(29) “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him are firm against the disbelievers and compassionate among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from Allah and His good pleasure. Their mark is upon their faces from the effect of prostration. Such is their description in the Torah. Their description in the Gospel is that of a crop which sends forth its shoots, then strengthens them, and they grow thick and stand upright upon their stalks, delighting the sowers, so that through them He may enrage the disbelievers. Allah has promised those among them who believe and perform righteous deeds forgiveness and a tremendous reward.”

The Most High informs us that His Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and his Companions from among the Muhājirūn and the Ansār possessed the most perfect qualities and the noblest states. They were “firm against the disbelievers”; that is, they were earnest and diligent in opposing them and exerted their utmost efforts in doing so. The disbelievers therefore encountered nothing from them but firmness and severity. Consequently, their enemies were humbled before them and broken, and the Muslims overcame them.

Yet they were “compassionate among themselves”; that is, they loved one another, showed one another mercy, and cared for one another like a single body. Each loved for his brother what he loved for himself. This was how they treated created beings. As for their relationship with the Creator, “you see them bowing and prostrating”; that is, they were characterized by frequent prayer, the greatest pillars of which are bowing and prostration.

Through that worship, they were “seeking bounty from Allah and His good pleasure.” In other words, their aim was to attain their Lord’s pleasure and receive His reward.

“Their mark is upon their faces from the effect of prostration.” That is, the abundance and excellence of their worship left its effect upon their faces until they became radiant. Just as their inward beings were illuminated through prayer, their outward appearance shone [with majesty].

“Such” as has been mentioned “is their description in the Torah.” That is, this very description which Allah gave them is recorded in the Torah.

As for their description in the Gospel, they are portrayed differently: in their perfection and mutual cooperation, they are “like a crop which sends forth its shoots, then strengthens them.” That is, it produces its offshoots, which then support it as they grow and become upright.

“Then it grows thick”—the crop becomes strong and sturdy—“and stands upright upon its stalks,” the plural of stalk, “delighting the sowers” through its perfection, uprightness, beauty, and balanced growth. The Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—were likewise comparable to a crop in the benefit they brought to people and in people’s need of them. The strength of their faith and deeds was like the strength of a crop’s roots and stalks. The younger Companion or the one who embraced Islam later caught up with the elder who had preceded him, supporting and assisting him in upholding Allah’s religion and calling others to it, ⦗796⦘ just as a crop sends forth its shoots, which support it until it grows thick. Thus He said: “so that through them He may enrage the disbelievers,” when they see the Companions united and steadfast upon their religion, and when the two sides clash in the arenas and turmoil of battle.

“Allah has promised those among them who believe and perform righteous deeds forgiveness and a tremendous reward.” The Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—combined faith with righteous deeds, so Allah combined for them forgiveness—which necessarily entails protection from the evils of this world and the Hereafter—with a tremendous reward in this world and the Hereafter.

We shall now relate the account of al-Hudaybiyya at length, as Imām Shams al-Dīn Ibn al-Qayyim related it in al-Hady al-Nabawī (The Prophetic Guidance), for it assists in understanding this surah, and he discussed its meanings and mysteries. He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—said:

“Chapter on the Account of al-Hudaybiyya

Nāfi said: It occurred in the sixth year, during Dhū al-Qada. This is the correct view, and it is the position of al-Zuhrī, Qatāda, Mūsā ibn Uqba, Muhammad ibn Ishāq, and others.

Hishām ibn Urwa related from his father that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—set out for al-Hudaybiyya in Ramadan and that it occurred in Shawwāl. This is an error. It was the campaign of the Conquest that occurred in Ramadan. Abū al-Aswad related from Urwa that it occurred in Dhū al-Qada, which is correct.

It is reported in the two Sahīhs from Anas that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—performed four umrahs, all of them in Dhū al-Qada, and he mentioned among them the umrah of al-Hudaybiyya. He had fifteen hundred men with him, as reported from Jābir in the two Sahīhs. Another report from him in both collections states that they numbered fourteen hundred. Both collections also report that Abdullah ibn Abī Awfā said, ‘We numbered thirteen hundred.’

Qatāda said: I asked Saīd ibn al-Musayyib, ‘How many people witnessed the Pledge of al-Ridwān?’ He replied, ‘Fifteen hundred.’ I said, ‘But Jābir ibn Abdullah said that they numbered fourteen hundred.’ He replied, ‘May Allah have mercy on him; he was mistaken. He himself told me that they numbered fifteen hundred.’

I say: Both figures are authentically reported from Jābir. It is also authentically reported from him that in the year of al-Hudaybiyya they sacrificed seventy camels, each camel sufficing for seven people. He was asked, ‘How many were you?’ He replied, ‘Fourteen hundred, including our cavalry and infantry’—meaning those mounted and those on foot.

My heart inclines more toward this figure. It is also the view of al-Barā ibn Āzib, Maqil ibn Yasār, and Salama ibn al-Akwa, according to the sounder of the two reports from him, as well as the view of al-Musayyib ibn Hazn. Shuba related from Qatāda, from Saīd ibn al-Musayyib, from his father: ‘We were with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—beneath the tree, and we numbered fourteen hundred.’

Anyone who claimed that they numbered seven hundred made a manifest error. His excuse (1) was that they sacrificed seventy camels that day, and a camel may suffice for seven or ten people. This does not support his claim, for it is explicitly stated that during this campaign each camel was offered on behalf of seven people. Even if all seventy had been offered for everyone present, they would have numbered four hundred and ninety men, whereas the very same complete hadith states that they numbered fourteen hundred.

Chapter

When they reached Dhū al-Hulayfa, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—garlanded the sacrificial animals and marked them by incision. He entered the state of ihrām for umrah and sent ahead a scout from Khuzaa to bring him news of Quraysh. When they drew near Usfān, the scout came to him and said, ‘I left Kab ibn Luayy after they had assembled the Ahābīsh against you and gathered a large force. They intend to fight you and bar you from the House.’

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—consulted his Companions: ‘Do you think we should turn toward the families of those who have supported them and strike them? If those men remain behind, they will remain bereaved and sorrowful; and if they escape, they will become a detachment that Allah has severed. Or do you think we should proceed toward the House and fight anyone who bars us from it?’

Abū Bakr said, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best. We came only to perform umrah; we did not come to fight anyone. But we shall fight whoever comes between us and the House.’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Then set out this afternoon.’ They set out, and when they had covered part of the way, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Khālid ibn al-Walīd is at al-Ghamīm with a cavalry force of Quraysh, so take the road to the right.’ By Allah, Khālid did not become aware of them until he saw the dust raised by the army, whereupon he galloped away to warn Quraysh.

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—continued until he reached the mountain pass from which he would descend upon them. There his she-camel knelt. The people called, ‘Go on! Go on!’ but she refused to move. They said, ‘Al-Qaswā has balked.’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Al-Qaswā has not balked, nor is that in her nature. Rather, she has been restrained by the One who restrained the elephant.’ He then said, ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, they will not propose any course that honors the sacred ordinances of Allah but that it shall be granted to them.’

He then urged the camel on, and she sprang up. He turned aside until he camped at the far end of al-Hudaybiyya beside a shallow pool containing little water, from which the people could draw only small amounts at a time. They soon exhausted it and complained of thirst to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

He took an arrow from his quiver and ordered them to place it in the water hole. By Allah, it continued surging forth enough water to quench them until they departed from it. Quraysh became alarmed when he camped near them. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—wished to send one of his Companions to them, so he summoned Umar ibn al-Khattāb. Umar said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, there is no one from Banū Kab in Mecca who would defend me if I were harmed. Send Uthmān ibn Affān, for his clan is there and he will convey what you wish.’

The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—summoned Uthmān ibn Affān and sent him to Quraysh, saying, ‘Tell them that we have not come to fight. We have come only to perform umrah. Invite them to Islam.’

He also instructed him to visit certain believing men and women in Mecca, give them glad tidings of victory, and inform them that Allah—Glorified and Exalted—is going to make His religion prevail in Mecca, until faith will no longer need to be concealed there. Uthmān ⦗797⦘ set out and encountered Quraysh at Baldah. They asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—has sent me to call you to Allah and to Islam, and to inform you that we have not come to fight; we have come only to perform umrah.’ They said, ‘We have heard what you say, so proceed with your business.’

Abān ibn Saīd ibn al-Ās came forward, welcomed him, saddled his horse, mounted Uthmān upon it, granted him protection, and rode behind him until they reached Mecca. Before Uthmān returned, the Muslims said, ‘Uthmān reached the House before us and circumambulated it.’ The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘I do not think he would circumambulate the House while we are being prevented from doing so.’ They asked, ‘What would stop him, O Messenger of Allah, when he has reached it?’ He replied, ‘My expectation of him is that he would not circumambulate the Kaaba until we could circumambulate it with him.’

The Muslims and polytheists then became embroiled during the peace negotiations. A man from one side struck a man from the other, and a skirmish broke out. They exchanged arrows and stones, both sides raised their voices, and each party detained the members of the other party who were among them. News then reached the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—that Uthmān had been killed, so he called the people to pledge allegiance.

The Muslims rushed to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—beneath the tree and pledged not to flee. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—took his own hand and said, ‘This is on behalf of Uthmān.’ When the pledge had been completed, Uthmān returned. The Muslims said to him, ‘Abū Abdullah, you must have had your fill of circumambulating the House.’ He replied, ‘What an evil thought you had of me! By Him in whose hand is my soul, if I had remained there for a year while the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—remained at al-Hudaybiyya, I would not have circumambulated it until the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did so. Quraysh invited me to circumambulate the House, but I refused.’ The Muslims said, ‘The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—knows Allah better than any of us and has the best expectations of Him.’

Umar held the hand of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—during the pledge beneath the tree. All the Muslims pledged except al-Jadd ibn Qays. Maqil ibn Yasār held up one of the tree’s branches above the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The first to pledge was Abū Sinān al-Asadī. Salama ibn al-Akwa pledged three times: among the first, in the middle, and among the last.

While they were in that state, Budayl ibn Warqā al-Khuzāī arrived with several men from Khuzaa. The people of Khuzaa from Tihāma were the trusted confidants and sincere advisers of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Budayl said, ‘I left Kab ibn Luayy and Āmir ibn Luayy encamped at the watering places of al-Hudaybiyya, bringing their women and children with them. They intend to fight you and bar you from the House.’

The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘We have not come to fight anyone; we have come only to perform umrah. War has exhausted Quraysh and caused them great harm. If they wish, I will grant them a truce, and they can leave me to deal with the people. If they wish to enter what the people have entered, they may do so. Otherwise, they will at least have rested and recovered. But if they insist upon fighting, then by Him in whose hand is my soul, I shall fight them for this cause until my neck is severed, or Allah causes His command to prevail.’ Budayl said, ‘I shall convey to them what you have said.’

He went to Quraysh and said, ‘I have come to you from this man, and I heard him say something. If you wish, I shall present it to you.’ Their foolish men said, ‘We have no need for you to tell us anything about him.’ Those among them who possessed sound judgment said, ‘Tell us what you heard.’ He related what he had heard.

Urwa ibn Masūd al-Thaqafī said, ‘This man has offered you a sound proposal. Accept it, and allow me to go to him.’ They said, ‘Go to him.’ He went and began speaking to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who said to him much the same as he had said to Budayl. Urwa then said, ‘Muhammad, tell me: if you exterminate your own people, have you ever heard of any Arab before you who destroyed his own kin? If the opposite outcome occurs, by Allah, I see faces here and a motley rabble who are likely to flee and abandon you.’

Abū Bakr said to him, ‘Go suck al-Lāt’s clitoris! Would we flee from him and abandon him?’ Urwa asked, ‘Who is that?’ They replied, ‘Abū Bakr.’ He said, ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, were it not for a favor you did me that I have yet to repay, I would answer you.’

He continued speaking to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and whenever he spoke, he took hold of his beard. Al-Mughīra ibn Shuba stood by the Prophet’s head wearing a helmet and carrying a sword. Whenever Urwa reached toward the Prophet’s beard, al-Mughīra struck his hand with the hilt of his sword and said, ‘Keep your hand away from the beard of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’

Urwa raised his head and asked, ‘Who is this?’ They replied, ‘Al-Mughīra ibn Shuba.’ He said, ‘You treacherous man! Am I not still working to redress your treachery?’ During the pre-Islamic period, al-Mughīra had accompanied a group of men, killed them, and taken their wealth. He then came and embraced Islam. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘As for your Islam, I accept it; as for the property, I want no part of it.’

Urwa then began closely observing the Companions of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. By Allah, whenever the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—expectorated, it fell into the hand of one of them, who rubbed it upon his face and skin.

Whenever he gave them an order, they hastened to carry it out. When he performed ablution, they almost fought over the water he had used. When he spoke, they lowered their voices in his presence, and out of reverence they did not stare directly at him.

Urwa returned to his companions and said, ‘My people, by Allah, I have visited kings—Kisra, Caesar, and the Negus—but by Allah, I have never seen a king whose followers honor him as Muhammad’s Companions honor Muhammad. By Allah, whenever he expectorates, it falls into the hand of one of them, who rubs it upon his face and skin. Whenever he commands them, they hasten to carry out his order. When he performs ablution, they almost fight over the water he has used. When he speaks, they lower their voices in his presence, and out of reverence they do not stare directly at him. He has offered you a sound proposal, so accept it.’

A man from Banū Kināna said, ‘Allow me to go to him.’ They said, ‘Go.’ When he came within sight of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘This is so-and-so. He belongs to a people who venerate sacrificial camels, so send them out before him.’ They sent them out, and the people met him while reciting the talbiya. When he saw that, he said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Such people ought not to be barred from the House.’

He returned to his companions and said, ‘I saw the sacrificial camels garlanded and marked. I do not believe they should be barred from the House.’ Mukriz ibn ⦗798⦘ Hafs then stood and said, ‘Allow me to go to him.’ They said, ‘Go.’ When he came within sight of them, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘This is Mukriz ibn Hafs, and he is a wicked man.’

He began speaking with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. While he was speaking, Suhayl ibn Amr arrived. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Your affair has now been made easy.’ Suhayl said, ‘Come, draw up a written agreement between us.’ The Prophet summoned the scribe and said, ‘Write: In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’ Suhayl said, ‘As for “the Most Compassionate,” by Allah, we do not know what that is. Instead write: “In Your name, O Allah,” as you used to write.’ The Muslims said, ‘By Allah, we shall write only: “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.”’

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Write: In Your name, O Allah.’

He then said, ‘Write: This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has agreed with them.’ Suhayl said, ‘By Allah, if we knew that you were the Messenger of Allah, we would neither have barred you from the House nor fought you. Instead write: Muhammad ibn Abdullah.’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘I am the Messenger of Allah even though you deny me. Write: Muhammad ibn Abdullah.’

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘On condition that you allow us access to the House so that we may circumambulate it.’ Suhayl replied, ‘By Allah, we will not have the Arabs saying that we were compelled. You may come next year.’ So this was written.

Suhayl then said, ‘And on condition that no man from among us comes to you, even if he follows your religion, without your returning him to us.’

The Muslims exclaimed, ‘Glory be to Allah! How can he be returned to the polytheists after coming as a Muslim?’

While they were in that state, Abū Jandal ibn Suhayl arrived, dragging his shackles. He had escaped from the lower part of Mecca and threw himself among the Muslims. Suhayl said, ‘Muhammad, this is the first person to whom the condition I made with you applies: you must return him.’ The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘We have not yet completed the document.’ Suhayl replied, ‘By Allah, then I shall never make peace with you on any terms.’ The Prophet said, ‘Make an exception of him for my sake.’ Suhayl replied, ‘I will not make an exception.’ He said, ‘Please, do so.’ Suhayl replied, ‘I will not.’ Mukriz said, ‘We have granted you that.’

Abū Jandal cried, ‘Muslims! Am I to be returned to the polytheists after coming as a Muslim? Do you not see what I have suffered?’ He had been severely tortured for Allah’s sake.

Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: By Allah, from the time I embraced Islam, I never doubted except on that day. I went to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, are you not Allah’s Prophet?’ He replied, ‘Indeed.’ I asked, ‘Are we not upon the truth and our enemy upon falsehood?’ He replied, ‘Indeed.’ I said, ‘Why, then, should we accept humiliation in our religion and turn back before Allah has judged between us and our enemies?’ He replied, ‘I am the Messenger of Allah. He is my Helper, and I do not disobey Him.’ I said, ‘Did you not tell us that we would come to the House and circumambulate it?’ He replied, ‘Indeed, but did I tell you that you would come to it this year?’ I said, ‘No.’ He replied, ‘You will certainly come to it and circumambulate it.’

Umar said: I then went to Abū Bakr and said to him exactly what I had said to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Abū Bakr gave me precisely the same answers as the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and added, ‘Hold fast to his stirrup until you die, for by Allah, he is certainly upon the truth.’ Umar said, ‘Because of that, I performed many deeds.’

When the treaty had been completed, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Rise, sacrifice your animals, and then shave your heads.’ By Allah, not one of them rose, even after he repeated it three times. When none of them rose, he entered upon Umm Salama and told her how the people had responded. She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, would you like them to do that? Go out, do not speak a word to anyone, sacrifice your camel, and summon your barber to shave your head.’

He went out and did not speak to anyone until he had done so: he sacrificed his camel and summoned his barber, who shaved his head. When the people saw that, they rose, sacrificed their animals, and began shaving one another’s heads, until they nearly killed one another in anguish.

Then believing women arrived, so Allah—Glorified and Exalted—revealed: “When believing women come to you as emigrants,” continuing until: “Do not retain marriage bonds with disbelieving women.” Umar accordingly divorced two wives that day who had remained polytheists. One of them was subsequently married by Muāwiya and the other by Safwān ibn Umayya. The Prophet then returned to Medina.

During his return journey, Allah revealed to him: “Indeed, We have granted you a manifest victory,” to the end of the surah. Umar asked, ‘Is it truly a victory, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ The Companions said, ‘Congratulations to you, O Messenger of Allah. But what is there for us?’

Allah—Glorified and Exalted—then revealed: “It is He who sent tranquility into the hearts of the believers,” and so on.” End quote.

This marks the end of the commentary on Surah al-Fath. To Allah belong all praise and favor.

[May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. I copied this from the handwriting of the commentator—may Allah have mercy on him and pardon him—and completed writing it on 13 Dhū al-Hijja 1345. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions and grant them abundant peace until the Day of Judgment. Amen.

Penned by the one in need of his Lord, Sulaymān ibn Hamd al-Abdullah al-Bassām. May Allah forgive him, his parents, and all Muslims. Amen. May Allah bless Muhammad and all his family and Companions and grant them abundant peace until the Day of Judgment. All praise belongs to Allah, by whose grace righteous deeds are completed.] (2)

Volume Eight of Taysīr al-Karīm al-Rahmān fī Tafsīr Kalām al-Mannān, which Allah bestowed upon His servant, the son of His servant and the son of His maidservant, Abd al-Rahmān ibn Nāsir ibn Abdullah ibn Sadī.

⦗799⦘ Commentary on Surah al-Hujurāt

It is Medinan.