The Moon And His Stars

Surah Fatah

Tafseer Jhalalayn: Hashiyah [margin] 6, page 423

The reason of revelation is that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم set out in the 6^th year hijrah with 1400 companions towards Makkah with the intention of Umrah.

They wore their Ihram in Thil Hulayfah and Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم took with him 70 animals for sacrifice whilst the people took 700.

When they reached Hudaybiah which is a village at one mile distance from Makkah, Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم sent Sayidina Uthman to the people of Makkah as an envoy so that he may inform them that Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم had come to visit the House of Allah and did not intend war.

When Sayidina Uthman went they held him back/remanded him by them, then Iblees spread the news amongst the Sahaaba that Sayidina Uthman was martyred.

Thus, Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم took an oath with the Sahaaba that they’d enter Makkah to do war [in retribution, as killing an envoy of peace especially in the Sacred Sanctuary is treachery and war].

When the Meccans found out, they felt fearful, released Sayidina Uthman and sought out a treaty with Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم with the condition that he would return the next year and stay for a 3 day period.

So Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم and his blessed companions removed their Ihraams by shaving their heads and sacrificing animals.

They returned saddened and grieved and Allah wanted to comfort them and alleviate their grief. Thus, he revealed to Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم whilst he was praying to Allah all night at Kiraa’ Ulgameem -a valley infront of Asfaan between Makkah and Madinah- ‘Innaa Fatahnaa’.

Haashiyah 7

‘We Decreed the Victory of Makkah and others’

Like Khaybar, Hunain, Taaif and their like.

This Ayaah was revealed after the return of Hudaybiah in the 6^th year and Makkah was conquered in the 8^th year, so why had the past tense been used in ‘Fatahnaa?’

1. The answer is that using the past tense is in relation to ‘taqdeer azlee’ i.e. we commanded the open victory for you from the inception of time, so in this case referring to the past tense can be taken literally.

2. And it can be answered that using the past tense is for ‘majaaz’ [figurative speech] because it sure to happen. An example would be ‘wa nufikha fisoor’.

3. The answer could also be that the past tense is used literally because Hudaybiah is a victory, for more was gained in it than in any other situation.