48: The Victory (Al-Fath)
Revealed at Madinah
This chapter is entitled The Victory as it deals with the conquests of Islam, from the great moral victory gained by the truce of Hudaibiyah to the prophesied triumph of Islam over all other religions. The word victory occurs in v. 1 and elsewhere. It is remarkable that although Muslims had been victorious in several battles before, yet it is not those but a truce which is called a victory, indicating that the triumph of Islam lay in its moral conquests. The chapter begins by declaring the Hudaibiyah truce to be a victory, speaking of the success of the faithful and the allegiance they rendered to the Holy Prophet, and the disappointment of the hypocrites and idolators. It then deals with the excuses of the hypocrites and separates them from the faithful. It goes on to predict more victories in battles and ends with the important prophecy that Islam will triumph over all other religions of the world. This chapter was revealed in 6 A.H.
Section 1 (Verses 48:1–48:10): Hudaibiyah Truce was a Victory
The victory referred to is that gained by the truce at Hudaibiyah in 6 A.H. The truce was a victory for the Muslims because it opened the way for the propagation of Islam, and by putting a stop to hostilities gave the opponents an occasion to ponder over the merits of the religion against which they had hitherto struggled on the field of battle. As a result of this truce large numbers came over to Islam, and the words are thus prophetical, and their truth was demonstrated long after their revelation. The conditions of the truce to which Muslims yielded were disadvantageous to them, one being that if anyone from among the people of Makkah came over to the Holy Prophet, he would return him to the Quraish, though he were a Muslim, while the Quraish were not bound to return anyone who deserted the Prophet and joined the Quraish. The Muslims felt it very hard that one of their brethren should be returned to suffer persecution, but as the Quraish refused to make a truce unless this condition was included, the Holy Prophet accepted it. Immediately afterwards Divine revelation dispelled all those misgivings, and declared the truce to be a great victory, as it actually proved to be.
48:2
لِّیَغۡفِرَ لَکَ اللّٰہُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنۡ ذَنۡۢبِکَ وَ مَا تَاَخَّرَ وَ یُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَہٗ عَلَیۡکَ وَ یَہۡدِیَکَ صِرَاطًا مُّسۡتَقِیۡمًا ۙ﴿۲﴾
that Allah may cover for you your (alleged) shortcomings in the past and those to come, and complete His favour to you and guide you on a right path,
The word dhanb means any shortcoming, not necessarily a sin, and dhanbi-ka here does not mean your sin but the sin committed against you or the shortcoming attributed to you. The Prophet never committed a sin and the word ghafr here means covering or protecting against the commission of sins; see 40:55 footnote. These were the shortcomings attributed to the Prophet by his enemies, among his contemporaries and those who were yet to come after him. Despite the fact that the Prophet was respected throughout Arabia for his righteousness and truthfulness before he laid claim to prophethood, the twenty years of opposition to the Truth which he brought had poisoned the minds of the Arabs to such an extent that they now drew a very dark picture of him, heaping all kinds of abuses on him. The battles that were now being fought had, further, made it impossible for the Muslims to present a true picture of Islam to the Arabs. After several years of conflict, the Hudaibiyah truce brought about a change in the relations of the two parties and the truth about the Prophet now began to dawn on their minds. They now saw that the Prophet was not the man of terror as their leaders had pictured to them. They saw the great transformation which he had wrought and the life which he had infused into a dead nation. It was in this sense that God covered the shortcomings and failures which his opponents attributed to him. In the words those to come, there is a reference to the latter-day criticism of the enemies of Islam and a promise here that not only would those misunderstandings which already existed be corrected, but even those that would be spread at a later date by the enemies of Islam would also be dispelled, and Islam would thus shine in its full lustre not only in Arabia but in the whole world.
Large numbers becoming converts to Islam proved a mighty help in its cause. While proceeding to Hudaibiyah the Holy Prophet was accompanied by 1,500 men; two years later, when advancing on Makkah, 10,000 men marched under his banner, which shows how fast Islam spread after the Hudaibiyah truce.
48:4
ہُوَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَنۡزَلَ السَّکِیۡنَۃَ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ لِیَزۡدَادُوۡۤا اِیۡمَانًا مَّعَ اِیۡمَانِہِمۡ ؕ وَ لِلّٰہِ جُنُوۡدُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ عَلِیۡمًا حَکِیۡمًا ۙ﴿۴﴾
He it is Who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they might add faith to their faith. And Allah’s are the forces of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is ever Knowing, Wise —
48:5
لِّیُدۡخِلَ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ خٰلِدِیۡنَ فِیۡہَا وَ یُکَفِّرَ عَنۡہُمۡ سَیِّاٰتِہِمۡ ؕ وَ کَانَ ذٰلِکَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ فَوۡزًا عَظِیۡمًا ۙ﴿۵﴾
that He may make the believers, men and women, enter Gardens in which rivers flow, to abide in them, and remove from them their evil. And that is a mighty achievement with Allah,
48:6
وَّ یُعَذِّبَ الۡمُنٰفِقِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُنٰفِقٰتِ وَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُشۡرِکٰتِ الظَّآنِّیۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ ظَنَّ السَّوۡءِ ؕ عَلَیۡہِمۡ دَآئِرَۃُ السَّوۡءِ ۚ وَ غَضِبَ اللّٰہُ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَ لَعَنَہُمۡ وَ اَعَدَّ لَہُمۡ جَہَنَّمَ ؕ وَ سَآءَتۡ مَصِیۡرًا ﴿۶﴾
and (that) He may punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the idolaters, men and women, who entertain evil thoughts about Allah. On them is the evil turn, and Allah is furious with them and has cursed them and prepared hell for them; and evil is the destination.
48:7
وَ لِلّٰہِ جُنُوۡدُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ عَزِیۡزًا حَکِیۡمًا ﴿۷﴾
And Allah’s are the forces of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is ever Mighty, Wise.
48:8
اِنَّاۤ اَرۡسَلۡنٰکَ شَاہِدًا وَّ مُبَشِّرًا وَّ نَذِیۡرًا ۙ﴿۸﴾
Surely We have sent you as a witness and as a bearer of good news and as a warner,
48:9
لِّتُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِاللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖ وَ تُعَزِّرُوۡہُ وَ تُوَقِّرُوۡہُ ؕ وَ تُسَبِّحُوۡہُ بُکۡرَۃً وَّ اَصِیۡلًا ﴿۹﴾
that you (people) may believe in Allah and His Messenger and may aid him and revere him. And (that) you may declare His glory, morning and evening.
48:10
اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ یُبَایِعُوۡنَکَ اِنَّمَا یُبَایِعُوۡنَ اللّٰہَ ؕ یَدُ اللّٰہِ فَوۡقَ اَیۡدِیۡہِمۡ ۚ فَمَنۡ نَّکَثَ فَاِنَّمَا یَنۡکُثُ عَلٰی نَفۡسِہٖ ۚ وَ مَنۡ اَوۡفٰی بِمَا عٰہَدَ عَلَیۡہُ اللّٰہَ فَسَیُؤۡتِیۡہِ اَجۡرًا عَظِیۡمًا ﴿٪۱۰﴾
Those who swear allegiance to you only swear allegiance to Allah. The hand of Allah is above their hands. So whoever breaks (his faith), he breaks it only to his soul’s detriment. And whoever fulfils his covenant with Allah, He will grant him a mighty reward.
The swearing of allegiance referred to here took place before the truce was concluded. The Holy Prophet had started with his men with the object of performing a pilgrimage, but when he reached Hudaibiyah, the Makkans opposed his entry into Makkah. Thereupon the companions of the Holy Prophet swore allegiance to him (under a tree as stated in v. 18), that they would defend him at all costs and die fighting at his side (Bukhari, 64:37). The necessity for this seems to have arisen from the fact that the Quraish advanced to fight the Muslims, who were unprepared for war.
Section 2 (Verses 48:11–48:17): The Defaulters
48:11
سَیَقُوۡلُ لَکَ الۡمُخَلَّفُوۡنَ مِنَ الۡاَعۡرَابِ شَغَلَتۡنَاۤ اَمۡوَالُنَا وَ اَہۡلُوۡنَا فَاسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ۚ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ بِاَلۡسِنَتِہِمۡ مَّا لَیۡسَ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ ؕ قُلۡ فَمَنۡ یَّمۡلِکُ لَکُمۡ مِّنَ اللّٰہِ شَیۡئًا اِنۡ اَرَادَ بِکُمۡ ضَرًّا اَوۡ اَرَادَ بِکُمۡ نَفۡعًا ؕ بَلۡ کَانَ اللّٰہُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِیۡرًا ﴿۱۱﴾
Those of the dwellers of the desert who lagged behind will say to you: Our property and our families kept us busy, so ask forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: Then who can control anything at all for you from Allah, if He intends to do you harm or if He intends to do you good. Indeed, Allah is ever Aware of what you do.
48:12
بَلۡ ظَنَنۡتُمۡ اَنۡ لَّنۡ یَّنۡقَلِبَ الرَّسُوۡلُ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ اِلٰۤی اَہۡلِیۡہِمۡ اَبَدًا وَّ زُیِّنَ ذٰلِکَ فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِکُمۡ وَ ظَنَنۡتُمۡ ظَنَّ السَّوۡءِ ۚۖ وَ کُنۡتُمۡ قَوۡمًۢا بُوۡرًا ﴿۱۲﴾
No, you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and that was made pleasing in your hearts, and you thought an evil thought, and you are a people doomed to perish.
Even as late as 6 A.H. Muslims were so weak, as compared with their enemies, that whenever they had to go into the field, the weak-hearted thought that the Muslims were going into the very jaws of death.
48:13
وَ مَنۡ لَّمۡ یُؤۡمِنۡۢ بِاللّٰہِ وَ رَسُوۡلِہٖ فَاِنَّاۤ اَعۡتَدۡنَا لِلۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ سَعِیۡرًا ﴿۱۳﴾
And whoever does not believe in Allah and His Messenger — then surely We have prepared burning Fire for the disbelievers.
48:14
وَ لِلّٰہِ مُلۡکُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ یَغۡفِرُ لِمَنۡ یَّشَآءُ وَ یُعَذِّبُ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ غَفُوۡرًا رَّحِیۡمًا ﴿۱۴﴾
And Allah’s is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He pleases and punishes whom He pleases. And Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
48:15
سَیَقُوۡلُ الۡمُخَلَّفُوۡنَ اِذَا انۡطَلَقۡتُمۡ اِلٰی مَغَانِمَ لِتَاۡخُذُوۡہَا ذَرُوۡنَا نَتَّبِعۡکُمۡ ۚ یُرِیۡدُوۡنَ اَنۡ یُّبَدِّلُوۡا کَلٰمَ اللّٰہِ ؕ قُلۡ لَّنۡ تَتَّبِعُوۡنَا کَذٰلِکُمۡ قَالَ اللّٰہُ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ ۚ فَسَیَقُوۡلُوۡنَ بَلۡ تَحۡسُدُوۡنَنَا ؕ بَلۡ کَانُوۡا لَا یَفۡقَہُوۡنَ اِلَّا قَلِیۡلًا ﴿۱۵﴾
Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to acquire gains: Allow us to follow you. They desire to change the word of Allah. Say: You shall not follow us. Thus did Allah say before. But they will say: Indeed, you are jealous of us. No, they do not understand but a little.
48:16
قُلۡ لِّلۡمُخَلَّفِیۡنَ مِنَ الۡاَعۡرَابِ سَتُدۡعَوۡنَ اِلٰی قَوۡمٍ اُولِیۡ بَاۡسٍ شَدِیۡدٍ تُقَاتِلُوۡنَہُمۡ اَوۡ یُسۡلِمُوۡنَ ۚ فَاِنۡ تُطِیۡعُوۡا یُؤۡتِکُمُ اللّٰہُ اَجۡرًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَ اِنۡ تَتَوَلَّوۡا کَمَا تَوَلَّیۡتُمۡ مِّنۡ قَبۡلُ یُعَذِّبۡکُمۡ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿۱۶﴾
Say to those of the dwellers of the desert who lagged behind: You will soon be called against a people of mighty prowess to fight against them until they submit. Then if you obey, Allah will grant you a good reward; but, if you turn back as you turned back before, He will punish you with a painful punishment.
The power of the Makkan enemy was now broken, as was proved by the advance on Makkah two years later. Hence, the defaulters are told that they would be called on to join the forces of Islam against another powerful enemy. This appears to be a reference to the wars against the Roman and Persian empires in the time of the early Caliphs, again referred to in v. 21.
48:17
لَیۡسَ عَلَی الۡاَعۡمٰی حَرَجٌ وَّ لَا عَلَی الۡاَعۡرَجِ حَرَجٌ وَّ لَا عَلَی الۡمَرِیۡضِ حَرَجٌ ؕ وَ مَنۡ یُّطِعِ اللّٰہَ وَ رَسُوۡلَہٗ یُدۡخِلۡہُ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِیۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِہَا الۡاَنۡہٰرُ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّ یُعَذِّبۡہُ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿٪۱۷﴾
There is no blame on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor is there blame on the sick. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will make him enter Gardens in which rivers flow. And whoever turns back, He will punish him with a painful punishment.
Section 3 (Verses 48:18–48:26): More Victories for Islam
48:18
لَقَدۡ رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ عَنِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ اِذۡ یُبَایِعُوۡنَکَ تَحۡتَ الشَّجَرَۃِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمۡ فَاَنۡزَلَ السَّکِیۡنَۃَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ وَ اَثَابَہُمۡ فَتۡحًا قَرِیۡبًا ﴿ۙ۱۸﴾
Allah indeed was well pleased with the believers, when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity on them and rewarded them with a near victory,
48:19
وَّ مَغَانِمَ کَثِیۡرَۃً یَّاۡخُذُوۡنَہَا ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ عَزِیۡزًا حَکِیۡمًا ﴿۱۹﴾
and many gains which they will acquire. And Allah is ever Mighty, Wise.
These many gains predict the later conquests of the Muslims, beginning with the conquest of Makkah which made the Muslims masters of Arabia, and then extending to other countries, both in the East and the West.
48:20
وَعَدَکُمُ اللّٰہُ مَغَانِمَ کَثِیۡرَۃً تَاۡخُذُوۡنَہَا فَعَجَّلَ لَکُمۡ ہٰذِہٖ وَ کَفَّ اَیۡدِیَ النَّاسِ عَنۡکُمۡ ۚ وَ لِتَکُوۡنَ اٰیَۃً لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ یَہۡدِیَکُمۡ صِرَاطًا مُّسۡتَقِیۡمًا ﴿ۙ۲۰﴾
Allah promised you many gains which you will acquire, then He hastened this on for you, and held back the hands of people from you; and that it may be a sign for the believers and that He may guide you on a right path,
By this truce the hands of people were held back from the Muslims, i.e., the Muslims were not persecuted any more. So persecution having ceased, people began to enter Islam in large numbers. This was moreover an indication that the promised conquests of Islam were not only conquests of countries but also conquests of hearts.
48:21
وَّ اُخۡرٰی لَمۡ تَقۡدِرُوۡا عَلَیۡہَا قَدۡ اَحَاطَ اللّٰہُ بِہَا ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ عَلٰی کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ قَدِیۡرًا ﴿۲۱﴾
and others which you have not yet been able to achieve — Allah has surely encompassed them. And Allah is ever Powerful over all things.
This refers to the great Muslim conquests under the successors of the Holy Prophet. The defeat of the enemy is plainly spoken of in the next verse.
48:22
وَ لَوۡ قٰتَلَکُمُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا لَوَلَّوُا الۡاَدۡبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا یَجِدُوۡنَ وَلِیًّا وَّ لَا نَصِیۡرًا ﴿۲۲﴾
And if those who disbelieve fight with you, they will certainly turn (their) backs, then they will find no protector nor helper.
48:23
سُنَّۃَ اللّٰہِ الَّتِیۡ قَدۡ خَلَتۡ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ ۚۖ وَ لَنۡ تَجِدَ لِسُنَّۃِ اللّٰہِ تَبۡدِیۡلًا ﴿۲۳﴾
(Such has been) the course of Allah that has run before, and you will not find a change in Allah’s course.
48:24
وَ ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ کَفَّ اَیۡدِیَہُمۡ عَنۡکُمۡ وَ اَیۡدِیَکُمۡ عَنۡہُمۡ بِبَطۡنِ مَکَّۃَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ اَنۡ اَظۡفَرَکُمۡ عَلَیۡہِمۡ ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ بَصِیۡرًا ﴿۲۴﴾
And He it is Who held back their hands from you and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah after He had given you victory over them. And Allah is ever Seer of what you do.
This is again a reference to the Hudaibiyah truce. Three times already had the disbelievers attacked Madinah with very strong forces to crush Islam, and Muslims had repulsed them every time, inflicting severe loss on them. This is referred to in the words, after He had given you victory over them. Yet they offered terms which were humiliating to the Muslims and the Prophet accepted them to avoid bloodshed, so deeply did he love peace. The chief terms of the agreement were: (1) That the Muslims should return without performing a pilgrimage. (2) That they should be allowed to perform a pilgrimage next year, but should not stay for more than three days. (3) That if a disbeliever, being converted, went over to the Muslims, he should be returned, but if a Muslim went over to the disbelievers he should not be given back to the Muslims (Bukhari, 54:15). The last term of the agreement was specially dissatisfying to the Muslims; but it shows the strong conviction which the Holy Prophet had in the truth of Islam, for he was confident that none of his companions would go over to disbelief and join the Quraish; and also that those who became converts to Islam would not desert it on account of persecution.
48:25
ہُمُ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا وَ صَدُّوۡکُمۡ عَنِ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَرَامِ وَ الۡہَدۡیَ مَعۡکُوۡفًا اَنۡ یَّبۡلُغَ مَحِلَّہٗ ؕ وَ لَوۡ لَا رِجَالٌ مُّؤۡمِنُوۡنَ وَ نِسَآءٌ مُّؤۡمِنٰتٌ لَّمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡہُمۡ اَنۡ تَطَـُٔوۡہُمۡ فَتُصِیۡبَکُمۡ مِّنۡہُمۡ مَّعَرَّۃٌۢ بِغَیۡرِ عِلۡمٍ ۚ لِیُدۡخِلَ اللّٰہُ فِیۡ رَحۡمَتِہٖ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ۚ لَوۡ تَزَیَّلُوۡا لَعَذَّبۡنَا الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا مِنۡہُمۡ عَذَابًا اَلِیۡمًا ﴿۲۵﴾
It is they who disbelieved and debarred you from the Sacred Mosque — and the offering withheld from reaching its destination. And if it were not for the believing men and the believing women, whom, not knowing them, you might have trodden down so that a harm might have afflicted you on their account unknowingly — that Allah may admit to His mercy whom He pleases. If they had been apart, We would surely have punished those who disbelieved from among them with a painful punishment.
One of the reasons given here for the truce is that the welfare of the Muslims demanded it, inasmuch as there were Muslims at Makkah who were unknown even to their brethren at Madinah, and that, if a battle had taken place, they would have suffered along with the enemy. This shows how Islam was making silent progress at Makkah itself, even without the guidance of a preacher, and in spite of persecution.
48:26
اِذۡ جَعَلَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا فِیۡ قُلُوۡبِہِمُ الۡحَمِیَّۃَ حَمِیَّۃَ الۡجَاہِلِیَّۃِ فَاَنۡزَلَ اللّٰہُ سَکِیۡنَتَہٗ عَلٰی رَسُوۡلِہٖ وَ عَلَی الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ اَلۡزَمَہُمۡ کَلِمَۃَ التَّقۡوٰی وَ کَانُوۡۤا اَحَقَّ بِہَا وَ اَہۡلَہَا ؕ وَ کَانَ اللّٰہُ بِکُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیۡمًا ﴿٪۲۶﴾
When those who disbelieved harboured disdain in their hearts, the disdain of (the days of) Ignorance, but Allah sent down His tranquillity on His Messenger and on the believers and made them keep the word of observance of duty, and they were entitled to it and worthy of it. And Allah is ever Knower of all things.
Section 4 (Verses 48:27–48:29): Ultimate Triumph of Islam
48:27
لَقَدۡ صَدَقَ اللّٰہُ رَسُوۡلَہُ الرُّءۡیَا بِالۡحَقِّ ۚ لَتَدۡخُلُنَّ الۡمَسۡجِدَ الۡحَرَامَ اِنۡ شَآءَ اللّٰہُ اٰمِنِیۡنَ ۙ مُحَلِّقِیۡنَ رُءُوۡسَکُمۡ وَ مُقَصِّرِیۡنَ ۙ لَا تَخَافُوۡنَ ؕ فَعَلِمَ مَا لَمۡ تَعۡلَمُوۡا فَجَعَلَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِ ذٰلِکَ فَتۡحًا قَرِیۡبًا ﴿۲۷﴾
Allah indeed fulfilled the vision for His Messenger with truth. You shall certainly enter the Sacred Mosque, if Allah please, in security, your heads shaved and hair cut short, not fearing. But He knows what you do not know, so He has ordained a near victory before that.
The Holy Prophet’s journey to Makkah to perform a pilgrimage with 1,500 of his companions was undertaken on the basis of the vision stated here. In a vision, the Prophet had seen himself and his companions performing a pilgrimage. Convinced of the truth of his vision, he set out with about 1,500 of his companions with the object of performing a pilgrimage. The Makkans, however, opposed him at Hudaibiyah, and a truce was there arranged, according to which the Holy Prophet had to return without performing a pilgrimage. The truth of the vision is therefore asserted here. It is made clear that the Prophet’s return did not falsify the vision, which had to be, and was, fulfilled next year. The near victory before that, i.e., before the vision was fulfilled during the following year, is the conquest of Khaibar which happened in the month of Safar in 7 A.H.
48:28
ہُوَ الَّذِیۡۤ اَرۡسَلَ رَسُوۡلَہٗ بِالۡہُدٰۦ وَ دِیۡنِ الۡحَقِّ لِیُظۡہِرَہٗ عَلَی الدِّیۡنِ کُلِّہٖ ؕ وَ کَفٰی بِاللّٰہِ شَہِیۡدًا ﴿ؕ۲۸﴾
He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth that He may make it prevail over all religions. And Allah is enough for a witness.
This prophecy of the prevalence of Islam over all other religions is a prophecy which extends into the distant future, while Arabia saw its fulfilment in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet. The prevalence of Islam does not, however, mean the political supremacy of its adherents at all times, nor does the prophecy signify that other religions would at any time entirely disappear. It only indicates that the superiority of the religion of Islam over all other religions will at last be established, and Islam will be the religion of the majority of the nations of the earth. See also 9:33; 61:9.
48:29
مُحَمَّدٌ رَّسُوۡلُ اللّٰہِ ؕ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ مَعَہٗۤ اَشِدَّآءُ عَلَی الۡکُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَیۡنَہُمۡ تَرٰىہُمۡ رُکَّعًا سُجَّدًا یَّبۡتَغُوۡنَ فَضۡلًا مِّنَ اللّٰہِ وَ رِضۡوَانًا ۫ سِیۡمَاہُمۡ فِیۡ وُجُوۡہِہِمۡ مِّنۡ اَثَرِ السُّجُوۡدِ ؕ ذٰلِکَ مَثَلُہُمۡ فِی التَّوۡرٰىۃِ ۚۖۛ وَ مَثَلُہُمۡ فِی الۡاِنۡجِیۡلِ ۚ۟ۛ کَزَرۡعٍ اَخۡرَجَ شَطۡـَٔہٗ فَاٰزَرَہٗ فَاسۡتَغۡلَظَ فَاسۡتَوٰی عَلٰی سُوۡقِہٖ یُعۡجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِیَغِیۡظَ بِہِمُ الۡکُفَّارَ ؕ وَعَدَ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ مِنۡہُمۡ مَّغۡفِرَۃً وَّ اَجۡرًا عَظِیۡمًا ﴿٪۲۹﴾
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the disbelievers, compassionate among themselves. You see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking Allah’s grace and pleasure. Their marks are on their faces in consequence of prostration. That is their description in the Torah — and their description in the Gospel — like a seed that puts forth its shoot, then strengthens it, so it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the disbelievers on account of them. Allah has promised such of them as believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward.
The word ashiddā’ used here means firm, strong, powerful, as well as brave, firm of heart. The translation fierce, vehement, or harsh, adopted in many English translations, is not correct here. The Muslims stood firm against the disbelievers but they were never fierce or hard in their treatment towards them.