By: Zamzam Bayian

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Allah says interpretation of meaning,

(When the victory of Allah and the conquest – O Prophet – has come.1 And you see the people embracing Islam in multitudes.2 Then glorify the praises of your Lord – Allah, and ask for His forgiveness. Verily He is ever accepting of repentance.3)

Umar bin al-Khattãb asked some of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) about the meaning of this sûra. They said: Allah commanded the Prophet (pbuh) to glorify Allah and ask for His forgiveness when achieving victory and triumph [Their interpretation was according to its apparent meaning].

Then Umar said, in the presence of the companions, to Abdul-Allah bin Abbãs: O Abdul-Allah! What would you say about its meaning?

 Abdul-Allah said: It is about the death of the Prophet (pbuh). Allah informed him that his death was approaching when he saw the victory and the conquest. Then Umar said: To my knowledge, I do not know about its meaning except what you have said [al-Bukhãrî]. Other companions, including ibn Mas’ûd, interpreted the aya in the same manner.

This interpretation is also supported by the hadîth narrated by Aãisha. She said: When the Prophet (pbuh) conquered Mecca and the Arab embraced Islam, he used to frequently say, “Glory to You. O Allah, our Lord, and praise to You. O Allah! Forgive me.” He was interpreting the Qur’an by applying its meanings, i.e. applying the meaning of sûra an-Nasr [Narrated by Muslim]. Once, the Prophet (pbuh) told her, “I think my death is approaching.” [Narrated by al-Bukhãrî]

Ibn Umar said this sûra was revealed in Mina, during the days of at-Tashrîq (11th, 12th, 13th of Dhul-Hijja), in the Farewell Hajj. The Prophet (pbuh) lived for eighty days or so after that event.

Ibn Mas’ûd said: This sûra is called the sûra of ‘Farewell’.

(When the victory of Allah and the conquest – O Prophet – has come.1)

‘The conquest’ refers to the conquest of Mecca, at-Tã’f, and other cities the Prophet (pbuh) conquered.

Ibn Abbãs said: ‘victory’ refers to the treaty of al-Hudiyybiyya, and the conquest refers to the conquest of Makkah.

It was also said that ‘the victory’ refers to embracing Islam by the people of Yemen.

Informing of these things before their occurrence was telling of unknown news, which is a sign of the prophet-hood of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

(And you see the people embracing Islam in multitudes.2)

This refers to embracing Islam by large groups of people. That is because after the conquest of Mecca, many people embraced Islam. It was narrated that there were ten thousand men when the Prophet (pbuh) conquered Makkah, and there were seventy thousand men with him in the battle of Tabûk.

Abû Umar bin Abdul-Bar said: When the Prophet (pbuh) died, there was no disbeliever among the Arab. It was also said that there were 114,000 Muslims when the Prophet (pbuh) died.

(Then glorify the praises of your Lord – Allah, and ask for His forgiveness. Verily He is ever accepting of repentance.3)

If it is said: why did Allah command the Prophet (pbuh) to glorify and praise Him, and seek His forgiveness when seeing the victory and the conquest, and approaching of his death?

Allah commanded him to glorify and praise Him in order to thank Him for the victory and conquest, and prevailing of Islam. And He commanded him to glorify and praise Him and seek His forgiveness when approaching of his death so that these things would be reserves avail him on the Day of Judgment when he meets Him.

Source

At-Tas-hîl li-Ulûm at-Tanzîl, Muhammad bin Juzayy al-Kalbiy.