the entrance and exit is entering and leaving. The scholars of Quranic exegesis differed concerning this.
Ibn Abbas, al-Hasan, and Qatadah said: “Cause me to enter with a sound entrance”: Medina; “and cause me to leave with a sound exit”: Mecca. This was revealed when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was commanded to emigrate. (1)
Al-Dahhak said: “And cause me to leave with a sound exit”: from Mecca, safe from the idolaters; “and cause me to enter with a sound entrance”: Mecca, having overcome it through the conquest.
Mujahid said: “Admit me into Your command—the prophethood with which You sent me—with a sound entrance, into Paradise; and bring me out of this world with a sound exit, having fulfilled what was incumbent upon me of its due.”
It is also related from al-Hasan that he said: “Cause me to enter with a sound entrance”: Paradise; “and cause me to leave with a sound exit”: from Mecca.
It was also said: Admit me into obedience to You and bring me out from prohibited matters. It was further said that its meaning is: Admit me, wherever You cause me to enter, in truthfulness, and bring me out in truthfulness; that is, do not make me among those who enter with one face and leave with another, for the two-faced person is neither secure nor honored before Allah.
He described the entering and leaving as being in truthfulness because of the victory, might, and ascendancy of the religion to which that entrance and exit would lead, just as He described the foot as being in truthfulness when He said: “that they will have a sure footing with their Lord” (Yunus 2).
“And grant me from Yourself a supporting authority.” Mujahid said: “A clear proof.” Al-Hasan said: “A powerful dominion by which You will aid me against those who oppose me, and manifest might by which I may establish Your religion.” Thus Allah promised him that He would strip the dominion of Persia, Rome, and others besides them, and grant it to him.
Qatadah said: The Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, knew that he had no strength for this matter except through a supporting authority. (3) So he asked for a supporting authority: the Book of Allah, its prescribed limits, and the establishment of His religion.
“And say, ‘The truth has come, and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.’” (81)
Regarding His words, exalted is He, “And say, ‘The truth has come’”: this means the Quran; “and falsehood has vanished”: that is, Satan, according to Qatadah. Al-Suddi said: “The truth” is Islam, and “falsehood” is polytheism. It was also said: “The truth” is the worship of Allah, and “falsehood” is the worship of idols.
“Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish”: that is, to depart. It is said, “His soul departed,” meaning that it left.
Abd al-Wahid al-Malihi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abdullah al-Nu'aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf narrated to us: