1. This is the second of the group of three Medina Suras described in the Introduction to Sura 47. Its date is fixed by the mention of the Treaty of Hudaibiya, Zulqad A.H. 6 Feb. 628.
2. Hudaibiya is a plain, a short day's march to the north of Mecca, a little to the west of the Medina-Mecca road, as used in the Prophet's time. Six years had passed since the Prophet had left his beloved City, and it had been in the hands of the Pagan autocracy. But Islam had grown during these six years. Its Qibla was towards the Kaba. The Pagans had tried to attack Islam at various times and had been foiled. By Arab custom every Arab was entitled to visit the Sacred Enclosure unarmed, and fighting of any kind was prohibited during the Sacred Months, which included the month of Zulqad. In Zulqad A.H. 6, therefore, the Prophet desired to perform the Umra or lesser pilgrimage, unarmed, but accompanied with his followers. A large following joined him to the number of fourteen to fifteen hundred.
3. This was not to the liking of the Pagan autocracy at Mecca, which took alarm, and in breach of all Arab tradition and usage, prepared to prevent the peaceful party from performing the rites of pilgrimage. They marched out to fight the unarmed party. The Prophet turned a little to the west of the road, and encamped at Hudaibiya, where negotiations took place. On the one hand the Prophet was unwilling to give the Quraish any pretended excuse for violence in the Sacred Territory; on the other, the Quraish had learnt, by six years bitter experience, that their power was crumbling on all sides, and Islam was growing with its moral and spiritual forces, which were also reflected in its powers of organization and resistance. The enthusiasm with which the Covenant of Fealty was entered into under a tree in Hudaibiya by that great multitude united in devotion to their great leader, was evidence of the great power which he commanded even in a worldly sense if the Quraish had chosen to try conclusions with him.
4. A peaceful Treaty was therefore concluded, known as the Treaty of Hudaibiya. It stipulated: (1) That there was to be peace between the parties for ten years; (2) That any tribe or person was free to join either party or make an alliance with it; (3) That if a Quraish person from Mecca, under guardianship, should join the Prophet without the guardian's permission, he (or she) should be sent back to the guardian, but in the contrary case, they should not be sent back; and (4) That the Prophet and his party were not to enter Mecca that year, but that they could enter unarmed the following year.
5. Item 3, not being reciprocal, was objected to in the Muslim camp, but it really was of little importance. Muslims under guardianship, sent back to Mecca, were not likely to renounce the blessings of Islam; on the other hand Muslims going to Mecca would be centers of influence for Islam, and it was more important that they should be allowed to remain there than they should be sent back to Medina. It was impossible to think that there would be apostates or renegades to Paganism! "Look on this picture, and on that!"
6. The Muslims faithfully observed the terms of the Treaty. The following year (A.H.7) they performed the lesser Pilgrimage in great state for three days. It is true that the Meccans later on broke the Peace in the attack which one of their allied tribes (the Banu Bakr) made on the Muslim Banu Khuzaa (who were in alliance with the Prophet), but this led to the conquest of Mecca and the sweeping away of the autocracy. Meanwhile Hudaibiya was a great victory, moral and social, as well as political, and its lessons are expounded in this Sura, as the lessons of Badr were expounded in Sura 8 verses 42 to 48, and of Uhud in Sura 3 verses 121 to 129 and 149 to 180.
Summary.-Victory comes from cool courage, devotion, faith, and patience, as shown at Hudaibiya; therefore remember Allah, and follow His Apostle. (Verses 1 to 29 and commentary C.222).
C.222-(Verses 1 to 29)-Victory and Help go with calmness of mind, faith, fidelity, zeal,and earnestness, not with greed, lukewarmness, or timidity. Discipline and obedience are essential for service. The rewards for service are not to be measured by immediate results, but accrue in countless hidden ways for Patience and Restraint. Be strong against Evil, but kind and gentle amongst yourselves: The seed will grow and become strong, to your wonder and delight.
48:1 SURA 48. Fath, or Victory. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory:
48:2 That Allah may forgive thee thy faults of the past and those to follow; fulfill His favor to thee; and guide thee on the Straight Way;
48:3 And that Allah may help thee with powerful help.
48:4 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; --
48:5 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), --
48:6 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.
48:7 For to Allah belong the Forces of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom.
48:8 We have truly sent thee as a witness, as a Bringer of Glad Tidings, and as a Warner:
48:9 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.
48:10 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.
48:11 Section 2. The desert Arabs who lagged behind will say to thee: "We were engaged in (looking after) our flocks and herds, and our families: Do thou then ask forgiveness for us. " They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: "Who then has any power at all (to intervene) on your behalf with Allah, if His Will is to give you some loss or to give you some profit? But Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do.
48:12 "Nay, ye thought that the Apostle and the Believers would never return to their families; this seemed pleasing in your hearts, and ye conceived an evil thought, for ye are a people lost (in wickedness). "
48:13 And if any believe not in Allah and His Apostle, We have prepared, for those who reject Allah, a Blazing Fire!
48:14 To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills: But Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
48:15 Those who lagged behind (will say), when ye (are free to) march and take booty (in war): "Permit us to follow you. " They wish to change Allah's decree: Say: "Not thus will ye follow
us: Allah has already declared (this) beforehand" :Then they will say, "But ye are jealous of us. " Nay, but little do they understand (such things).
48:16 Say to the desert Arabs who lagged behind: "Ye shall be summoned (to fight) against a people given to vehement war: Then shall ye fight, or they shall submit. Then if ye show obedience, Allah will grant you a goodly reward, but if ye turn back as ye did before, He will punish you with a Grievous Penalty. "
48:17 No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor on one ill (if he joins not the war): But he that obeys Allah and His Apostle, -- (Allah) will admit him to Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a Grievous Penalty.
48:18 Section 3. Allah's Good Pleasure was on the Believers when they swore Fealty to thee under the Tree: He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down Tranquillity to them; and He rewarded them with a speedy Victory;
48:19 And many gains will they acquire (besides): And Allah is Exalted in Power, Full of Wisdom.
48:20 Allah has promised you many gains that ye shall acquire, and He has given you these beforehand; and He has restrained the hands of men from you; that it may be a Sign for the Believers, and that He may guide you to a Straight Path;
48:21 And other gains (there are), which are not within your power, but which Allah has compassed: And Allah has power over all things.
48:22 If the Unbelievers should fight you, they would certainly turn their backs; then would they find neither protector nor helper.
48:23 (Such has been) the practice (approved) of Allah already in the past: No change wilt thou find in the practice (approved) of Allah.
48:24 And it is He Who has restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Mecca, after that He gave you the victory over them. And Allah sees well all that ye do.
48:25 They are the ones who denied revelation and hindered you from the Sacred Mosque and the sacrificial animals, detained from reaching the place of sacrifice. Had there not been believing men and believing women whom ye did not know that ye were trampling down and on whose account a crime would have accrued to you without (your) knowledge, (Allah would have allowed you to force your way, but He held back your hands) that He may admit to His Mercy whom He will. If they had been apart, We should certainly have punished the Unbelievers among them with a grievous punishment.
48:26 While the Unbelievers got up in their hearts heat and cant -- the heat and cant of Ignorance, -- Allah sent down His Tranquillity to His Apostle and to the Believers, and made them stick close to the command of self-restraint; and well were they entitled to it and worthy of it. And Allah has full knowledge of all things.
48:27 Section 4. Truly did Allah fulfill the vision for His Apostle: Ye shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, with minds secure, heads shaved, hair cut short, and without fear. For He knew what ye knew not, and He granted, besides this, a speedy victory.
48:28 It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion: And enough is Allah for a Witness.
48:29 Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer), seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks, (being) the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Taurat; and their similitude in the Gospel is like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, (filling) the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the Unbelievers with rage at them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds Forgiveness, and a great Reward.
