Explanation of the Madani Surah “The Victory”

English

In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

1. When Allah’s help
and victory arrives,

2. And you see people embracing Allah’s religion in crowds,

3. Then glorify your Lord, all the while praising Him, and ask His forgiveness. He is the Ever Returning.

Explanation


(1-3) This noble chapter bears glad-tidings for the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمand a command
when he sees the results; it also contains an indication of what follows next from these gladtidings.
The glad-tidings are tidings of Allah’s aiding His Messenger ,صلى الله عليه وسلمthe conquest of Makkah and
people embracing “Allah’s religion in crowds” many of whom will be from his tribe and
family after having been his opponents. That which he was given glad-tidings of has occurred.
The command after achieving the victory and the conquest is to show gratitude to his Lord, to
glorify Him, all the while praising Him, and asking His forgiveness.
The indication of what will follow on from this is two-fold: the first is that victory will remain
for the religion and it will increase with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمglorifying and praising
Allah and asking His forgiveness. This is an expression of gratitude about which Allah
says, “If you are grateful, I will grant you increase” (14:9). This fact was also actualized in
the time of the Rightly Guided Khalifs and after them. This aid remained until Islam spread to
an extent that no other religion had spread, and nations and people embraced the religion as
had not been done for any other religion. Then, this nation began to oppose the command of
Allah and they were tested with splitting and discord; then what followed that which was
witnessed. Yet, despite this, Allah still shows this nation and religion mercy and kindness to
the extent of which does not even cross the minds

The second is that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلمwas soon to pass away. This is because his
life is a noble life which Allah Himself took an oath by. It is known in Islam that noble
matters are completed by asking Allah’s forgiveness as we see in the case of prayer and
Hajj for example. Allah ordering the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمto praise Him and ask forgiveness while in
this state indicates that his time has come and that he should now prepare himself for the
meeting with his Lord and that he should end his life with one of the best deeds. May Allah
shower abundant peace and blessings upon him!
He would frequently implement this verse of the Quran in his ruku` and sujud by saying,
Glory be to Allah, our Lord, and all praise; O Allah forgive me!

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