Al-Fath 48:20
The Victory · Juz 26 · Page 513
وَعَدَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةٗ تَأۡخُذُونَهَا فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمۡ هَٰذِهِۦ وَكَفَّ أَيۡدِيَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنكُمۡ وَلِتَكُونَ ءَايَةٗ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَيَهۡدِيَكُمۡ صِرَٰطٗا مُّسۡتَقِيمٗا ٢٠
Allāh has promised you much booty that you will take [in the future] and has hastened for you this [victory] and withheld the hands of people from you - that it may be a sign for the believers and [that] He may guide you to a straight path.
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 48:20
ذِهِ (Allah had promised you many spoils that you would receive, so He gave these to you sooner - 48:20). The phrase "many spoils" mentioned here refers to the sizeable spoils that fell into the hands of Muslims in the conquests which followed the victory at Khaibar, in the rest of Arabia and the neighbouring countries. This verse embodies a prophecy that Muslims will achieve other great victories after the victory of Khaibar, and in consequence many spoils until the end of the world. However, before those numerous conquests, the conquest of Daibar was given first, the spoils of which were reserved by Allah exclusively for the participants of Hudaibiyah. But the spoils to be achieved in all the next conquest would be common to all. This shows that the injunction of reserving the right of participating in Khaibar is not laid down explicitly in these verses. That injunction was laid down, as detailed earlier, in a separate category of revelation, that is, in the unrecited revelation. The Holy Prophet ﷺ acted upon the injunction and imparted its knowledge to the noble Companions ؓ .
وَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَ النَّاسِ عَنكُمْ (...and stopped the hands of the people from (harming) you. ... 48:20). This refers to the unbelievers of Khaibar. In this battle, Allah did not allow them the opportunity to show much strength or force. Imam Baghawi says that the tribe of Ghatafan was the ally of the Jews of Khaibar. When it heard of the Holy Prophet's ﷺ march against the Jews of Khaibar, it equipped itself with heavy arms to defend the Jews. But Allah infused terror into their minds, and they were worried that if they went forward, it was possible that a Muslim army might attack their homes in their absence. As a result, they got cold feet and did not have the courage to proceed (Mazhari).
وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيمًا (...And (He did this) so that He guides you to the right path.... 48:20) It is clarified earlier (in the commentary on verse 2 of this Surah that there are several degrees of guidance. From that point of view, they were all already guided on the straight path. Here it refers to the degree of guidance which they had not yet attained, that is, full reliance on Allah and increase in the power of faith.
Page 513
48:16
قُل لِّلۡمُخَلَّفِينَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَعۡرَابِ سَتُدۡعَوۡنَ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمٍ أُوْلِي بَأۡسٖ شَدِيدٖ تُقَٰتِلُونَهُمۡ أَوۡ يُسۡلِمُونَۖ فَإِن تُطِيعُواْ يُؤۡتِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَجۡرًا حَسَنٗاۖ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ كَمَا تَوَلَّيۡتُم مِّن قَبۡلُ يُعَذِّبۡكُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا ١٦
Say to those who remained behind of the bedouins, "You will be called to [face] a people of great military might; you may fight them, or they will submit.1 So if you obey, Allāh will give you a good reward; but if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment."
1 translator’s note
- To Allāh in Islām. ↩
48:17
لَّيۡسَ عَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ حَرَجٞ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡأَعۡرَجِ حَرَجٞ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلۡمَرِيضِ حَرَجٞۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ يُدۡخِلۡهُ جَنَّٰتٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۖ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ يُعَذِّبۡهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمٗا ١٧
There is not upon the blind any guilt or upon the lame any guilt or upon the ill any guilt [for remaining behind]. And whoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger - He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoever turns away - He will punish him with a painful punishment.
48:18
۞ لَّقَدۡ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحۡتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَثَٰبَهُمۡ فَتۡحٗا قَرِيبٗا ١٨
Certainly was Allāh pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muḥammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest1
1 translator’s note
- That of Khaybar, which preceded the conquest of Makkah. ↩
48:19
وَمَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةٗ يَأۡخُذُونَهَاۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمٗا ١٩
And much war booty which they will take. And ever is Allāh Exalted in Might and Wise.
48:20
وَعَدَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةٗ تَأۡخُذُونَهَا فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمۡ هَٰذِهِۦ وَكَفَّ أَيۡدِيَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَنكُمۡ وَلِتَكُونَ ءَايَةٗ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَيَهۡدِيَكُمۡ صِرَٰطٗا مُّسۡتَقِيمٗا ٢٠
Allāh has promised you much booty that you will take [in the future] and has hastened for you this [victory] and withheld the hands of people from you - that it may be a sign for the believers and [that] He may guide you to a straight path.
48:21
وَأُخۡرَىٰ لَمۡ تَقۡدِرُواْ عَلَيۡهَا قَدۡ أَحَاطَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٗا ٢١
And [He promises] other [victories] that you were [so far] unable to [realize] which Allāh has already encompassed.1 And ever is Allāh, over all things, competent.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., prepared for you or decreed. ↩
48:22
وَلَوۡ قَٰتَلَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَوَلَّوُاْ ٱلۡأَدۡبَٰرَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيّٗا وَلَا نَصِيرٗا ٢٢
And if those [Makkans] who disbelieve had fought you, they would have turned their backs [in flight]. Then they would not find a protector or a helper.
48:23
سُنَّةَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّتِي قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِن قَبۡلُۖ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ ٱللَّهِ تَبۡدِيلٗا ٢٣
[This is] the established way of Allāh which has occurred before. And never will you find in the way of Allāh any change.