Surah Al-Fath 48:11-17 - Quran Translation Commentary

11. Those of the desert Arabs who were left behind ¹⁹ will certainly tell you: Our Property and our family members occupied us, so you pray for our forgiveness. They speak with their tongues which is not in their hearts.²⁰ Say: who can avail you to any extent against Allah if HE intends you hurt or intends you profit? And it is a fact that Allah is ever aware of what you do.

12. But you imagined that the Messenger and the believers will now never be able to return to their own folk:²¹ and this thing seemed pleasing in your hearts²² and you conceived evil thoughts²³ and (thus) you destroyed yourselves.

13. And those who did not believe in Allah and His Messenger,²⁴ for such disbelievers WE have prepared a blazing fire.²⁵

14. Allah’s is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. HE may forgive whom HE wills and HE may punish whom HE wills.²⁶ HE is ever Forgiving, Merciful.²⁷

15. When you will proceed to capture spoils, those who were left behind will certainly say: let us also follow you. ²⁸ They wish to change Allah’s decree. Tell (them): You can never follow us. Allah has said thus beforehand.²⁹ They will say: No, but you are jealous of us. But the truth is that these people do not understand, save a little.³⁰

16. Say to those who were left behind of the desert Arabs: Shortly you will be called upon to fight against a folk of mighty prowess. Then either you will have to fight against them or they will enter the fold of Islam.³¹ If you obey this command Allah will give you a good reward. And if you turn away, as you had turned away earlier, then HE will give you a painful torment.³²

17. There is no blame on the blind (for not joining jihad) nor on the lame’ nor on the ill.³³ And who so will obey Allah and His Messenger, HE will admit him to the Gardens underneath which rivers flow,³⁴ and whoso will turn back, HE will give him a painful torment.

Commentary

19. Means the Bedouins living around Madinah who did not participate in this expedition for Umrah led by the holy prophet. The description of these people who stayed back is mentioned by the word ‘almukhallafoon’ (they were left behind) which gives a hint that when people preferred to remain behind, Allah also left them behind and did not guide them to go out with the holy prophet.

20. These Bedouins had no genuine reason to stay back nor were they feeling regretful for not joining this mission. Their request for prayer for pardon is also just to cover their hypocrisy. They Dawatul Quran 481 S. 48 are not truly seeking pardon. This also explains there reality of hypocrisy and it is to make a show of being Muslim when there is no faith in their hearts.

21. These hypocrites were thinking that when the Muslims would enter Makkah for performing Umrah they would invariably be assaulted by the people of Quraish and other tribes. Since the Muslims were not proceeding with war preparation they would not be able to defend themselves. Thus the whole party of Muslims would be finished along with the prophet. This imagination had prevented the hypocrites from accompanying the holy prophet in this mission. But now they were hiding this fact and were putting forth an excuse that their inability to participate was due to pre-occupation.

22. When they saw that the group of Muslims was proceeding on a dangerous mission under the leadership of the holy prophet how at all they sat quietly in their homes? This cowardice pleased them because their thinking was wrong.

23. That is: you imagined badly about Allah and His prophet. For instance they imagined that Allah’s promise was not going to be fulfilled nor was the dream of the prophet to come true.

Allah’s is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. HE may forgive whom HE wills and HE may punish whom HE wills. HE is ever Forgiving, Merciful. (Al-Quran

24. Along with the faith in Allah it is also essential to have faith in His messenger. One who does not believe in Allah is a disbeliever. One who does believe in Allah but has no faith in the holy prophet is also a disbeliever. This ayah makes this fact clear and so also other ayah.

25. Means Jahannam or hell.

26.This is a mention of the unlimited authority of Allah which means HE may do whatever HE may will. Simultaneously HE i s j u s t a n d w i se a n d h e n c e u s e s H i s a u th o r i t y w i t h j u s t ic e a nd w i s d o m . Therefore HE never punishes someone unnecessarily.

27. This is an encouragement to the slaves so that they may not be disappointed. They should turn toward Allah and pray for his pardon and mercy.

28. This is a hint toward the victories to be gained in the near future easily wherein the Muslims will get a large quantity of war booty. Accordingly, Khaibar was conquered soon after the treaty of Hudaibiyah in Muharram of the 7th year of the Hijri era Khaiber is situated at a distance of about 150 kilometer in the north-east of Madinah. This habitati on of the B ed o u i n s w a s ve r y important because of its sound forts arable lands and oasis. The Muslims got a lot of booty through this victory and their resources increased significantly through agriculture produce and the Oases. A l l a h h a d r e s e r ve d t h es e b o ot i e s especially for those who had sworn at the Baiat of Rizwaan. Therefore HE did not permit the participation in this war to those who had not joined the journey for Umrah due to the risks and dangers lying therein.

29. Means before the event of war of Khaibar when Surah Fat’h was revealed, Allah Almighty had already ordained that those who had sat back in homes should not be allowed to join this war which was likely to yield booty. The reason: when they did not a ssist the prophet in a d a ngerous expedition, deprivation from booty became their lot.

30 . A l l a h h a s g i ve n i nt e l l ig e n c e t o everybody be he a citizen or a villager, belonging to the common class or to the higher ups. This intelligence is given so that he may prove his wisdom. But when man does not use his head he talks in an unwise way.

31 . This is a poi nte r t o t he tri be of Hawazan with whom a war was fought in Shawwal of 8 H.E. and this war was a rafter in the chain of events leading to the war of Makkah. The Hawazan were great warriors and expert archers. Confrontation with them w a s n o t ea s y . Wh e n th e h o ly p r o ph e t conquered Makkah he proceeded toward Hawazan who were well prepared for the fight. The holy prophet had only twelve thousand army men. Yet there was a severe c on f r on t a t io n. A t l a s t H a w a z a n w er e uprooted and the Islamic army became victorious. They got a lot of war booty. Thereafter the people of Hawazan also embraced Islam. Thus Islam’s stronghold on Makkah became stronger.

32. It Was due to the effect of this warning that the tribes like Muzainah and Juhainah around Madina which had stayed back at the time of Hudaibiyah, joined the expedition on Makkah and fought against Hawazen (who were a powerful people) in Hunain. A severe warning of a painful torment had been given to those who turned their backs from this jihad. This explains the seriousness of this crime, This crime was very serious because, firstly, it was a sheer disobedience of a clear order of (order for jihad) issued by Allah and His prophet. Secondly, at a critical moment when Islam faced a serious danger and when Islam requires the maximum collective strength no Muslim could sit in a safe corner. Thirdly, it was sheer hypocrisy on the part of the followers to sit peacefully in their homes when the prophet of Allah comes out risking his life. Therefore this jihad, wherein the prophet of Allah was personally present for guiding and leading, became a test for the faithful. Only those people who were not turn and sincere in their belief could turn from it.

33. There is no blame on those who did not take part in the holy war due to some genuine reason of inability. The shariat has recognised difficulty of the blind, the lame and the sick.

3 4 . N o h a r m t o t h o s e w h o d o n o t participate in war on account of a genuine handicap, provided they may continue to obey Allah and His prophet sincerely. Their obedience alone can make them entitled to Paradise.

SITUATION OF KHAIBER NEARLY

150 KMS FROM MADINA Tabuk Taima Waadiyul Qura Fidak Khibar Madinah Makkah N S W