As [Allah Most High] (1) said:
“The Bedouins who remained behind will say, when you set out to take the spoils, ‘Let us follow you.’ They wish to alter the word of Allah. Say, ‘You will not follow us. Allah has already said so.’ They will then say, ‘Rather, you envy us.’ In fact, they understand very little.”
[Surah al-Fath: 15]
He, Glorified be He, has declared that He was pleased with them (2), that He knew what was in their hearts, and that He rewarded them (3) with a victory close at hand.
These very men were the foremost among those who pledged allegiance to Abū Bakr, Umar, and Uthmān after the death of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. No Muslim ranked ahead of them. Rather, the Muslims [all] (4) recognized that these men possessed greater merit than they did, for Allah Most High made their merit clear in the Quran when He said:
“Those among you who spent and fought before the victory are not equal to the others. They are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterward, though Allah has promised the finest reward to all.”
[Surah al-Hadīd: 10] (5)
Thus, He gave precedence to those who spent and fought before the victory. The victory meant here is the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah. For this reason, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was asked, “Was it a victory (6)?” He replied, “Yes” (7)).
(1) “Allah Most High” is added in A and B.
(2) A and B read: “Allah has declared that He—Glorified and Exalted—is pleased with them.”
(3) N and M read: “So He rewarded them.”
(4) “All” is omitted from N and M.
(5) N and M read: “…and fought,” to the end of the verse.
(6) N and M read: “Was it a victory?”
(7) The hadith of Mujammi ibn Jāriyah al-Ansārī—may Allah be pleased with him—is recorded in *Sunan Abī Dāwūd*, 3/101–102 (Book of Jihad, chapter concerning one who was allotted a share). He said: “We were present at al-Hudaybiyyah with the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. As we were returning, the people began urging their camels onward. Some asked others, ‘What is the matter with the people?’ They replied, ‘Revelation has come to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ We therefore hurried with the people until we found the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—halted on his mount at Kurā al-Ghamīm. When the people had gathered around him, he recited to them: ‘Indeed, We have granted you a manifest victory.’ A man asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, is it truly a victory?’ He replied, ‘Yes. By Him in whose hand is Muhammad’s soul, it is indeed a victory.’” The hadith continues. It is also found in *al-Musnad* (al-Halabī ed.), 3/420–486. See also *Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr* (al-Shab ed.), 7/308, in the commentary on the first verse of Surah al-Fath.