We have granted you a glorious victory, so that God may forgive you all your faults, past and future, bestow upon you the full measure of His blessings and guide you on a straight way. God will certainly grant you His mighty support. (Verses 1-3)

The surah opens with a statement about the great favours bestowed by God on His Messenger, comprising glorious victory, complete forgiveness, perfect blessing and assured guidance. Together, these favours are granted as a reward for complete, unshakeable trust in God’s inspiration and directive, as well as a willing submission to His guidance. The Prophet demonstrated absolute trust, leaving no room whatsoever for his own judgement. He had a dream and proceeded to take action on its basis. His she-camel refused to move and people cried out that she had refused to go forward. He told them that such a refusal was not in her nature. “She is held back for the same reason as the elephant was held back. I shall respond favourably to any proposal the Quraysh puts to me today that helps establish good relations and guarantees respect to Gods sanctuaries.” ‘Umar asked him: “Why should we accept humiliation in matters of our faith?” His answer was simple, emphasizing his unwavering trust in Gods wisdom: “I am Gods servant and Messenger. I shall not disobey Him and He will never abandon me.” By contrast, when it is rumoured that ‘Uthman was killed, he showed complete resolve and determination: “We shall not depart until we have fought these people.” He called on people to pledge their loyalty. In turn, they gave him their pledges that brought lasting benefits to all who did so.

Such was the victory. Beside it too there was another victory embodied in the peace agreement at al-Hudaybiyah, to be followed by numerous other victories taking different forms.

It was a victory in advocating God’s message. Al-Zuhri5 says: “This victory was the greatest achieved so far in the history of Islam. Battles were fought when armies met in the battlefield. With this peace agreement, war was at an end and people were able to talk to each other in safety. They met and discussed all issues. People with any degree of understanding who were approached about Islam soon declared themselves Muslims. In those two years, i.e. between the signing of the al-Hudaybiyah Treaty and the fall of Makkah, the number of Muslims doubled or became even greater.” Ibn Hisham says: “The evidence in support of the above statement by al-Zuhrl is found in the fact that the Prophets Companions at al- Hudaybiyah were 1,400, but when he marched to Makkah two years later,6 he was at the head of an army of 10,000.” Among those who became Muslim were Khalid ibn al-Walid and ‘Amr ibn al- ‘As.

It was also a great victory on the ground. The Muslim community no longer faced danger from the Quraysh. Therefore, the Prophet was now free to address the problem represented by the Jews in Arabia. After the removal of the Jewish tribes of Qaynuqa‘, al-Nadlr and Qurayzah from Madinah, following their repeated violations of their friendship agreement with the Muslim community, the Jewish threat came from Khaybar and its fortresses. From there, the Jews could easily make the road to Syria unsafe. Khaybar and all its fortresses fell to the Muslims a short while later, and the Muslims were able to take great war gains which the Prophet divided exclusively among those who accompanied him at al-Hudaybiyah.7

The first three verses of the surah were specifically addressed to the Prophet. The surah goes on to describe the great favours God bestowed on the Muslim community as He gave them such a victory, adding tranquillity to their hearts, and promising further favours in the life to come:

It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers, so that they may grow more firm in their faith. To God belongs all the forces of the heavens and the earth; He is indeed All-Knowing, Wise. He will admit the believers, both men and women, into gardens through which running waters flow, there to abide, and He will forgive them their bad deeds. That is, in God's sight, a great triumph. (Verses 4-5)

Tranquillity, or sakinah in Arabic, is a word with pleasant connotations.

When a heart is blessed with it, it generates reassurance, trust, comfort, dignity and a ready acceptance of Gods will.

The believers experienced conflicting emotions during this encounter.

They were looking forward to the fulfilment of the Prophets dream of entering the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, realizing that a prophets dream always came true. They had then to endure a stand-off with the Quraysh, followed by the Prophet s acceptance to return without visiting the Sacred Mosque that year, even though they had entered into the state of consecration required for that Mosques entry and had marked their animals for sacrifice following the completion of their worship at the Sacred Mosque. All of this was, therefore, very hard for them to swallow. In addition to what we have already quoted in recording the developments at al-Hudaybiyah, ‘Umar is also reported to have gone to Abu Bakr and said in reference to the Prophet: “Did he not tell us that we would be visiting the Sacred Mosque and perform taw^around it?” Abu Bakr, whose heart echoed the Prophets own heartbeats, replied:

“Did he say that you would do so this year?” ‘Umar answered in the negative. Abu Bakr said: “Then you will visit it and do your tawdf there.” ‘Umar left Abu Bakr and went straight to the Prophet asking:

“Did you not tell us that we would be visiting the Sacred Mosque and perform tau/J/around it?” The Prophet said: “I certainly did; but did I say that you would be doing that this year?” ‘Umar again answered in the negative. The Prophet then said: “You will most certainly visit it and do your tawdfthere." This gives us a picture of the feelings the Muslims experienced during the stand-off with the Quraysh.

The believers found other conditions imposed by the Quraysh to be totally unfair. Specifically, they found unacceptable the condition that the Prophet should return to the Quraysh anyone from among them who came to him, declaring himself a Muslim, without being given the prior permission of his father or guardian. They were also totally displeased when the Quraysh delegation objected to the mention of Gods name, al-Rahman, or the Lord of Grace, and with their objection to the Prophets position as Gods Messenger being included in the document.

Again the surah addresses the Prophet, pointing out his role and its objective. It tells the believers about their duty towards God after having received His message. It makes clear to them that the pledges they gave to the Prophet were indeed pledges given to God. Solemn indeed is a pledge made to God. Furthermore, this imparts to the pledge given to the Prophet even greater honour:

We have sent you [Muhammad] as a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner so that you [people] may believe in God and His Messenger, support Him, honour Him and extol His limitless glory morning and evening Those who pledge their allegiance to you are actually pledging their allegiance to God: God's hand is over their hands. He who breaks his pledge does so to his own detriment; but to the one who fulfils his pledge to Him, God will grant a rich reward, (Verses 8-10)

Gods Messenger, (peace be upon him), is a witness who will testify that he has delivered the message entrusted to him to mankind, and he will speak of the reception people gave him. He will state that some people believed and accepted the faith while others rejected it denying its truth, and others still were hypocrites. Some did well and others did badly. He will give his testimony just as he delivered his message. He bears the good news of forgiveness and acceptance by God, as well as a good reward from Him to the believers. He also warns against the ill fate that awaits the unbelievers, hypocrites and evildoers, as they all incur Gods anger.

Such is the Prophets role. Addressing the believers, the surah makes clear to them the purpose of Gods message: it is to believe in God and His Messenger, and to fulfil the tasks and duties of faith. Thus, they support God by implementing His law, and they honour Him in their hearts as they feel His majesty. They also extol His glory and praise Him at both ends of the day, which means in effect the whole day. What is meant here is that in their hearts and minds they feel their bond with God at all times. This is the result of faith which the believers will receive because God sent His Messenger and assigned to him his role outlined in the verse: “a witness, a bearer of good news and a warner'. (Verse 8)

The Prophet came to them to establish their bond with God, and to solemnize a pledge they give to Him that continues even though the Prophet is no longer with them. When he stretches his hand out to accept their pledges, he is doing so on Gods behalf: “ Those who pledge their allegiance to you are actually pledging their allegiance to God: God's hand is over their hands” (Verse 10) This is an awesome description.

When any of them put his hand in the Prophets to give his pledge, he realized that God was there present, accepting the pledge, and that His hand also embraced their hands. How awesome and majestic.

This image puts an end to any thought anyone might have had about retracting their pledge. Should the Prophet disappear in person, God Himself will never disappear. It is He who accepts this pledge, watches its fulfilment and gives its reward. “He who breaks his pledge does so to his own detriment.” (Verse 10) Whatever pledge is made between God and any of His servants is richly profitable to God’s servant. It is he who will profit by Gods favours, while God is in no need of anyone. Therefore, when anyone breaks his pledge with God, he is the loser. Furthermore, he exposes himself to Gods anger and punishment, because God loves those who are true to their promises and dislikes those who deliberately break them. “But to the one who fulfils his pledge to Him, God will grant a rich reward.” (Verse 10) No details are given here of the reward; it is merely described as rich, or great, as is the literal meaning of the Arabic adjective (azlm used here. This reward is rich by God’s measure and value which we who dwell in this limited space of the earth can never imagine.

Having established the true nature of the pledge and referred to thoughts of breaking or honouring it, the surah now speaks of the desert Arabs who were left: behind. They refused to accompany the Prophet on this expedition, entertaining no good thoughts about God, expecting defeat for the believers who were going to the Quraysh’s own land, when it was the Quraysh that had attacked Madlnah twice over a short period of time.9 The surah tells the Prophet of what excuses the desert Arabs would employ when they see him returning safely together with his Companions. They would realize that the treaty he had concluded with the Quraysh signified that the latter had climbed down. No matter how harsh its conditions may appear, the Quraysh now treated Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his followers as its equal, with whom it sought peace rather than confrontation. The surah also details the true reasons why these desert Arabs stayed behind, exposing their reality to the Prophet and the believers. It tells the Prophet of the rich war gains the Muslims would shortly achieve, and that these same Arabs would try to accompany them on their next encounter in order to receive a share of those. The surah tells the Prophet what he should say to them when this takes place. He must not allow them to be part of that expedition, which was certain to end in his favour. Only those present at al-Hudaybiyah would be permitted to accompany him. He was also to tell those Arabs left behind that they would be called upon to join the Muslims when they needed to fight other people known for their great war prowess. If they truly wanted to join the Muslim camp, they should join the Muslim army on that day, whatever outcome God may give them. If they obeyed, they would receive rich reward. If they turned away, as they did once before, they would be made to endure a painful suffering:

The desert Arabs who stayed behind will say to you, Our property and our families kept us busy; do then ask God to forgive us.9 Thus they say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: 'Who, then, can avert from you anything that God might have willed, whether it be His will to harm you or to confer a benefit on you? No! God is fully aware of what you do. ’ No! You thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families and this thought seemed pleasing to your hearts. You entertained such evil thoughts because you have always been devoid of goodness. As for those who will not believe in God and His Messenger, We have prepared a blazing fire for the unbelievers. To God belongs the dominion over the heavens and the earth. He forgives whoever He will and punishes whoever He will.

God is much-forgiving, ever merciful. When you set forth on a course that promises war gains, those who previously stayed behind will say:

"Let us come with you. 99 They thus seek to alter God's words. Say: "You shall not come with us. God has already said so. ” They will then say:

"You begrudge us [our share].” How little they understand. Say to the desert Arabs who stayed behind: “You will be called upon to fight against a people of great prowess in war: you will have to fight them unless they surrender. If you obey, God will reward you well; but if you turn away as you have done before, He will inflict on you painful suffering” (Verses 11-16)

Such do people think of the Muslim community. However, it is only people like those desert Arabs who have severed their bond with God, their hearts devoid of goodness, who view the Muslim community as being on the verge of eradication, heavily outnumbered by the forces of evil and deviation. They look at the limited numbers of the advocates of Islam, or their poor artillery, or their low position in society and conclude that they will inevitably be defeated. Like the desert Arabs of old, such people avoid every association with the believers, looking only for their own safety. God, however, will ensure that such ill thoughts inevitably end in failure, and will change positions as only He knows how, to set the true balance. It is He who holds this balance in His mighty hand, lowering some people and raising others above them. The hypocrites who harbour evil thoughts about God, throughout all places and generations, can never understand how this is done.

The true balance is that of faith. Therefore, those Arabs are referred to it. The surah outlines the general rule of rewarding people in accordance with this balance, highlighting the possibility of receiving God’s grace.

They are thus encouraged to take the opportunity available to them now in order to benefit by Gods forgiveness and to enjoy His grace: “As for those who will not believe in God and His Messenger, We have prepared a blazing fire for the unbelievers. To God belongs the dominion over the heavens and the earth. He forgives whoever He will and punishes whoever He will. God is much-forgiving, ever merciful” (Verses 13-14)

They used to cite their families and property as the reasons why they stayed behind. Of what benefit will their families and property be to them when they are thrown in the blazing fire, which has been prepared for them if they continue to deny God and His Messenger?

These verses show such people the two options available to them and they are invited to choose one. Then it is God who issues the promise and the warning to them. To Him belongs the heavens and the earth and all in between them. It is He who can extend forgiveness and inflict punishment, as He chooses.

God rewards people according to their deeds, but His will is free, unrestricted by anything. This truth is established here so that it is accepted by all. There is no conflict between it and the fact that peoples reward is based on their actions, because this is the basis that God has willed to choose.

Nevertheless, Gods forgiveness and mercy is close at hand. Let anyone who so wishes benefit by it, before the suffering befalls those who refuse to believe in God and His Messenger in accordance with His will.

The surah then shows a glimpse of the prospects God has in store for the believers, contrary to all the unbelievers’ thoughts. This is done in such a way that suggests that it is all going to happen soon: “ When you set forth on a course that promises war gains, those who previously stayed behind will say: 'Let us come with you' They thus seek to alter God's words.

Say:' You shall not come with us. God has already said so. ’ They will then say:

'You begrudge us [ourshare].' How little they understand.” (Verse 15)

Most commentators on the Qur’an take this verse to refer to the conquest of Khaybar. This may be so, but the statement also gives clear impressions that do not necessarily relate to Khaybar. It suggests that the Muslims would soon achieve an easy victory. Those who previously stayed behind would realize that it would be so and hence they ask to join the Muslims. Perhaps what makes Qur’anic commentators specify Khaybar is that this occurred soon after al-Hudaybiyah. Indeed, it took place in the first month of year 7, less than two months after the signing of the treaty, and it brought the Muslims rich war gains. Khaybar was the last Jewish stronghold in the Arabian Peninsula. It was here that some of the Jews of al-Nadir and Qurayzah had sought refuge after they were ordered out of Madinah.

Commentators are almost unanimous that God promised those who give the Prophet their pledges at al-Hudaybiyah would have the war gains achieved at Khaybar, all for themselves, with no share for anyone else. I have not found any text to support this view, which may though be based on what actually happened. When the Prophet marched on Khaybar, he did not allow anyone to join him other than those who had taken part at al-Hudaybiyah.

Be that as it may, God instructed the Prophet to refuse permission to those who had previously stayed behind, assuming that they even offered to join the Muslim army. Specifically, he was to say that their participation would be contrary to Gods orders. He also told the Prophet that when they were refused such permission, they would say: “f&w begrudge us\ and want to deprive us of our legitimate share of any war gains. What they say thus betrays their lack of understanding of God’s purpose. It is fitting that those who are eager to share in the booty be deprived of it, while those who are dedicated to Gods cause, obeying His orders, should enjoy His grace and be the ones to enjoy the war gains He grants the Muslim community. They were the ones who had obeyed when they expected nothing other than a hard fight.

God further instructed the Prophet to tell them that they would be called upon to fight against people known for their war prowess, and that the fight would continue until this enemy had been subdued. Should those who formerly stayed behind pass this test, they will still receive their reward, but if they continue to disobey they will have failed what is their final test: “Say to the desert Arabs who stayed behind: ‘You will be called upon to fight against a people of great prowess in war: you will have to fight them unless they surrender. If you obey, God will reward you well; but if you turn away as you have done before, He will inflict on you painful suffering.™ (Verse 16)