بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ
إِذا جاءَ نَصرُ اللَّهِ وَالفَتحُ
When Allah’s help comes with victory.
EXEGESIS
Naṣr (help) is derived from the root n-ṣ-r, which means help and assistance. Lisān al-ʿArab qualifies this meaning and states that naṣr means helping the oppressed. Naṣr has been used in the Quran in various forms usually referring to the support and assistance of God extended to the faithful (2:214, 2:250, 3:13, 3:122, 4:45, 8:10, and many others), or the support required from the faithful to advocate the faith (3:82, 5:157, 9:40, and many others).
Fatḥ (victory), depending on the context, can have a number of different meanings. The first is opening, which is used for something physical, such as in the story of the brothers of Prophet Joseph (a): And when they opened (fataḥū) their baggage, they found their money restored to them (12:65). The second meaning is victory: Indeed We have inaugurated for you a clear victory (fatḥ) (48:1). The third meaning is judging, as mentioned in the case of Prophet Shuʿayb (a) when he asks God: ‘Our Lord! Judge (iftaḥ) justly between us and our people, and You are the best of judges (fātihīn)!’ (7:89), although Rāzī is of the opinion that this third meaning is metaphorical.
It is evident that in the context of this chapter the intended meaning is victory.
EXPOSITION
This verse reassures the Prophet of the assistance of God and his victory against all his enemies after the peaceful conquest of Mecca and the subsequent events. The conquest of Mecca was vital in Islamic history because it was the beginning of a new era in which the foundations of polytheism were eradicated; it acted as a reconfirmation and affirmation of the religion of Islam. Upon the conquest of Mecca, all those who had shown animosity towards the Muslims and had fought them relentlessly were forgiven, and the city was conquered without any bloodshed. Even when one of the companions of the Prophet, on entering the city, shouted: ‘Today is the day of revenge,’ the Prophet silenced him and commanded that it be announced: ‘Today is the day of mercy.’ Subsequent to the conquest, many Arab tribes sent their representatives to Medina to accept Islam and submit to the authority of the Prophet, to the extent that the year 9 ah was referred to as the ‘year of delegations’.
In this verse, assistance has been attributed and associated with God (Allah’s help), which highlights that it was only through God’s help that victory was achieved. As human beings we must do what we can, however, ultimately the real victory lies with God and those whom He assists: Victory comes only from Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-mighty, all-wise (8:10). If Allah helps you, no one can overcome you, but if He forsakes you, who will help you after Him? So in Allah let all the faithful put their trust (3:160). The assistance of God is always there for those who try to assist the message of God to reach others. In other words, divine assistance depends on how much human beings assist God in His cause: O you who have faith! If you help Allah, He will help you (47:7).
[1] Lisan, 5/210; Ayn, 7/108.
[2] Lisan, 2/536.
[3] Qamus, 5/145.
[4] Tahdhīb al-Lughah, 4/257.
[5] Razi, 26/223.
[6] Nemuneh, 27/430.
[7] Nemuneh, 27/429-399.
[8] Qaraati, 10/625.
[9] Ahsan al-Hadith, 12/389.
[10] Nemuneh, 27/429-430.