I asked u b4 about surehfatah n its significance.
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As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
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One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
respected
brother,
asak
i asked u b4 about surehfatah n its significance but u replied me about sureh
fateha pls do xplain me about sureh FATAH not fateha . pls do xplain me about
sureh fatah of chapter 28
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Answer:
Details of surah
Fatah
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Dear and beloved Sister in Islam, we sincerely and humbly
seek your forgiveness for our oversight…..Here follows the details and the
historical background of the revelation of the 48th Surah of the
Glorious Quran, Surah Al-Fath.
Ref:
Name
The Name of the Surah is derived from the words of the
very first verse of the Surah, and it deals with the Great Victory (Fatah) that
Allah Subhanah granted the Noble Prophet (saws) and the believers in the form
of the ‘Truce of Hudaibiyah’ made between the pagan Quraysh of Makkah and the Muslims
of Madinah.
Ref:
Period of Revelation
Traditions concur that this blessed Surah was Revealed by
the Lord in the month of Dhul-Qadah six years after ‘Hijrah’ or the migration
of the Prophet (saws), at a time when the Noble Prophet (saws) was on his return
journey to Madinah after concluding the Truce of Hudaibiyah with the
disbelievers of Makkah.
Ref:
Historical Background
The events in connection with which this Surah was
revealed began like this: One day the Holy Prophet (saws) saw in a dream that he
had gone to Makkah with his companions and had performed the ‘Umrah’ or minor
pilgrimage there. Obviously, the Prophet's (saws) dream could not be a mere
dream and fiction for it is a kind of Divine Inspiration as Allah Subhanah Himself
has confirmed in verse 27 of the same Surah and Declared that He Himself had
shown that dream to His Messenger (saws). Therefore, it was not merely a dream
but a Divine Inspiration which the Holy Prophet (saws) had to obey and follow.
Apparently, there was no possible way of acting on this
inspiration. The disbelieving pagans of the Quraish of Makkah had debarred the
Muslims from proceeding to the Kabah for the past six years and no Muslim had
been allowed during that period to approach the Kabah for the purpose of performing
Hajj or Umrah. Therefore, it could not be expected that they would allow the
Holy Prophet (saws) and his companions to enter Makkah. If they had proceeded
to Makkah in the pilgrim garments with the intention of performing Umrah, along
with their arms, this would have provoked the enemy to war, and if they had
proceeded unarmed, this would have meant endangering his own as well as his
Companions lives. Under conditions such as these nobody could see and suggest
how the Divine Inspiration could be acted upon.
But the Prophet's (saws) position was different. It
demanded that he should carry out whatever Command his Lord gave fearlessly and
without any apprehension and doubt. Therefore,
the Holy Prophet (saws) informed his noble companions of his dream and began to
make preparations for the journey towards Makkah for ‘Umrah’.
The Prophet (saws) made a public announcement among the
tribes living in the suburbs of Madinah that he (saws) was proceeding for Umrah
to Makkah and the people could join him. Those who could only see the apparent
conditions thought that he (saws) and his companions were going into the very
jaws of death! The majority of them therefore were not inclined to accompany
him in the expedition. But the believers who had true faith in Allah and His
Messenger (saws) were least bothered about the consequences. For them this information was enough that it
was a Divine Inspiration and Allah's Prophet (saws) had made up his mind to
carry it into effect. After this nothing could hinder them from accompanying
the Messenger of Allah (saws). Thus, 1,400 of the companions made preparations
to accompany their beloved Prophet (saws) on this highly dangerous journey.
This blessed caravan set off from Madinah in the beginning
of Dhul Qa'dah, A.H. 6. At Dhul Hulaifah they entered the ‘ehram’ or pilgrims
robe with the intention to perform the Umrah pilgrimage, took seventy camels
with collars round their necks indicating that they were sacrificial animals;
kept only a sword each in its sheaths, which the pilgrims to the Kabah were
allowed to carry according to the recognized custom of Arabia, but no other
weapons. Thus, the caravan set out for Makkah,
chanting the prescribed slogans of ‘talbiyaah’……”Labbaik, Allahuma labbaik…..”
The nature of the relations between the pagans of Makkah
and the believers of Madinah in those days was known too well to every Arab.
Just the previous year, in Shawwal A.H. 5, the Quraish mustering the united
strength of the Arab tribes had invaded Madinah and the well known
The pagans of Quraish were absolutely confounded at this
bold step taken by the Holy Prophet (saws). The month of Dhil-Qa'dah was one of
those forbidden months which had been held as sacred for pilgrimage in
This, the chiefs of the pagan Quraish thought would be a
grave mistake, which would cause the entire
The Prophet (saws) had dispatched a man of the tribe ‘Bani
Kaab’ as a secret agent so that he may keep him fully informed of the
intentions and movements of the Quraish. When the caravan of the Prophet (saws)
reached ‘Usfan’, he brought the news that the Quraish had reached ‘Dhi Tuwa’
with full preparations and they had sent Khalid bin Walid with two hundred
cavalry men in advance towards ‘Kura'al-Ghamim’ to intercept the pilgrim
caravan. The Quraish wanted somehow to provoke the believers into fighting so
that they may tell the Arabs that those people had actually come to fight and
had put on the pilgrims garments for pilgrimage only as a form of deception.
Immediately on receipt of this information the Prophet
(saws) changed his route and following a very rugged, rocky track and reached a
place called ‘Hudaibiyah’, which was situated right on the boundary of the
sacred Makkan territory. Here, he (saws) was visited by Budail bin Warqa the
chief of the Bani Khuza'ah, along with some men of his tribe. They asked what he had come for. The Holy
Prophet (saws) replied that he and his companions had come only for pilgrimage
to the House of Allah and for going round it in worship and not for war. The
men of Khuza'ah went and told this to the Quraish chiefs and counseled them not
to interfere with the pilgrims. But the
Quraish were obstinate. They sent Hulays bin Alqamah, the chief of the Ahabish
tribe to the Prophet (saws) to persuade him to go back. Their object was that
when the Prophet (saws) would not listen to Hulays, he would come back
disappointed and then the entire power of the Ahabish tribe would be on their
side. But when Hulays went and saw that the whole caravan had put on the
pilgrims garments, had brought sacrificial camels with festive collars round
their necks, and had come for doing reverence to the House of Allah and not to
fight, he returned to Makkah without having any dialogue with the Prophet
(saws) and told the Quraish chiefs plainly that those people had no other
object but to pay a visit to the Ka'bah. If the Quraish chose to debar them
from it, the Ahabish tribe would not join them in their unlawful violation of the
sacred customs and traditions of the land.
Then the Quraish sent Urwah bin Mas'ud Thaqafi and he had
lengthy negotiations with the Prophet (saws) in an effort to persuade him to
give up his intention to enter Makkah. But the Prophet (saws) gave him also the
same reply that he had given to the chief of the Khuza'ah, that they had not
come to fight but to visit and perform the pilgrimage of the Sacred House.
In the meantime when the messages were coming and the
negotiations were going on, the Quraish tried time and time again to quietly
launch sudden attacks on the Muslim camp in order to provoke the companions and
somehow incite them to war, but every time they did so the companions'
forbearance and patience and the Holy Prophet's (saws) wisdom and sagacity
frustrated their designs. On one occasion forty or fifty of their men came at
night and attacked the Muslim camp with stones and arrows. The companions
arrested all of them and took them before the Holy Prophet (saws), but he
(saws) let them go. On another occasion eighty men came from the direction of
Tan'im right at the time of the Fajr Prayer and made a sudden attack. They were
also caught, but the Holy Prophet (saws) forgave them, too. Thus, the Quraish
went on meeting failure after failure in every one of their designs.
At last, the Holy Prophet sent Hadrat Uthman (r.a.) as his
own messenger to Makkah with the message that they had not come to fight but
only for pilgrimage and had brought their sacrificial camels along, and they
would go back after performing the rite of pilgrimage and offering the
sacrifice. But the Quraish did not agree and withheld Hadrat Uthman in the
city. In the meantime a rumor spread that Hadrat Uthman (r.a.) had been
murdered; and when he did not return in time the Muslims took the rumor to be
true. Now they could show no more
forbearance. When the ambassador was put to death, the Muslims had no
alternative but to prepare for war.
Therefore, the Holy Prophet summoned all his companions
together and took a solemn pledge from them that they avenge the death of
Hadrat Uthman (r.a.) and would fight to death, if necessary. In view of the
critical occasion it was not an ordinary undertaking. The Muslims numbered only
1400 and had come without any weapons, were encamping at the boundary of
Makkah, 250 miles away from their own city, and the enemy could attack them in
full strength, and could surround them with its allies from the adjoining
tribes as well. In spite of this, none from the caravan except one man failed
to give his pledge to fight to death, and there could be no greater proof of
their dedication and sincerity than that in the Cause of Allah. This pledge is
well known in the history of Islam as the pledge of Ridwan.
Later it was known that the rumor about the murder of
Hadrat Uthman (r.a.)was false. Not only did he return, but under Suhail bin Amr
from the Quraiah also arrived a deputation to negotiate peace with the Holy
Prophet. Now, the Quraish no more
insisted that they would disallow the Holy Prophet and his Companions to enter
Makkah. However, in order to save their face they only insisted that he went
back that year but could come the following year to perform the Umrah. After
lengthy negotiations peace was concluded on the following terms:
1.
War
would remain suspended between the Quraish and the Muslims for ten years, and
no party would indulge in any hostility, open or secret, against the other.
2.
If
any one during that period from among the Quraish went over to Madinah, without
his guardian's permission, the believers would have to return him back to the
Quraish; but if one from Madinah came over to the Quraish, they would not
return him to the Muslims.
3.
Every
Arab tribe would have the option to join either side as its ally and enter the
treaty.
4.
The
Prophet (saws) and the believers would go back that year and could come the
following year for Umrah and stay in Makkah for three days only, provided that
they brought only one sheathed sword each, and no other weapon of war. In those
three days the Makkans would vacate the city for them (so that there was no
chance of a clash), and that they would not be allowed to take along anybody
from Makka on their return.
When the conditions of the treaty were being settled, the
whole of the Muslim army was feeling greatly upset. No one understood the
expedience because of which the Prophet (saws) was accepting the conditions of
such a seemingly unfair and unjust treaty. No one was farsighted enough to foresee the
great benefit that was to result from this treaty. The disbelieving Quraish
looked at it as their victory, and the Muslims were upset as to why they should
be humiliated to accept such seemingly unjust conditions. Even a statesman of
the calibre of Hadrat Umar (r.a.) said that he had never given way to doubt
since the time he had embraced Islam, but on this occasion he also could not
avoid it. Impatient he went to Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) and said "Is he (the
Holy Prophet (saws)) not Allah's Messenger, and are we not Mnslims, and are
they not polytheists? Then, why should
we agree to what is humiliating to our Faith?" Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) replied "O Umar, Mohamed
(saws) is surely Allah's Messenger, and Allah will never make him the
loser." Unsatisfied, Umar went to
the Holy Prophet (saws) himself and put the same questions to him, and he also
gave him the same replies as Hadrat Abu Bakr (r.a.) had given. Afterwards
Hadrat Umar (r.a.) continued to offer voluntary prayers and give alms so that
Allah may pardon his insolence that he had shown towards the Holy Prophet
(saws) on that occasion.
Two things in the treaty were highly disturbing for the
Muslims first, the second condition, about which they said that it was an
expressly unfair condition, for if they had to return a fugitive from Makkah,
why should not the Quraish return a fugitive from Madinah? To this the Holy
Prophet replied: "What use would be he to us, who fled from us to them?
May Allah keep him away from us! And if we return the one who flees to us from
them, Allah will create some other way out for him." The other thing that
was rankling in their minds was the fourth condition. The Muslims thought that
agreeing to it meant that they were going back unsuccessful and this was
humiliating. Furthermore, the question that was causing them to feel upset was
that they had accepted the condition of going back without performing the
pilgrimage to the Ka'bah, whereas the Holy Prophet (saws) had seen in the vision
that they were performing ‘tawaf’ of the Kaabah. To this the Holy Prophet
(saws) replied that in his vision the year had not been specified. According to
the treaty conditions, therefore, they would perform the ‘tawaf’ the following
year if it pleased Allah.
When the document was finished, the Holy Prophet (saws) spoke
to the companions and told them to slaughter their sacrificial animals at that
very place, shave their heads and put off the pilgrim garments, but no one
moved from his place. The Holy Prophet (saws) repeated the order thrice but the
companions were so overcome by depression and dejection that they did not
comply. During his entire period of Prophethood, on no occasion had it ever
happened that the Prophet (saws) should give an explicit command to his companions
to do a thing and they should not hasten to comply with it! This caused the
Prophet (saws) a great shock, and he (saws) returned to his tent and expressed
his grief before his wife, Hadrat Umm Salamah (r.a.). She said, "You may
quietly go and slaughter your own camel and have your head shaved. After that
the people would automatically do what you did and would understand that
whatever decision had been taken would not be changed." Precisely the same thing happened. The people
slaughtered their animals, shaved their heads or cut their hair short and put
off the pilgrim garb, but their hearts were still afflicted with grief.
Later, when this caravan was returning to Madinah, feeling
depressed and dejected at the Truce of Hudaibiyah, this blessed Surah al-Fatah
was revealed by the Lord, which told the Muslims that the treaty that they were
regarding as their defeat, was indeed a Great and Manifest Victory. After the
Surah was revealed, the Holy Prophet (saws) summoned the believers together and
said: "Today such a thing has been sent down to me, which is more valuable
to me than the world and what it contains." Then he (saws) recited the Surah
al-Fatah, especially to Hadrat Umar, for he was the one who was feeling most
dejected.
Although the believers were satisfied when they heard this
Divine Revelation, not much longer afterwards the advantages of this treaty
began to appear one after the other until every one became fully convinced that
this peace treaty indeed was a Great Victory indeed:
1.
In
it for the first time the existence of the Islamic State in
2.
By
admitting the right of pilgrimage to the House of Allah for the Muslims, the
Quraish also admitted that Islam was not an anti-religious creed, as they had
so far been assuming, but it was one of the admitted religions of Arabia, and
like the other Arabs, its followers also had the right to perform the rites of Hajj
and Umrah. This diminished the hatred in the Arabs hearts that had been caused
by the propaganda made by the Quraish against Islam.
3.
The
signing of a no-war pact for ten years provided full peace to the Muslims, and
spreading to every nook and corner of Arabia they preached Islam with such
spirit and speed that within two years after Hudaibiyah the number of the
people who embraced Islam far exceeded those who had embraced it during the
past 19 years or so. It was all due to this treaty that only two years later
when in consequence of the Quraish violating the terms of the treaty, the
Muslims (saws) invaded Makkah accompanied by an army of 10,000 strong.
4.
After
the suspension of hostilities by the Quraish, the Holy Prophet (saws) had the
opportunity to establish and strengthen Islamic rule in the territories under
him and to turn the Islamic society into a full fledged civilization and way of
life by the enforcement of Islamic law.
5.
Another
gain that accrued from this truce with the Quraish was that being assured of
peace from the south the Muslims overpowered all the opponent forces in the
north and central
These were the blessings that the Muslims gained from the
peace treaty which they were looking upon as their defeat and the Quraish as
their victory. The Surah al-Fatah should be read with this historical
background in view in order to fully understand it……
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
