Surah 48. Al-Fath

Indeed, We have granted you a clear triumph 'O Prophet'¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This Medinian sûrah takes its name from the clear triumph (i.e., Treaty of Ḥudaibiyah) in verse 1. The Prophet (ﷺ) and 1400 of his companions travelled to Mecca to perform the minor pilgrimage (’umrah) in 6 A.H./628 C.E. He (ﷺ) sent ’Uthmân ibn ’Affân to let the Meccans know that the Muslims had come in peace, only to visit the Sacred House. When the Meccans delayed ’Uthmân, the Prophet (ﷺ) thought they might have killed his envoy. So he (ﷺ) called upon the faithful to pledge allegiance to him under a tree at Ḥudaibiyah in the outskirts of Mecca. Shortly after, ’Uthmân returned safely and a peace agreement was signed by the Muslims and Meccan pagans, stating in part that the Muslims would have to return to Medina and come back next year for ’umrah. The Treaty of Ḥudaibiyah is described as a clear triumph since it established peace, temporarily diffused the tension between the Muslims and the Meccan pagans, and gave the Muslims plenty of time to spread awareness and understanding of their faith. Thousands from different tribes accepted Islam during that truce.

Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory: ⁴⁸⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This is best referred to the Treaty of Hudaibiya, for which see the Introduction to this Sura. By this Treaty the Makkan Quraish, after many years of unrelenting conflict with Islam, at length recognised Islam as (what they thought) an equal power with themselves. In reality the door was then opened for the free spread of Islam throughout Arabia and thence through the world.

so that Allah may forgive you for your past and future shortcomings,¹ perfect His favour upon you, guide you along the Straight Path,

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 47:19.

That Allah may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil His favor to thee; and guide thee on the Straight Way; ⁴⁸⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 4428 to xi. 55, and Cf. xlvii, 19. Any mistakes of the past were now rectified, and any future ones prevented by the free scope now offered, by the act of the Quraish Pagans themselves, to the recognition and free promulgation of Islam.

and so that Allah will help you tremendously.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And that Allah may help thee with powerful help. ⁴⁸⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Three objects or results of the Treaty are mentioned: (1) forgiveness, which is equivalent to Mercy, (2) fulfilment of the dignity of Prophethood with the dignity of an effective and recognised position in Arabia; (3) opening up a straight way leading to Islam, by access to Makkah from next year, Makkah being the symbolic centre of Islam. These three are summed up in the comprehensive phrase "powerful (or effective) help".

He is the One Who sent down serenity upon the hearts of the believers so that they may increase even more in their faith. To Allah 'alone' belong the forces of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It is He who sent down Tranquillity into the hearts of the Believers that they may Add Faith to their Faith; for to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom; ^{4869 4870 4871}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The results were achieved by tranquillity, calmness, and cool courage among the 1400 to 1500 unarmed men who accompanied the Prophet to Hudaibiya and who were threatened with violence by the excited Quraish leaders of Makkah.

It is a casuistical question to ask. Are there degrees in Faith? The plain meaning is that believers will see one Sign of Allah after another, and with each their Faith is confirmed. During all the long years of persecution and conflict they had Faith, but when they see their old enemies actually coming out to negotiate with them, their Faith is justified, fulfilled, and confirmed: and they turn in gratitude to Allah.

There are visible forces which you see in the physical world. Men fight with armed forces, and the Muslims had to defend themselves with arms also, and not without success.

So He may admit believing men and women into Gardens under which rivers flow- to stay there forever- and absolve them of their sins. And that is a supreme achievement in the sight of Allah.

  - Mustafa Khattab

That He may admit the men and women who believe to Gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein for aye and remove their ills from them; and that is in the sight of Allah the highest achievement (For man) ⁴⁸⁷²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This clause is coordinated to the previous clause, "'That they may add Faith to their Faith". The intervening words, "For to Allah...and Wisdom" are parenthetical. The third coordinate clause comes in the next verse, "And that He may punish...". The skeleton construction will be, "Allah sends down calm courage to Believers in order that they may be confirmed in their Faith; that they may qualify for the Bliss of Heaven; and that the evil ones may receive the punishment they deserve."

Also 'so that' He may punish hypocrite men and women and polytheistic men and women, who harbour evil thoughts of Allah.¹ May ill-fate befall them! Allah is displeased with them. He has condemned them and prepared for them Hell. What an evil destination!

  - Mustafa Khattab

 i.e., that Allah will not support His Prophet (ﷺ) and that misfortune will befall the believers.

And that He may punish the Hypocrites men and women and the Polytheists men and women who imagine an evil opinion of Allah. On them is a round of Evil: the Wrath of Allah is on them: He has cursed them and got Hell ready for them: and evil is it for a destination. ^{4873 4874}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They will be encircled (or hemmed in) by Evil.

That is, deprived them of His Grace, on account of their continued rejection of it.

To Allah 'alone' belong the forces of the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.

  - Mustafa Khattab

For to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom. ⁴⁸⁷⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

These words are repeated (with a slight change) from the parenthetical clause in verse 4. to emphasize the assertion as a substantive proposition, that fighting and visible forces in the physical world are not the only forces with which Allah works out His Plan. The invisible forces are more important as they were at Hudaibiya. The slight difference is instructive; in the parenthetical clause, Allah's Knowledge was emphasized, and in the substantive clause it is Allah's Power. Knowledge plans, and Power executes.

Indeed, 'O Prophet,' We have sent you as a witness, a deliverer of good news, and a warner,

  - Mustafa Khattab

We have truly sent thee as a witness as a bringer of Glad Tidings and as a Warner: ⁴⁸⁷⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Prophet came in order to establish Faith in Allah and true worship. We can view him in three capacities: (1) as a witness to help the weak if they were oppressed and check the strong if they did wrong; (2) as a giver of the Glad Tidings of Allah's Grace and Mercy to those who repented and lived good lives; and (3) as one who warned sinners of the consequences of their sin. A) The words "assist and honour" refer to the Prophet (peace be on him) whereas in the phrase "celebrating praise" clearly the reference is to Allah.

so that you 'believers' may have faith in Allah and His Messenger, support and honour him, and glorify Allah morning and evening.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Another possible translation: “… so that you ˹all˺ may believe in Allah and His Messenger, support ˹His cause˺, revere, and glorify Him morning and evening.”

In order that ye (o men) may believe in Allah and His Apostle that ye may assist and honor Him and celebrate his praises morning and evening. ⁴⁸⁷⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Prophet came in order to establish Faith in Allah and true worship. We can view him in three capacities: (1) as a witness to help the weak if they were oppressed and check the strong if they did wrong; (2) as a giver of the Glad Tidings of Allah's Grace and Mercy to those who repented and lived good lives; and (3) as one who warned sinners of the consequences of their sin. A) The words "assist and honour" refer to the Prophet (peace be on him) whereas in the phrase "celebrating praise" clearly the reference is to Allah.

Surely those who pledge allegiance to you 'O Prophet' are actually pledging allegiance to Allah. Allah's Hand is over theirs. Whoever breaks their pledge, it will only be to their own loss. And whoever fulfils their pledge to Allah, He will grant them a great reward.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Verily those who plight their fealty to thee do no less than plight their fealty to Allah: the Hand of Allah is over their hands: Then anyone who violates His oath does so to the harm of his own soul and anyone who fulfills what he has covenanted with Allah Allah will soon grant him a great Reward. ⁴⁸⁷⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the Hudaibiya negotiations, when it was uncertain whether the Quraish would treat well or ill the Prophet's delegate to Makkah, there was a great wave of feeling in the Muslim camp of 1400 to 1500 men. They came with great enthusiasm and swore their fealty to the Prophet, by placing hand on hand according to the Arab custom: see paragraph 3 of the Introduction to this Sura. This in itself was a wonderful demonstration of moral and material strength, a true Victory: it is called Bai'at ur Ridhwan (Fealty of Allah's Good Pleasure) in Islamic History. They placed their hands on the Prophet's hand, but the Hand of Allah was above them, and He accepted their Fealty. 'Alaihu is an archaic form for 'Alaihi.