Al-Fath 48:25
The Victory · Juz 26 · Page 514
هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّوكُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَٱلۡهَدۡيَ مَعۡكُوفًا أَن يَبۡلُغَ مَحِلَّهُۥۚ وَلَوۡلَا رِجَالٞ مُّؤۡمِنُونَ وَنِسَآءٞ مُّؤۡمِنَٰتٞ لَّمۡ تَعۡلَمُوهُمۡ أَن تَطَـُٔوهُمۡ فَتُصِيبَكُم مِّنۡهُم مَّعَرَّةُۢ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖۖ لِّيُدۡخِلَ ٱللَّهُ فِي رَحۡمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُۚ لَوۡ تَزَيَّلُواْ لَعَذَّبۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ٢٥
They are the ones who disbelieved and obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām while the offering1 was prevented from reaching its place of sacrifice. And if not for believing men and believing women whom you did not know - that you might trample [i.e., kill] them and there would befall you because of them dishonor without [your] knowledge - [you would have been permitted to enter Makkah]. [This was so] that Allāh might admit to His mercy whom He willed. If they had been apart [from them], We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with painful punishment
1 translator’s note
- i.e., seventy camels intended for sacrifice and feeding of the poor. ↩
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Commentary on 48:25
فَتُصِيبَكُم مِّنْهُم مَّعَرَّةٌ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ (and thus an embarrassing situation might have befallen you because of them unknowingly....48:25): According to some authorities on lexicology ma'arrah connotes "sin"; according to others it means "harm"; and other authorities say it denotes "shame" or "embarrassment". In this context, apparently the last meaning appears to be apt. There was a nucleus of Muslims in Makkah and if the fight had broken out, Muslim army would have unwittingly killed their own Muslim brethren in faith, thereby causing great injury to their own cause, and incurring obloquy and opprobrium for themselves.
Natural Safeguard of the Noble Companions against Mistakes
Imam Qurtubi says that if a Muslim unknowingly kills another Muslim, it is not a sin or crime. It is, however, certainly a source of shame, embarrassment and regret. Since it is a Qatl Khata', the laws of diyah [ blood-wit ] will apply. Allah has protected the noble Companions ؓ against this as well. This shows the noble Companions ؓ are not infallible like the prophets of Allah, but Allah has in general terms safeguarded them in a natural way against mistakes which would be a cause of embarrassment, obloquy and opprobrium to them.
لِّيُدْخِلَ اللَّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ (so that Allah may admit to His mercy whom He wills...48:25): It means that Allah infused patience in Muslims on this occasion to avoid war, because He knew that many people in future would embrace Islam on whom His mercy will be showered. Similarly the nucleus of Muslims who were detained in Makkah will also receive a large share of His mercy.
لَوْ تَزَيَّلُوا (And if they [ the believing men and women ] had been separate, [ from disbelievers ], We would surely have punished those of them who disbelieved....48:25) Lexically, the word tazayyul denotes 'separation'. The sense is that if Muslims detained in Makkah had been separate and distinct from the unbelievers, the Muslims coming from Madinah would have been able to save them in case of war, and Allah would have had the disbelievers punished then and there, because that was the demand of their attitude. However, the Makkan society at that time was a mixed society - helpless Muslim men and women and non-Muslims were living together. The Muslims were indistinguishable from non-Muslims. If fighting had broken out, there would have been no way to save the Muslims. Therefore, Allah averted the war.
Page 514
48:24
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِي كَفَّ أَيۡدِيَهُمۡ عَنكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيَكُمۡ عَنۡهُم بِبَطۡنِ مَكَّةَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَنۡ أَظۡفَرَكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا ٢٤
And it is He who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah after He caused you to overcome them. And ever is Allāh, of what you do, Seeing.
48:25
هُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّوكُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِ وَٱلۡهَدۡيَ مَعۡكُوفًا أَن يَبۡلُغَ مَحِلَّهُۥۚ وَلَوۡلَا رِجَالٞ مُّؤۡمِنُونَ وَنِسَآءٞ مُّؤۡمِنَٰتٞ لَّمۡ تَعۡلَمُوهُمۡ أَن تَطَـُٔوهُمۡ فَتُصِيبَكُم مِّنۡهُم مَّعَرَّةُۢ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖۖ لِّيُدۡخِلَ ٱللَّهُ فِي رَحۡمَتِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُۚ لَوۡ تَزَيَّلُواْ لَعَذَّبۡنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا ٢٥
They are the ones who disbelieved and obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Ḥarām while the offering1 was prevented from reaching its place of sacrifice. And if not for believing men and believing women whom you did not know - that you might trample [i.e., kill] them and there would befall you because of them dishonor without [your] knowledge - [you would have been permitted to enter Makkah]. [This was so] that Allāh might admit to His mercy whom He willed. If they had been apart [from them], We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with painful punishment
1 translator’s note
- i.e., seventy camels intended for sacrifice and feeding of the poor. ↩
48:26
إِذۡ جَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِيَّةِ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَأَلۡزَمَهُمۡ كَلِمَةَ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَكَانُوٓاْ أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهۡلَهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا ٢٦
When those who disbelieved had put into their hearts chauvinism - the chauvinism of the time of ignorance. But Allāh sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and imposed upon them the word of righteousness, and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it. And ever is Allāh, of all things, Knowing.
48:27
لَّقَدۡ صَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ ٱلرُّءۡيَا بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ لَتَدۡخُلُنَّ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدَ ٱلۡحَرَامَ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ءَامِنِينَ مُحَلِّقِينَ رُءُوسَكُمۡ وَمُقَصِّرِينَ لَا تَخَافُونَۖ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمۡ تَعۡلَمُواْ فَجَعَلَ مِن دُونِ ذَٰلِكَ فَتۡحٗا قَرِيبًا ٢٧
Certainly has Allāh showed to His Messenger the vision [i.e., dream] in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, if Allāh wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened,1 not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand].
1 translator’s note
- i.e., having completed the rites of ʿumrah. ↩
48:28
هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَرۡسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلۡحَقِّ لِيُظۡهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدٗا ٢٨
It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion. And sufficient is Allāh as Witness.