INTO A FIGHT. ON THE ONE HAND, the Muslims, though unarmed, had sworn to stand together, and if the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) wanted he could have forced entrance to the Ka’bah, AND ON THE OTHER HAND the Quraysh were determined to keep out the Muslims by resorting to armed confrontation, if necessary

ALLAH (SWT) RESTRAINED BOTH SIDES FROM ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN BLOODSHED. Refer to the commentary of verse one to know that the treaty of Hudaibiyya was a victory for the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad).

Ë Abdullah bin Ma’qal relates:-

That when Ali was getting the treaty dictated to him by the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), thirty Makkans fully armed came dashing towards us. The HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) prayed to ALLAH (SWT) and the assailants were turned blind. We arrested the men BUT the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) ordered them to be released.

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(48:24) He it is Who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah, even though He had made you victorious against them. Allah was watching all that you did.

هُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَالْهَدْيَ مَعْكُوفًا أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مَحِلَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا رِجَالٌ مُؤْمِنُونَ وَنِسَاءٌ مُؤْمِنَاتٌ لَمْ تَعْلَمُوهُمْ أَنْ تَطَئُوهُمْ فَتُصِيبَكُمْ مِنْهُمْ مَعَرَّةٌ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۖ لِيُدْخِلَ اللَّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ لَوْ تَزَيَّلُوا لَعَذَّبْنَا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا {48:25}

[Q48:25] Humul lazeena kafaroo wa saddookum 'anil-Masjidil-Haraami walhadya ma'koofan any yablugha mahillah; wa law laa rijaalum mu'minoona wa nisaaa'um mu'minaatul lam ta'lamoohum an tata'oohum fatuseebakum minhum ma'arratum bighairi 'ilmin liyud khilaL Laahu fee rahmatihee many yashaaa'; law tazayyaloo la'azzabnal lazeena kafaroo minhum 'azaaban aleemaa.
[Q48:25] It is they who disbelieved and turned you away from the Sacred Mosque and (turned off) the offering withheld from arriving at its destined place; and were it not for the believing men and the believing women, whom, not having known, you might have trodden down, and thus something hateful might have afflicted you on their account without knowledge-- so that ALLAH (SWT) may cause to enter into His mercy whomsoever He pleases; had they been widely separated one from another, We would surely have punished those who disbelieved from among them with a painful punishment.

[Q48:25] Mereka itulah orang-orang yang kafir dan menghalang kamu daripada masuk ke Masjidil Haram (Mekah Al-Mukarramah) serta (menyebabkan) binatang-binatang korban (yang kamu bawa): Tertahan dari sampai ke tempat sembelihannya dan kalaulah tidak kerana kemungkinan kamu akan melakukan pembunuhan yang tidak sengaja terhadap beberapa orang yang beriman, lelaki dan perempuan, yang ada di antara orang-orang kafir itu, pada hal kamu tidak mengetahui mereka beriman, yang akibatnya kamu akan menanggung kesusahan dan dukacita disebabkan pembunuhan mereka, (tentulah diizinkan kamu menyerang kaum musyrik yang mengancam kamu itu). (Tetapi tidak diizinkan) kerana ALLAH (SwT) hendak memasukkan sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya ke dalam rahmatNya. Kalaulah mereka (penduduk Mekah yang beriman dan yang musyrik) itu berpisahan (di antara satu puak dengan yang lain), tentulah Kami menyeksa orang-orang yang kafir dari mereka dengan seksa (di dunia) yang tidak terperi sakitnya.

THERE WERE BELIEVING MEN AND WOMEN IN MAKKA, OBSERVING TAQIYYAH, NOT KNOWN TO THEIR BRETHREN FROM MADINA. Had a fight taken place in Makka, they would unwittingly have killed some of these believing men and women, AND THUS would have been guilty of shedding the blood of believers. THIS WAS PREVENTED BY THE TREATY.

It not only saved the lives of the believers among the Makkans BUT ALSO of those who became Muslims afterwards and served Islam. If the Muslims of Madina could have distinguished the believers intermingled with the pagans population in Makka, or those believers could be separated, the Muslims might have been allowed to punish the disbelievers.

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(48:25) They are the ones who disbelieved and barred you from the Inviolable Mosque and prevented the animals you had designated for sacrifice from reaching the place of their offering. *43 If it had not been for the believing men and believing women (who lived in Makkah and) whom you did not know, and had there not been the fear that you might trample on them and unwittingly incur blame on their account, (then fighting would not have been put to a stop. It was stopped so that) Allah may admit to His Mercy whomsoever He pleases. Had those believers been separated from the rest, We would certainly have inflicted a grievous chastise-ment on those of them [i.e. the Makkans) who disbelieved. *44

*43 That is, "Allah was seeing the sincerity and the selfless devotion with which you had become ready to lay down your lives in the cause of the true Faith and were obeying the Prophet without any question. Allah was also seeing that the disbelievers were being unfair and high-handed. The demand of this situation was that they should have been punished there and then through you, but in spite of that. AIIah restrained your hands from them and their hands from you."
*44 THIS WAS THE REASON WHY ALLAH DID NOT ALLOW FIGHTING TO TAKE PLACE AT HUDAIBIYAH. This has two aspects: (*) That at that time there were quite a number of the Muslim men and women living in Makkah, who were either hiding their faith, or were being persecuted because of their faith as they had no means to emigrate. Had there been fighting and the Muslims had pushed back the disbelievers and entered Makkah, these Muslims also would have been killed in ignorance along with the disbelievers. This would not only have grieved the Muslims but the Arab polytheists also would have got an opportunity to say that the Muslims did not even spare their own brethren in faith during wartime. Therefore, Allah took pity on the helpless Muslims and averted the war in order to save the Companions from grief and infamy. (*) The other aspect of the expedience was that Allah did not will that Makkah should fall to the Muslims as a result of the defeat of the Quraish after a bloody clash but He willed that they should be encircled from all sides so that within two years or so they should become absolutely helpless and subdued without offering any resistance, and then the whole tribe should accept Islam and enter Allah's mercy as it actually happened on the Conquest of Makkah. Here the juristic dispute has arisen that if during a war between the Muslims and the disbelievers, the disbelievers should bring out some Muslim men and women, children and old men, in their possession and put them in the forefront as a shield for themselves, or if there is some Muslim population also in the non-Muslim city under attack by the Muslim forces, or if in a warship of the disbelievers, which is within our gun-fire, the disbelievers have taken some Muslims also on board, can the Muslim army open fire on it? In answer to it the nulings given by different jurists are as follows: Imam Malik says that in such a case fire should not be opened, and for this he cites this very verse as an argument. He contends that Allah prevented the war at Hudaibiyah only in order to save the Muslims. (Ibn al-`Arabi, Ahkam al Qur'an). But this in fact is a weak argument. There is no word in the verse which may support the view that launching an attack on the enemy in this case is unlawful and forbidden. At the most what one can say on the basis of this verse is that the launching of an attack in such a case should be avoided in order to save the Muslims, provided that it does not put the disbelievers in an advantageous position against the Muslims militarily, or does not diminish the Muslims' chances of gaining an upper hand in the conflict. Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Abu Yusuf, Imam Zufar and Imam Muhammad say that it is lawful to open fire in such a case; so much so that even if the disbelievers use the children of the Muslims as a shield by putting them in the forefront, there is no harm in shooting at them, and it is not obligatory for the Muslims to expiate and pay any blood-money for the Muslims thus killed, (AIJassas, Ahkam al-Qur'an; Imam Muhammad:Kitab as-Siyar). Imam Sufyan Thauri also in this case regards opening of the fire as lawful, but he says that although the Muslims will not pay the blood-money of the Muslims thus killed, it is obligatory for them to expiate the sin. (AI-Jassas, Ahkam al-Qur an). Imam Auza`i and Laith bin Sa`d say that if the disbelievers use the Muslims as a shield, fire should not be opened on them. Likewise, if it is known that in their warship one own prisoners also are on board, it should not be sunk. But if we attack a city of theirs and we know that there are Muslims also in the city, it is lawful to open fire on the city, for it is not certain that our shells will only hit the Muslims, and if a Muslim becomes a victim of this shelling, it will not be wilful murder of a Muslim but an inadvertant accident. (Al-Jassas, Ahkam alQur an). Imam Shafe`i holds the view that in such a case if it is not inevitable to open fire it is better to try to save the Muslims from destruction; although it is not unlawful to open fire in this case, it is undesirable. But if it is really necessary and it is feared that in case fire is not opened it will put the disbelievers in a better position militarily against the Muslims, it is lawful to resort to shelling, but even then every effort should be made to save the Muslims as far as possible. Furthermore, Imam Shafe'i also says that if during a conflict the disbelievers put a Muslim in front as a shield and a Muslim kills him, there can be two possible alternatives: either the killer knew that the murdered person was a Muslim, or he did not know that he was a Muslim. In the first case, he will be under obligation to pay compensation for manslaughter as well as do expiation; in the second case he will only do expiation. (Mughni al-Muhtaj). 

إِذْ جَعَلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ التَّقْوَىٰ وَكَانُوا أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهْلَهَا ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا {48:26}

[Q48:26] Iz ja'alal lazeena kafaroo fee quloobihimul hamiyyata hamiyyatal jaahiliyyati fa anzalaL Laahu sakeenatahoo 'alaa Rasoolihee wa 'alal mu mineena wa alzamahum kalimatat taqwaa wa kaanooo ahaqqa bihaa wa ahlahaa; wa kaanaL Laahu bikulli shai'in Aleema. 
[Q48:26] When those who disbelieved harbored in their hearts (feelings of) disdain, the disdain of (the days of) ignorance, but ALLAH (SWT) sent down His tranquillity on His Messenger and on the believers, and made them keep the word of guarding (against evil), and they were entitled to it and worthy of it; and ALLAH (SWT) is Cognizant of all things.

[Q48:26] (Ingatlah dan kenangkanlah ihsan Tuhan kepada kamu) ketika orang-orang yang kafir itu menimbulkan perasaan sombong angkuh yang ada dalam hati mereka (terhadap kebenaran Islam) perasaan sombong angkuh secara Jahiliah (yang menyebabkan kamu panas hati dan terharu), lalu ALLAH (SwT) menurunkan semangat tenang tenteram kepada RasulNya dan kepada orang-orang yang beriman (sehingga tercapailah perdamaian), serta meminta mereka tetap berpegang kepada "Kalimah Takwa", sedang mereka (di sisi ALLAH (SwT)) adalah orang-orang yang sangat berhak dengan "kalimah Takwa" itu serta menjadi ahlinya dan (ingatlah), ALLAH (SwT) adalah Maha Mengetahui akan tiap-tiap sesuatu. 

While the disbelievers, in the zeal of ignorance, played with words (see commentary of verse 1 of this Surah), the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), calm and collected, finalised the treaty which is described as a great victory of Islam by ALLAH (SWT).

Ü  For tranquility see commentary of verses 4, 5 and 6 and 18 of this surah.

Also see commentary of Bara-at 9:40 to know that tranquility was sent to the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad); BUT his companion was ignored, BECAUSE ONLY THOSE WHO REMAIN STEADFAST TO THE FAITH UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES RECEIVE TRANQUILITY.

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(48:26) (This is why) when the unbelievers set in their hearts a fierce bigotry – the bigotry of ignorance *45 – Allah bestowed inner peace upon His Messenger and upon the believers *46 and made the word of piety binding on them. They were more deserving and worthier thereof. Allah has knowledge of everything.

*45 The words hamiyyat al -jahiliyyah mean that a man should wilfully do something unworthy and improper only for the sake of his honour and prestige. The dilsbelievers of Makkah themselves acknowledged and admitted that everybody had a right to visit the Ka`bah for performing Hajj and `Umrah, and that they had no right to slop anyone from this duty. This was an ancient admitted law of Arabia. But in spite of knowing that they were absolutely in the wrong and the Muslims in the right, they prevented the Muslims from performing `Umrah only for the sake of their prestige. The righteous even among the polytheists also were saving that preventing the people who had come in the pilgrim garbs along with sacrificial camels from performing pilgrimage was an improper act. Yet the Quraish leaders persisted in their resistance only under the idea that if Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) entered Makkah along with a large number of his followers, it would mean loss of prestige for them among the Arabs. This was their arrogance. . 
*46 Here, sakinat means the patience and dignity with which the Holy Prophet and the Muslims resisted the disbelievers' rancour and spirit of paganism. They did not get provoked at their stubborn and insolent behaviour and did not do anything which might have violated the spirit of Truth and righteousness, or which might have further complicated the situation instead of settling it amicably. 

SECTION 4

Islam’s triumph over all the other religions

A near victory---Islam’s triumph over all the other religions---Those with the Apostle, their personal qualities and the greater recompense for them.

لَقَدْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ الرُّؤْيَا بِالْحَقِّ ۖ لَتَدْخُلُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ آمِنِينَ مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمْ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ لَا تَخَافُونَ ۖ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمْ تَعْلَمُوا فَجَعَلَ مِنْ دُونِ ذَٰلِكَ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا {48:27}

[Q48:27] Laqad sadaqal laahu Rasoolahur ru'yaa bilhaqq, latadkhulunnal Masjidal-Haraama in shaaa'al laahu aamineena muhalliqeena ru'oosakum wa muqassireena laa takhaafoona fa'alima maa lam ta'lamoo faja'ala min dooni zaalika fathan qareebaa. 
[Q48:27] Certainly ALLAH (SWT) had shown to His Messenger the vision with truth: you shall most certainly enter the Sacred Mosque, if ALLAH (SWT) pleases, in security, (some) having their heads shaved and (others) having their hair cut, you shall not fear, but He knows what you do not know, so He brought about a near victory before that.

[Q48:27] Demi sesungguhnya! ALLAH (SwT) tetap menyatakan benar RasulNya dalam perkara mimpi itu dengan kenyataan yang sebenar; iaitu sesungguhnya kamu tetap akan memasuki Masjidil Haram, Insya ALLAH (SwT) (pada masa yang ditentukanNya) dalam keadaan aman (menyempurnakan ibadat Umrah kamu) dengan mencukur kepala kamu dan kalau (tidak pun) menggunting sedikit rambutnya, serta kamu tidak merasa takut (akan pengkhianatan musuh sehingga kamu keluar balik dari situ). (ALLAH (SwT) menangguhkan berlakunya kenyataan itu) kerana Dia mengetahui (adanya feadah dalam penangguhan itu) yang kamu tidak mengetahuinya; maka Dia menyediakan sebelum (terlaksananya mimpi) itu, satu kemenangan yang dekat (masa berlakunya).

THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) HAD HAD A DREAM THAT HE WAS ENTERING THE SACRED MASJID AT MAKKA WITH HIS FOLLOWERS, AFTER WHICH HE DECIDED TO GO TO MAKKA. For the events which took place at Hudaibiyya see commentary of verse 1 of this Surah. THE TREATY OF HUDAIBIYYA was concluded due to which he and his followers could enter, next year, the city of Makka and perform the pilgrimage with all the customary rites.

Ü  Any intelligent student of the Holy Qur’an would very easily visualize that the dream serve very great achievements. The word ‘Insha-Allah’ used in this verse is said to be the guarantee that everyone in the first attempt for the pilgrimage would survive until next year to enter the city as a pilgrim, i.e., everyone who responded that year in response to the dream, shall have the benefit and joy of its full realisation next year to perform the pilgrimage with all its rites duly performed.

Ü  The ‘near victory’ [1] was the Treaty [2] as well as the victory at Kaiber which was granted by ALLAH (SWT), immediately following the Treaty.

As the result of the doubt entertained by many prominent companions about the Truth of the vision of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) regarding the entry into Makka, this verse was revealed in confirmation of the vision, with a promise of another victory at hand, with the assurance that the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and his true religion shall prevail and overcome all the other religions.

©  THE PROMISE WHICH IS NOT YET COMPLETELY FULFILLED BUT A TRUE MUSLIM HAS TO BE SURE OF THE FULFILLMENT OF THE WORD OF ALLAH (SWT) WHICH WOULD BE DONE BY THE LAST IMAM MUHAMMAD IBNUL HASAN AL-MAHDI, WHO REPRESENTS THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) BY FLESH AND SOUL AS THE ‘LAST-LINK’ IN THE CHAIN OF HIS REPRESENTATIVES.

©  THIS AND THE SIMILAR OTHERS IS THE BASIS OF THE QUR’ANIC DOCTRINE OF THE ADVENT OF “MAHDI’ AND THE ULTIMATE SUCCESS OF ISLAM, THE RELIGION OF ALLAH (SWT).

(48:27) Allah indeed showed His Messenger the true vision, *47 one fully in accord with reality. If Allah so wills *48 you shall certainly enter the Inviolable Mosque, in full security, *49 you will shave your heads and cut your hair short, *50 and do so without any fear. He knew what you did not know, and He granted you a victory near at hand even before (the fulfilment of the vision).

*47 This is the answer to the question that was constantly agitating the minds of the Muslim. They said, "The Holy Prophet had seen in his vision that he had entered the Masjid al-Haram and moved round the Ka`bah in worship. Then how is it that they were returning without performing `Umrah?" In answer to this, although the Holy Prophet had told them that in his vision he had not seen that they would perform the `Umrah that very year, still there remained some suspicion in the hearts. Therefore, Allah Himself explained that it was He Who had shown the vision and it was a true vision and it would certainly be fulfilled.

*48 Here, about the words insha'-Allah (if Allah so wills), which Allah Himself has used with His promise, one can raise the objection that when Allah Himself is making this promise, what is the meaning of making it conditional upon His own willing it? The answer is: Here the words insha'-Allah have not been used in the sense that if AIlah dces not will, He will not fulfil His promise, but in fact these relate to the background in which this promise was made. The presumption on the basis of which the disbelievers of Makkah had played the drama of preventing the Muslims from `Umrah was that only he whom they would allow would perform `Umrah, and would perform it only when they would allow it At this AIIah has said: "This depends on Our, not on their, will. The reason why 'Umrah has not been performed this year is not because the disbelievers of Makkah did not allow it to be performed, but because We did not will it to be performed; in the future 'Umrah will be performed if We will, no matter whether the disbelievers allow it or disallow it." Besides, these words also contain the meaning that the Muslims too, will perform `Umrah not by their own power but because We would will that they should perform it; otherwise if We do not will, they do not possess any power to perform it by themselves."

*49 This promise was fulfilled in the following year in Dhil-Qa'dah A. H. 7. This `Umrah is well known in history as 'Umrah al-Qada `.

*50 The words clearly point out that it is not obligatory to get the head shaved in `Umrah and Hajj, but it is also right to get the hair cut short. However, it is better to have the head shaved, for Allah has mentioned it first and then mentioned having the hair cut short.

هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا {48:28}

[Q48:28] Huwal lazeee arsala Rasoolahoo bilhudaa wa deenil haqqi liyuzhirahoo 'alad deeni kullih; wa kafaa biLLaahi Shaheedaa. 
[Q48:28] He it is Who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the true religion that He may make it prevail over all the religions; and ALLAH (SWT) is enough for a witness.

[Q48:28] (ALLAH (SwT) yang menyatakan itu) Dialah yang telah mengutus RasulNya (Muhammad s.a.w) dengan membawa hidayat petunjuk dan agama yang benar (agama Islam), supaya Dia memenangkannya dan meninggikannya atas segala bawaan agama yang lain; dan cukuplah ALLAH (SwT) menjadi Saksi (tentang kebenaran apa yang dibawa oleh RasulNya itu). 

AFTER THE ADVENT OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD), AS ALSO MENTIONED IN THE FORMER SCRIPTURES (see commentary of Baqarah 2:40, 89 and 253) THE RELIGION OF ALLAH (SWT), ISLAM, WAS PROMULGATED, SUPERSEDING ALL THE PREVIOUS RELIGIONS AND LAWS. Refer to the commentary of Baqarah 2:253, 285; Ali Imran 3:81 and Bara-at 9:33; Bani Israil 17:55.

±  FOR THE FINAL VICTORY OF ISLAM SEE COMMENTARY OF BARA-AT 9:32 and 33; WHEN IMAM MAHDI AL QA-IM, THE LAST OF THE TWELVE IMAMS (SEE COMMENTARY OF BAQARAH 2:124) WILL APPEAR TO ESTABLISH THE RULE OF ALLAH (SWT) OVER THE WORLD.

The Sixth Holy Imam Jafar ibne Muhammad As-Sadiq said that ‘this prophecy is yet to be fulfilled in its fullness and it will be done with advent of the Twelfth or the Last one of the Holy Imams, the Last Muhammad ibne Hasan Al-Mahdi’---son of the eleventh Holy Imam Hasan ibne Al-Askari.

ALL THESE TWELVE IMAMS ARE FROM THE SEED OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) THROUGH ALI AND FATEMA, IN THE POGENY OF IBRAHIM AS PER THE PROMISE GIVEN TO HIM BY ALLAH (SWT), TO BLESS THE SEED OF HIS SON ISMA-IL WITH TWELVE PRINCES.

See the Bible vide Gen. 17:20.

“And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” (Gen. 17:20)

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(48:28) He it is Who sent His Messenger with the True Guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over every religion. Sufficient is Allah as a witness (to this). *51

*51 The reason why this thing has been mentioned here is that when at Hudaibiyah the peace treaty was going to be written down, the disbelievers had objected to the use of the words Rasul-Allah (Messenger of Allah) with the name of the Holy Prophet, and on their insistence the Holy Prophet himself had wiped off these words from the document. At this Allah says: "Our Messenger's being a Messenger is a reality which remains unaffected whether someone believes in it or not. If some people do not believe in it, they may not, for "AIIah is enough for a witness" over it. Their denial will not change the reality, but the Guidance and the true Faith which this Messenger has brought from Us, shall prevail over all religion, no matter how hard the deniers try to obstruct its progress." "All religion" implies all those ways of life which include the nature of din (religion). We have explained it fully in E.N. 3 of Surah Az-Zumar and E.N. 20 of Surah Ash-Shura above. Here what Allah has stated in clear words is: The purpose of the Holy Prophet's appointment as a Prophet was not merely to preach this Religion but to make it prevail over all others. In other words, he did not bring this Religion so that it might survive in a limited compartment of life which is allowed it by the dominant religion, while the rest of the spheres of life, by and large, should remain under the relentless control of some false religion. But he had brought it so that it should be the dominant Religion of life and any other religion should survive, if at all it survives, only within the limits in which it allows it to survive. (For further explanation, sec E.N. 48 of Surah Az-Zumar). 

مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا {48:29}

[Q48:29] Muhammadur RasooluL Laah; wallazeena ma'ahooo ashiddaaa'u 'alal kuffaaari ruhamaaa'u bainahum taraahum rukka'an sujjadany yabtaghoona fadlam minaL Laahi wa ridwaanan seemaahum fee wujoohihim min asaris sujood; zaalika masaluhum fit tawraah; wa masaluhum fil Injeeli kazar'in akhraja shat 'ahoo fa 'aazarahoo fastaghlaza fastawaa 'alaa sooqihee yu'jibuz zurraa'a liyagheeza bihimul kuffaar; wa'adal laahuL Lazeena aamanoo wa 'amilus saalihaati minhum maghfiratanw wa ajran 'azeemaa. 
[Q48:29] Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAH (SWT), and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from ALLAH (SWT) and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Taurat and their description in the Injeel; like as seed-produce that puts forth its sprout, then strengthens it, so it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the unbelievers on account of them; ALLAH (SWT) has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward.

[Q48:29] Nabi Muhammad (s.a.w) ialah Rasul ALLAH (SwT) dan orang-orang yang bersama dengannya bersikap keras dan tegas terhadap orang-orang kafir yang (memusuhi Islam) dan sebaiknya bersikap kasih sayang serta belas kasihan sesama sendiri (umat Islam). Engkau melihat mereka tetap beribadat rukuk dan sujud, dengan mengharapkan limpah kurnia (pahala) dari Tuhan mereka serta mengharapkan keredaanNya. Tanda yang menunjukkan mereka (sebagai orang-orang yang soleh) terdapat pada muka mereka dari kesan sujud (dan ibadat mereka yang ikhlas). Demikianlah sifat mereka yang tersebut di dalam Kitab Taurat dan sifat mereka di dalam Kitab Injil pula ialah: (Bahawa mereka diibaratkan) sebagai pokok tanaman yang mengeluarkan anak dan tunasnya, lalu anak dan tunasnya itu menyuburkannya, sehingga ia menjadi kuat, lalu ia tegap berdiri di atas (pangkal) batangnya dengan keadaan yang mengkagumkan orang-orang yang menanamnya. (ALLAH (SwT) menjadikan sahabat-sahabat Nabi Muhammad s.a.w dan pengikut-pengikutnya kembang biak serta kuat gagah sedemikian itu) kerana Dia hendak menjadikan orang-orang kafir merana dengan perasaan marah dan hasad dengki dengan kembang biaknya umat Islam itu. (Dan selain itu) ALLAH (SwT) telah menjanjikan orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh dari mereka, keampunan dan pahala yang besar. 

‘Those with him’ could never be any of the companions who remained with the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) when it served their own purpose in peace and prosperity AND

1.        Deserted him and took to their heels from the battle-fields leaving him in the midst of his enemies as was done at Uhad, Hunain. AND

2.        Those who sat quiet on the day of Badr and Ahzab (Khandaq) AND

3.        Returned defeated by the enemies at Khaiber frightened, AND

4.        Refused to go even as a messenger to the Makkans to carry the message of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) on the day of the first attempt for the pilgrimage---

viz., such ones could never at all be referred to as “Those firm or strong against the disbelievers.”

THOSE WHO HAD NO COMPASSION FOR THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) HIMSELF AND DESERTED HIM IN THE BATTLE-FIELDS, LEAVING HIM IN THE HANDS OF HIS BLOOD-THIRSTY ENEMIES, AND RAN AWAY FROM HIM, SAVING THEIR OWN LIVES, AS DID SOME OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) ON THE DAYS OF UHAD, AND HUNAIN, CAN NEVER BE IMAGINED TO COME UNDER THIS DEFINITION.

WAS IT NOT ALI who laid himself down in the bed of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) to escape from the house surrounded by the enemy on the night of ‘Hijrat’, risking his life under the swords of the plotters?

WAS IT NOT ALI provided for the bagger even when he was approached while he was in prayer in the Mosque at which the verse 5:55 was revealed?

WAS IT NOT ALI and his family who gave away their bread to the poor for three days, themselves fasting consecutively at which the verse 76:8-9 was revealed.

THESE ARE THE ONES REFERRED TO HERE. THE INSTANCES OF THE IDEAL HUMAN-FELLOW FEELINGS, PRACTICED BY THE HOLY AHLUL-BAYT ARE SO ABUNDANT IN THEIR LIVES THAT THE MUSLIM WORLD KNOWS THAT NONE CAN EVER BE BROUGHT INTO COMPARISON WITH THE HOLY ONES.

AS REGARDS the quality of ‘Bowing down and Prostrating to ALLAH (SWT) and seeking ALLAH (SWT)’s grace and His pleasure’ none with even the elementary knowledge about the lives of those of the holy Ahlul Bayt and particularly of Ali, needs any detailed note about the wonderful devotion to ALLAH (SWT) these holy ones manifested from the beginning to the end of their godly lives on earth.

HISTORY DECLARES THE FACT

1)       That the first to pray along with the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), was Ali and it was he and none else that it was from whom was heard the ‘Takbiratul-Ehram’, i.e., the devotional glorification, for a thousand times every night and he was absorbed so much in his devotion to the Lord that once Salman had taken him to be dead.

2)       It was Ali, while in prayer the surgeon operated his heel and removed the spear-head stuck into it, and he did not know even what had happened to his body, until he finished his prayers. AND

3)       It was Ali who went ro pray to ALLAH (SWT) after awaking his assassin and got himself engaged in his prayers at the Mosque at Kufa and was never disturbed in his devotion though he knew that his assassin stood just behind him to act as he had determined, with the sword concealed in his side.

Would this divine personality OR those like him among the Ahlul Bayt be the ones referred to here OR the time-servers and opportunists among the people who had bowed to the idols in worshipping them for a major part of their lives and lived the lives of opportunists for a few years with the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) AND EVEN during the short period deserted Islam and the Muslims and even the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) at the risk of being destroyed and wiped out of existence? ANY INTELLIGENT AND IMPARTIAL MIND WOULD ONLY SAY THAT IT WAS ALI AND THOSE LIKE HIM IN THE AHLUL BAYT WHO COULD BE THE HOLY ONES REFERRED TO HERE.

THE PITY IS WHEREVER ANY INTERPRETATION of any verse brings out the super-excellence of the holy personalities of the Ahlul Bayt, some commentators have EITHER attempted to do the worst possible in using some literal, and obscure meaning of the words and drawing their own inferences which are far, far away from the actual interpretation of the verse---OR have purposefully avoided to give any explanation at all, as in the case of this verse.

IT IS ONLY SAID THAT THE VERSE REFERS to the companions of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in-spite of their knowing fully about the personal qualities, character and the conduct of everyone of them particularly of those brought in comparison or contrast to that of the holy Ahlul Bayt, particularly Amirul-Momineen Ali Ibne Abi Talib.

†  CAN ANYONE DENY any of the disloyalties, treacheries and the desertions on the part of some of them run back to the Hunain, deserting the Muslim ranks and the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in them?

†  DID NOT SOME OF THEM RUN back to their camp instead of fighting the enemy to the last, at Khaiber?

COULD THIS EVER BE IN ANY SENSE WHATSOEVER, taken as the firmness against the disbelievers?

**HAVING ALL THESE GLARING HISTORIC OCCASIONS ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL QUALITIES COULD BE IT AT ALL BE SAID THAT THIS REFERS TO THE COMPANIONS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD)?**

HISTORY gives the names at whose command was assembled the fire and the firewood---to set fire to the sacred house of the Holy Lady Fatema?

î   Was it not the fall of the door on her side that killed the Holy Fatema?

î   Who caused the fall?

î   Was not the Holy Lady Fatema hurt by some companion to the extent that she did not talk to him again until she passed away from this world with her last word to Ali to see the companions are not present even at her funeral?

†  Was not Ammar mercilessly beaten and Ibne Mas’ood beaten to death by one of the companions?

†  Who exiled Abu-Zar-e-Ghaffari into the merciless wilderness where he died?

THE BASIC FACTOR upon which rests all the qualities of the personalities mentioned in this verse, IS THE association OR the affinity OR the identity with the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) said ‘Those with him,’ can never mean anyone and everyone who moved with him (the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad)) closely and known as his companion at times when it was easy and when in doing so it demanded nothing to risk AND WHEN occasions occurred to fight the enemies of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and Islam, **sat quiet and if under such circumstances there occurred any risk to his life, **runs away deserting the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and the ranks of the Muslims, who not only themselves deserted the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) BUT instigated the others also to do it, announcing falsely the death of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) when he was alive, shouting “Died Muhammad! Return ye to your (former) faiths.”

THE ASSOCIATION WITH THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) referred to here, can never in any sense be the ordinary companionship with him for among his companions were also men like Abdullah ibne Obai, who were the hypocrites, and the greatest enemy of Islam. THE ASSOCIATIONS MEANT HERE IS ONLY THE NATURAL OR THE SPIRITUAL AFFINITY AND IDENTITY SHARING WITH HIM THE PURITY IN SOUL AND BODY, THE PURITY WHICH ALLAH (SWT) HIMSELF EFFECTED (VERSE 33:33) TO THE DEGREE OF ITS PERFECTION.

1.        Here will naturally be meant those who with the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) believed only in the One True ALLAH (SWT) and who adored in their lives none but Him AND

2.        Never at anytime bowed before the idols or any kind of the false deities AND

Their quality of complete identity or unity with the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) in the sphere spiritual as well as physical, could be found only in Ali and Fatema, Hasan and Husain and the divinely chosen issues of Husain, (i.e., the other nine holy Imams) all of whom possessed all the qualities mentioned in this verse to the maximum degree possible, AND this fact about those holy ones, is universally accepted at all hands in the Islamic World as a whole. No doubt; the definition of this verse, the others also could own BUT to the degree of the excellence mentioned they would possess. BUT none of those who possessed the qualities diametrically opposed to those mentioned in the verse, the worst being, deserting the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) at the times of danger to him and to the faith, could ever have anything to do with this verse.

THE CONCLUDING WORDS OF THIS VERSE ILLUSTRATING THE MATTER WITH THE MOST APT PARABLE OF THE GROWTH OF A PLANT FROM THE SEED AND ITS GRADUALLY GAINING THE STRENGTH THROUGH ITS STEM, AND THE GROWTH AND THE STRENGTH OF IT PLEASING THE GROWER, GIVES THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND THE CLEAREST PICTURE OF THE START OF THE FAITH IN THE PERFECT UNITY OF ALLAH (SWT), BY THE HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHUMA SALI ALA MUHAMMAD WA ALA ALI MUHAMMAD) WHO IS THE CHIEF CULTIVATOR OF THE FAITH IN THE WORLD.

a)       The HOLY PROPHET’s (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) first announcement of his mission and Lady Khadija and Ali and Zaid bin Harith joining him in the faith, (Isti’ab Bahjatul-M Mahafil Ibne –Hashim, Tabari, Ruazatul-Ahbab, Abul-Fida, Ibne Athir, EHI), and

b)       The announcement of the ministry at the feast of the ‘Asheera’ commanded by ALLAH (SWT) to do it (Verse 26:214) and Ali’s declaration of his acceptance to assist the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) and to share the burden of his ministry and the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) declaring Ali as his Vicegerent, his Vizier and his Successor (Gibbon by W, Smith, Tabari, Ibne-Athir, Abul Fida)---IS THE SOWING OF THE SEED OF THE TRUTH, THE UNITY OF ALLAH (SWT), THE RELIGION ISLAM AND ITS PUTTING FORTH ITS SPROUT.

c)        At the migration of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) from Madina, Ali’s occupying his place in his (HOLY PROPHET’s (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) bed, and the HOLY PROPHET’s (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) safe escape from the midst of his deadliest enemies, WAS THE START OF THE FURTHER GROWTH OF THE PLANT AT MADINA and the rage of the disbelievers at Makka—

d)       The success or the miraculous victory at Badr, when some of the companions only sat quiet under ashade, and Ali dealt with most of the heathens and inflicted the heaviest casualties on the side of the enemies of ALLAH (SWT) and His HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), WAS THE FURTHER GROWTH OF THE FAITH and the increase of the rage of the disbelievers.

e)       Ali’s dealing single-handed with Amr ibne Abdwud the giant-like champion of the disbelievers at Khandaq, finishing the job with him when none of the companions dared to proceed against the enemy in-spite of the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) repeatedly asking them to reply to the challenging champion of the heathens and the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad) declaring “The One stroke of Ali on the Day of Khandaq is superior to the adoration of ALLAH (SWT) by both the worlds,” WAS THE ADVANCE OF THE GROWTH OF THE FAITH and the increase in the rage of the disbelievers.

f)        And the triumph of Ali against the enemy which was proved by all others as unconquerable, the victory achieved by Ali WAS THE FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE FLOURISHING OF THE CULTIVATION OF THE FAITH and the increase in the rage of the disbelievers.

g)       The victory at Hanain when the companions with many others ran away from the battlefields deserting the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), when only Ali and a few others stood by the HOLY PROPHET (ALLAHuma sali ala Muhammad wa ala ali Muhammad), WAS THE FURTHER FIRMNESS OF THE FAITH and the increase in the rage of the disbelievers AND

in every aspect of the advance of the faith marching from success to success mainly at the hands of Ali who unlike the others referred to above, stayed firmly and fought the enemy to the end, IS THE GROWTH OF THE FAITH, and the consequent rage of the disbelievers at their disappointment and utter defeat, IS THE THE RAGE REFERRED TO IN THIS VERSE.

The whole verse refers to Ali and to those of the Ahlul Bayt, i.e., the Holy Imams who possessed all the qualities of personal excellence mentioned in this verse.

THE POINT TO BE NOTED here regarding the phrase ‘Those with him’---According to some commentators it means all those who were physical in his company BUT later description discards this view BECAUSE there were many companions who lacked the qualifications. THEY WERE NEITHER FIRM IN FAITH NOR FORCEFUL IN THEIR EXPRESSION.

THEREFORE, THE PHRASE SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS TO MEAN ONLY THOSE WHO POSSESSED THESE QUALITIES, ARE WITH HIM IRRESPECTIVE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF TIME AND SPACE FOR SIMILAR TO WHAT IS SAID IN VERSE 4:69, AND THE LAST PORTION OF THE VERSE CONFIRMS THAT ONLY SOME OF THE COMPANIONS ARE INCLUDED AND NOT ALL. 

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(48:29) Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger, and those who are with him are firm with the unbelievers *52 but compassionate with one another. *53 You see them occupied in bowing and prostrating and in seeking Allah’s bounty and good pleasure. They are distinguished *54 from others by the marks of prostration on their faces. Thus are they described in the Torah. *55 And their parable in the Gospel is that of *56 a tilth that puts forth its shoot, then strengthens it so that it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem. This is a sight pleasing to the sowers and one by which the unbelievers will be enraged. As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, Allah has promised them forgiveness and a great reward. *57

*52 "The Companions (of the Holy Prophet) are hard on the disbelievers": they are not "wax that the disbelievers may mould them as they like; they can neither be cowed nor purchased by any inducement. The disbelievers have no power to turn them away from the great objective for the sake of which they have joined and followed the Holy Prophet even at the cost of their lives."
*53 That is, "Whatever their hardness and severity, it is only for the disbelievers, not for the believers. As regards the believers they are soft, merciful, affectionate, sympathetic and compassionate. Their unity of aim and object has produced in them love and harmony and complete accord among themselves."
*54 This does not imply the mark that appears on the forehead of some people on account of prostrations, but it implies the marks and traces of the fear of God, munificence, nobility and goodness of manner that naturally appears on the face of a person on account of bowing down before God. Man's face is an open book on the pages of which different states of a man's self can be seen easily. A vain and arrogant person's face is different from the face of a humble, modest and unassuming person; an immoral person's face is clearly distinguished from the face of a righteous and well-mannered person; and there is a marked difference between the facial appearance of a wicked man and of a noble and virtuous man. What AIlah means to say is: "The Companions of Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace) are such that one can recognize them on first sight to be the best of mankind, because their faces shine forth with the light of God-worship and God -consciousness." This is the same thing about which Imam Malik has said that when the armies of the Companions entered Syria, the Syrian Christians remarked: "These people possess the very same qualities and characteristics of the disciples of the Prophet Jesus Christ."
*55 The allusion probably is to Deuteronorny, 33: 2-3, in which the Holy Prophet's advent has been foretold and the word "saints" has been used for his Companions. Apart from this, if some other quality of the Companions has been mentioned in the Torah, it is not found in the existing, corrupted Torah.
*56 This parable is found in a sermon of the Prophet Jesus that has been reported in the New Testament, thus: "And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should east seed into the ground: And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. And he said, Where-unto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sewn in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: Hut when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shouted out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it." The last portion of this sermon is also found in Matthew, 13: 31-32. 
*57 A section of the Muslims translates this verse, thus: "Allah has promised forgiveness and a great reward to those from among these people who have believed and done good works." Thus, they invent a way to vilify and slander the Companions, and claim that according to this verse many people among the Companions were not believers and righteous. But this commentary goes against vv. 4, 5, 18 and 26 of this very Sarah, and dces not even accord with the initial sentences of this verse itself. In vv. 4-5, Allah has made mention of sending down sakinat (tranquillity) and of effecting increase in the Faith of all those Companions who were present with the Holy Prophet at Hudaibiyah, and given them without any exception the good news of admission into Paradise. In verse 18, AIIah has expressed His good pleasure for aII those who took the pledge to the Holy Prophet under the Tra, and in this also there is no exception. In verse 26 also AIIah has used the word mu 'minin (believers) for aII the Companions, has made mention of sending down His sakinat to there, and obliged them to be righteous and pious, for they were most worthy and deserving of aII mankind. Here also it was not said that the news was being given only abut those who were believers among them. Then in the initial sentences also of this verse itself the characteristics mentioned arc of alI those people who were with the Holy Prophet Muhammad (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings). The words are to the effect that aII the people who are with him have this and this quality and characteristic. After this, suddenly in the last sentence there could be no excuse to say that some of them were the believers and others were not.

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