Section 9 – The honor of the Prophet as expounded in the chapter Al- Fath “The Opening

Section 9 – The honor of the Prophet as expounded in the chapter Al- Fath “The Opening

Allah commences the Chapter “The Opening” with the verses “Indeed, We

have opened for you (Prophet Muhammad) a clear opening, that Allah forgives your past and future sins, and completes His Favor to you, and guides you on a Straight Path, and that Allah helps you with a mighty help. It was He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers so that they might add belief upon belief. To Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth. Allah is the Knower, the Wise. (From His Wisdom) He admits the believers, both men and women, into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, there to live for ever, and acquit them of their sins that with Allah is a mighty triumph – and that He might – punish the hypocrites and the idolaters, both men and women, and those who think evil thoughts of Allah. An evil turn (of fortune) will befall them. The Wrath of

Allah is on them, and He has cursed them and prepared for them Gehenna (Hell), an evil arrival! To Allah belong the armies of the heavens and the earth. Allah is the Almighty, and the Wise. We have sent you (Prophet Muhammad) as

a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and warning so that you believe in Allah and His Messenger and that you support him, revere him (Prophet Muhammad) and exalt Him (Allah), at the dawn and in the evening. Those who swear allegiance to you swear allegiance to Allah. The Hand of Allah is above their hands. He who breaks his oath breaks it against his self, but he that keeps his covenant made with Allah, Allah shall give him a mighty wage.” 48:1-10.

These verses denote yet again not only the favor, praise, and nobility of the Prophet’s rank but also portray the blessings of Allah towards His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, all of which we are only partially capable of understanding.

In the opening verse Allah announces to Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, that He will make him victorious over his enemies, and how His word and law will govern. He tells him that he will not be held accountable for past or future actions and that he is forgiven.

“Allah forgives your past and future sins,” has been explained by a scholar of Islam that Allah gave the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, the status of pardoning and forgiveness and that status becomes apparent by His addressing the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, with forgiving his sins though he has no major or minor sin because his satan became a Muslim and his self ordered him only to do good, so addressing him with forgiveness is only in the abstract and not for practical reasons to correct any fault because there are none. In return to this some of this forgiveness will transcend to his Companions and followers.

Another scholar said that “Allah forgives your past and future sins,” means forgiveness for what had occurred and what had not occurred. Makki, on the other hand it is said, “Allah has made favor a cause for forgiveness and that everything comes from Him because there is no god except Him. Favor upon favor and bounty upon bounty.”

The second verse continues, “and completes His Favor to you”. Scholars said that this is brought about by the humiliation of those who were arrogant. It has also been said that Allah is referring to the opening of Mecca and Ta’if. In addition to these explanations it has been said that it means the elevation of the Prophet’s status in this life, the help of Allah, and His forgiveness. In this verse Allah tells him that the completion of His blessings is in humiliating the
arrogant enemies of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and the opening of two of the most important cities, Mecca and Ta’if through which the prophetic status is raised because he is guided on the Straight Path which ultimately leads to the Garden and happiness in the Everlasting Life. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was always helped by Allah, but the help he received at that time was by far mightier.

The next verse tells of the favor of Allah upon the believers through His

blessing towards them by the sending down of tranquility of their hearts that increased them in belief. Further on He gives the best of news – that of a mighty triumph to both believing men and women that Allah forgives and acquits them of their sins, and rewards them with the Garden where they shall live for ever. Allah then – speaks of the punishment of the hypocrites and idolaters in this world and in the Everlasting Life, saying they are cursed and distanced from His Mercy as their final arrival is an evil place in Hell.

Allah says, “We have sent you (Prophet Muhammad) as a witness and as a bearer of glad tidings and warning”. In this verse Allah mentions more of the Prophet’s excellent qualities and characteristics. He tells us that Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, will be a witness against his nation because it is he who conveyed to them the message entrusted to him by Allah.

It has also been said that it is on behalf of his nation as he will bear witness to the Oneness of Allah. In addition to this He gives good news of the impending reward and forgiveness to those destined for good with the belief in Allah, and His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and warns of the punishment that awaits his wayward enemies.

“That you support him, revere him” the consensus is that this refers to Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, and that he will be held in high regard by his nation.

Ata’s son said that this chapter contains a diversity of blessings for the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. For example, “the clear opening” is a sign of answering, “forgives” is an indication of love, and it is freedom from any blemish. “Completes” is another blessing and an indication of his election, and the completed blessing is the attainment of the degree of perfection. “Guides” is an indication of the friendship of Allah with him, and is the summons to the witnessing.

Jafar, Muhammad’s son explained that part of the completed blessing of Allah
to
His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, is that He made him His beloved,

that He swore by his life, superseded other laws with the one he brought, and raised him to the highest rank. Allah protected him during the Night Ascent so that his eye did not swerve. He sent him for all mankind and permitted the spoils of war to his nation (that had previously been forbidden to the People of the Book). Allah elevated him to the rank in which his intercession is accepted and made him the master of the descendants of Prophet Adam, peace be upon him. Allah placed Prophet Muhammad’s name next to His own Name in many places such as in the proclamation of faith and in the call to prayer.

The chapter continues to say, “Those who swear allegiance to you swear allegiance to Allah.” This is in reference to those who gave their allegiance known as Ar-Ridwan – the pleasure of Allah. When the Companions swore allegiance to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, their oath of allegiance was to Allah.

The pledge is followed by the statement, “The Hand of Allah is above their hands.” The word “Hand” is metaphorical and symbolizes the power of Allah, His

reward, favor or His bond, and strengthens the undertaking of their pledge to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, him, and at the same time raises the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, to whom their allegiance was given.

In the chapter “The Spoils” verse 17 there is a similarity, “It was not you who killed them, but Allah slew them, neither was it you who threw at them. Allah threw at them”. However, in the previous verse it is metaphorical whereas in this verse it is a literal truth because both the Slayer and the Thrower were in reality Allah. The Creator, Allah, is the Creator of actions therefore He was the One who threw, as well as the Giver of power and decision to throw. No person has the power to throw in such a way that the eyes of each and every enemy become filled with dust, and the slaying was the reality of the angel’s slaying.

This verse has been explained as meaning that the Muslims neither killed them nor did they throw either the stones or sand at their faces. It was Allah who threw terror into their hearts. The meaning of this is that the benefit of the action comes directly from the action of Allah, and that Allah is both the Slayer and the Thrower and the Companions were the doers in name.