🪶 Arabic Name: سورة الفتح (Surah Al-Fatḥ)

📝 Meaning: “The Victory”

📍 Classification: Madani (Medinan)

🔢 Total Verses: 29

⏳ Chronological Order of Revelation: 111th Surah revealed (placing it in the 6th year of Hijra, Post-Hudaybiyyah).

📖 Key Themes: The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah as a divine victory, the qualities of true believers, a critique of the hypocrites and Bedouins who stayed behind, the Pledge of the Tree (Bay’at al-Ridwan), the promise of future conquests, and the description of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions.

🏆 Verse 48:1-3 — The Shocking Proclamation: “We Have Given You a Clear Victory”

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions are riding back to Madinah, their hearts heavy with what they perceive as a humiliating failure. They were denied entry to the Kaaba and forced to accept seemingly unfair treaty terms. Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) was so distressed he repeatedly questioned the Prophet (ﷺ) about the decision. It is in this exact moment of collective grief and confusion that these verses descend upon the Prophet (ﷺ). “Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear victory (fatḥan mubīnā).” This was a stunning, counter-intuitive re-framing of their entire experience. The purpose of this victory is then explained: “That Allah may forgive for you what preceded of your sin and what will follow and complete His favor upon you and guide you to a straight path and that Allah may help you with a mighty victory.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (The journey back from Hudaybiyyah, 6 AH).

Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a clear victory. (48:1)

• Primary evidence: The hadith literature is explicit about the timing and context of this verse. The companions, including Anas ibn Malik and Umar ibn al-Khattab, narrate in Sahih al-Bukhari and other collections that this Surah was revealed between Makkah and Madinah on the return from Hudaybiyyah, and the Prophet (ﷺ) declared it “more beloved to me than the entire world.”
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari extensively discuss the companions’ initial grief and how this verse transformed their understanding. They explain that the “victory” was the peace treaty itself, which would open the doors for the dawah to spread and lead to the eventual, peaceful conquest of Makkah. The forgiveness for the Prophet (ﷺ) is explained as a sign of his immense honor and the acceptance of his efforts.

• Location/Context: On the road between Hudaybiyyah and Madinah.
• Primary Actors: Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the grieving companions.
• Function in Narrative: To provide an immediate divine re-interpretation of a seemingly negative historical event, transforming the companions’ despair into joy and certainty.
• Evidence Level: High (strong, direct Asbab al-Nuzul).

❤️ Verse 48:4-7 — The Gift of Tranquility and the Sickness of the Hypocrites

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah now explains the inner, spiritual reality behind the believers’ steadfastness during the tense standoff at Hudaybiyyah. “It is He who sent down tranquility (as-sakīnah) into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their faith.” This divine gift of inner peace is what allowed them to remain firm and make the pledge to the Prophet (ﷺ). This positive state is immediately contrasted with the negative state of the hypocrites and polytheists (both men and women) who remained in Madinah. They were “assuming about Allah an assumption of evil,” thinking that the Prophet (ﷺ) and the believers would be annihilated by the Quraysh and would never return. The verse declares that a “turn of evil” will be upon them, and they have incurred God’s wrath and curse.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (The events at Hudaybiyyah, 6 AH).

It is He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their faith. (48:4)

• Primary evidence: The specific mention of *sakinah* is directly linked in hadith and tafsir to the believers’ state of mind during the Pledge of the Tree at Hudaybiyyah. The critique of the hypocrites’ “evil assumptions” reflects their documented behavior during this and other expeditions.
• Classical tafsir: Al-Bukhari narrates from Al-Bara’ that this verse refers to the tranquility they felt during the pledge under the tree. Ibn Kathir explains that this *sakinah* is a state of dignity, composure, and firmness that Allah places in the hearts of His servants during times of intense trial, which increases their certainty in their faith.

• Location/Context: The journey back from Hudaybiyyah.
• Primary Actors: The steadfast believers, the hypocrites and polytheists in Madinah.
• Function in Narrative: To explain the inner spiritual reality of the believers’ steadfastness (sakinah) and to expose and condemn the evil thoughts and hopes of the hypocrites.
• Evidence Level: High (strong tafsir and hadith support).

🤝 Verse 48:8-10 — The Hand of God: The Reality of the Pledge

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah now defines the Prophet’s (ﷺ) role and the immense spiritual significance of the pledge the companions made to him. “Indeed, We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner.” This is his threefold mission. The verses then address the pledge directly: “Indeed, those who give pledge to you, [O Muhammad] – they are actually giving pledge to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands.” This elevates their political act of allegiance to a profound spiritual transaction with God Himself. A stern warning is then issued: “So he who breaks his word only breaks it to the detriment of himself, and he who fulfills that which he has promised Allah – He will give him a great reward.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (The Pledge at Hudaybiyyah, 6 AH).

Indeed, those who give pledge to you, [O Muhammad] – they are actually giving pledge to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. (48:10)

• Primary evidence: The explicit mention of the pledge (`yubāyi’ūnaka`) is a direct reference to the central event that occurred at Hudaybiyyah just before the treaty was signed.
• Classical tafsir: Al-Tabari explains that this verse is a great honor for the companions who made the pledge. Their act of loyalty to the Prophet (ﷺ) was accepted by Allah as an act of loyalty to Him directly. The phrase “the hand of Allah is over their hands” means that He is with them, witnessing their pledge, accepting it, and rewarding them for it.

• Location/Context: The journey back from Hudaybiyyah.
• Primary Actors: The companions who gave the pledge (the Muhajirun and Ansar).
• Function in Narrative: To define the immense spiritual significance of the Pledge of Allegiance, elevating it from a human act to a divine covenant and honoring those who participated.
• Evidence Level: High (direct reference to a key historical event).

desert_dweller Verse 48:11-14 — The Lame Excuses of the Bedouins

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah now turns its attention to another group: the Bedouin Arabs from the outskirts of Madinah who had been called to join the expedition but refused. The verse predicts the excuse they will make upon the Muslims’ safe return: “Those who remained behind of the Bedouins will say to you, ‘Our properties and our families occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us.'” The Qur’an exposes this as a lie, stating, “They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts.” Their real motivation is then revealed: “But you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, ever.” They had expected the Muslims to be wiped out by the Quraysh. The verses end with a powerful declaration of God’s absolute sovereignty and a warning that for those who do not believe, a painful punishment is prepared.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (6 AH).

They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, “Then who could prevent Allah at all if He intended for you harm or intended for you benefit?” (48:11)

• Primary evidence: The specific mention of the “Bedouins who remained behind” and their flimsy excuses is a direct reference to a known historical group and event. This is a theme that could only arise in the Medinan context, where the Muslim state was interacting with and calling upon surrounding tribes.
• Classical tafsir: Commentators identify these Bedouins as coming from tribes like Aslam, Muzaynah, and Juhaynah. They had formally accepted Islam but their faith was not yet firm. When called to a dangerous mission, they prioritized their worldly affairs and secretly believed the Muslims were doomed. These verses exposed their inner state for all to see.

• Location/Context: Madinah (or the journey back).
• Primary Actors: The Bedouin Arabs who failed to join the expedition.
• Function in Narrative: To expose, condemn, and shame the hypocrisy and weak faith of the Bedouins who abandoned the Prophet (ﷺ) at a critical time.
• Evidence Level: High (strong historical context).

spoils Verse 48:15-17 — The Test of the Defectors: “You Will Be Called to a Mighty People”

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah continues to address the Bedouins who stayed behind. It predicts their next opportunistic move. “Those who remained behind will say when you set out toward the spoils of war to take them, ‘Let us follow you.'” Having avoided the risk, they now want to join in for the easy reward. The verse commands the Prophet (ﷺ) to refuse them: “You will not follow us.” Their true test is yet to come. “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. So if you obey, Allah will give you a good reward; but if you turn away as you turned away before, He will punish you with a painful punishment.'” A concession is then made for the genuinely disabled: the blind, the lame, and the sick are exempt.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (6 AH) and the near future.

You will be called to [face] a people of great military might; you may fight them, or they will submit. (48:16)

• Primary evidence: The predictive nature of the verses (“they will say,” “you will be called”) and the specific political/military strategy outlined are clear indicators of their Medinan context and divine origin.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir and others confirm that the spoils refer to Khaybar, and only those who were present at Hudaybiyyah were allowed to participate in that campaign. The identity of the “people of great military might” is a subject of discussion. Some say it refers to the Persian or Roman empires, others to the apostate tribes after the Prophet’s (ﷺ) death, or to other powerful Arab tribes. The key point is that it was a future, difficult test of their sincerity.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The Bedouin defectors, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
• Function in Narrative: To expose the greed of the Bedouins, to exclude them from the imminent spoils of war, and to establish a future test as the only means for them to prove their repentance.
• Evidence Level: High (strong connection to subsequent historical events like Khaybar).

🌳 Verse 48:18-19 — The Pledge Under the Tree: When God Was Pleased (Key Event)

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): This verse immortalizes the most sacred moment of the Hudaybiyyah expedition. “Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree.” This is a direct divine declaration of pleasure (riḍwān) with the 1,400 companions who made the pledge. The verse states that “He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent victory.” This imminent victory is then further specified: “And much war booty which they will take.” This is a clear prophecy of the conquest of Khaybar, which was rich in spoils.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (The Pledge at Hudaybiyyah, 6 AH) and the near future (the conquest of Khaybar).

Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them… (48:18)

• Primary evidence: The explicit mention of the “pledge under the tree” is a direct reference to a specific, famous, and pivotal event of the Hudaybiyyah expedition.
• Classical tafsir: All commentators agree that this verse refers to the Bay’at al-Ridwan. Ibn Kathir states that this verse is the reason that pledge is so named (The Pledge of God’s Good Pleasure). He confirms that the “imminent victory” refers to the conquest of the Jewish forts at Khaybar in the following year (7 AH), which was a major military and economic victory for the Muslims, and its spoils were distributed only among those who had been present at Hudaybiyyah.

• Location/Context: The journey back from Hudaybiyyah.
• Primary Actors: The 1,400 companions who made the pledge.
• Function in Narrative: To bestow the highest divine honor upon the participants of the Pledge of the Tree, to link their sincerity to the gift of tranquility, and to prophesy their imminent reward.
• Evidence Level: High (direct reference to a key historical event).

🛡️ Verse 48:20-26 — The Divine Strategy: Restrained Hands and Future Conquests

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah continues to unpack the divine wisdom behind the events at Hudaybiyyah. Allah promises the believers “many spoils” in the future, but has “hastened for you this.” “This” refers to the peace and security achieved through the treaty. The verse then reveals a crucial unseen intervention: “and He restrained the hands of the people from you.” This refers to Allah preventing the Quraysh from launching an all-out attack on the vulnerable Muslims at Hudaybiyyah. The reason for this restraint is then given: had a battle occurred, the believers would have inadvertently killed the secret Muslims still living in Makkah, bringing guilt upon themselves. The Surah then contrasts the “fierceness and rage of the time of ignorance” in the hearts of the disbelievers with the tranquility and “word of piety” that Allah placed in the hearts of the believers.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (The events at Hudaybiyyah, 6 AH).

And He restrained their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah after He had given you victory over them. (48:24)

• Primary evidence: The detailed explanation of the strategic reasons for preventing the battle at Hudaybiyyah is a direct commentary on the event, making its context certain.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that Allah restrained the hands of the polytheists from harming the Muslims, and restrained the Muslims from fighting in the sacred precinct of Makkah. This was to protect the unknown number of believing men and women who were still living in Makkah and concealing their faith. A battle would have led to their unintentional deaths at the hands of the believers, which would have been a great tragedy.

• Location/Context: The journey back from Hudaybiyyah.
• Primary Actors: The believers, the Quraysh, and the secret Muslims in Makkah.
• Function in Narrative: To reveal the hidden divine wisdom behind the prevention of the battle at Hudaybiyyah and to contrast the spiritual motivations of the believers and the disbelievers.
• Evidence Level: High (direct commentary on the historical event).

🕋 Verse 48:27-28 — The Fulfilled Dream and the Ultimate Triumph

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The expedition to Hudaybiyyah began because the Prophet (ﷺ) had seen a dream in which he and his companions were performing Umrah safely. When they were forced to turn back, some of the hypocrites began to mock the dream. This verse is a direct and powerful confirmation of that vision. “Certainly has Allah showed to His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone].” The verse promises that this dream will be fulfilled. It then zooms out to the ultimate purpose of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) mission: “It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religion. And sufficient is Allah as a Witness.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (6 AH), referencing a past dream and a future fulfillment.

You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing [anyone]. He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a near victory. (48:27)

• Primary evidence: The specific details of the dream (entering the Sacred Mosque, shaving heads) and its confirmation are directly tied to the events leading up to and following the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir narrates that when the companions were turned away, they were deeply saddened, and the hypocrites began to sow doubt. This verse was revealed to confirm that the vision was true and would be fulfilled, but in Allah’s perfect timing. The fulfillment of this prophecy a year later was a major source of strengthening the faith of the believers.

• Location/Context: The journey back from Hudaybiyyah.
• Primary Actors: Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions.
• Function in Narrative: To confirm the truth of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) vision, to promise the future peaceful entry into Makkah, and to declare the ultimate universal triumph of Islam.
• Evidence Level: High (a direct and fulfilled prophecy).

🌱 Verse 48:29 — The Portrait of a Generation: A Seed That Grows Strong

Estimated placement in timeline: Post-Hudaybiyyah — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah concludes with a powerful and beautiful description of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the unique generation of companions around him. “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.” Their spiritual posture is described: “You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration.” The verse then gives a stunning parable for their growth, as prophesied in the Torah and the Gospel: “That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers – so that He may enrage by them the disbelievers.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (6 AH), with references to past scriptures.

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. (48:29)

• Primary evidence: The detailed and laudatory description of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) companions is a fitting conclusion to a Surah that has documented their supreme test of faith and loyalty at Hudaybiyyah.
• Classical tafsir: Commentators have written extensively on this verse. Ibn Kathir explains that their “forcefulness” is against the enemies of the faith, while their “mercy” is for their brothers in belief. The “mark on their faces” is not necessarily a physical mark, but the light and dignity that comes from sincere worship. The parable of the seed is a prophecy of how the community will grow in number and strength, a prophecy that was historically fulfilled in the years and decades to come.

• Location/Context: The journey back from Hudaybiyyah.
• Primary Actors: Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions.
• Function in Narrative: To provide a conclusive and beautiful description of the character and destiny of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his community, honoring their sacrifice and prophesying their future growth and success.
• Evidence Level: High (thematic and narrative climax of the Surah).