Al-Hasan said: When Allah, Exalted is He, granted His Messenger the conquest of Mecca, the Arabs said to one another, “If Muhammad has overcome the people of the Sacred Sanctuary—whom Allah had protected from the Companions of the Elephant—then you have no power to resist him.” Thus, they began entering Allah’s religion in multitudes, after having entered one by one and two by two.

Ikrimah and Muqatil said: By “people,” He meant the people of Yemen.

Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn al-Fadl al-Khiraqi informed us; Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Abd Allah al-Taysafuni informed us; Abd Allah ibn Umar al-Jawhari informed us; Ahmad ibn al-Kushmihini narrated to us; Ali ibn Hujr narrated to us; Ismail ibn Jafar narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Alqamah narrated to us from Abu Salamah, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“The people of Yemen have come to you. They are gentler in heart and more tender in feeling. Faith and wisdom are Yemeni.” (1)

“So glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.” (3)

“So glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance,” for you will then be returning to Him.

Abd al-Wahid al-Malihi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Na'imi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Ismail narrated to us; Abu al-Numan narrated to us; Abu Awanah narrated to us from Abu Bishr, from Said ibn Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas, who said:

Umar used to admit me among the elders of Badr. Some of them said, “Why do you admit this young man among us, when we have sons of his age?” He replied, “He is among those whose standing you know.” One day, he summoned them and summoned me with them. I realized that he had summoned me that day only to demonstrate my ability to them. He asked, “What do you say regarding His words, ‘When Allah’s help and victory come,’” and he recited the surah to its end.

Some of them said, “We were commanded to praise Allah and seek His forgiveness when help comes to us and victory is granted to us.” Others said, “We do not know,” while some said nothing. He then said to me, “Ibn Abbas, is this what you say as well?” I replied, “No.” He said, “Then what do you say?”

I said, “It refers to the appointed term of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, of which Allah informed him: ‘When Allah’s help and victory come’—that is, the conquest of Mecca—then that is the sign that your appointed term has come: ‘So glorify the praises of your Lord and seek His forgiveness. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.’” Umar said, “I understand nothing from it except what you understand.” (2)

Abd al-Wahid ibn Ahmad al-Malihi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Na'imi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Ismail narrated to us; Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to me; Jarir narrated to us from Mansur, from Abu al-Duha, from Masruq, from Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would frequently say while bowing and prostrating, “Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me,” thereby acting upon the Quran. (3)