Surah Al-Fath (48) — Ayah 2

(Ayah 2) ➊ The "lam" of { لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللّٰهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْۢبِكَ وَ مَا تَاَخَّرَ:’’ لِيَغْفِرَ ‘‘} is "lam of consequence," meaning We have granted you this clear victory so that as a result you may receive four great blessings. It is as if Allah Almighty is saying to His Messenger (peace be upon him) that you have fulfilled the right of your prophethood, conveyed My message, strived with utmost effort, performed jihad with your tongue and sword, prepared a most sincere group of Muslims, showed firmness when firmness was needed and gentleness when gentleness was needed, and achieved in a short time what no one could achieve in long periods, until you completed the task We had assigned to you. Now you will reap the fruit of your labor, which will bring you comfort in this world and the Hereafter. Thus, We have granted you a clear victory, as a result of which the first blessing you received is that Allah Almighty has forgiven your sins before and after prophethood.

➋ Here is a famous question: Is it possible for a Prophet to commit a sin? Some have declared it impossible for the Prophets (peace be upon them) to commit sins, because in their view, it is against the dignity of a Prophet to commit a sin. But what can be said when the Qur'an has used the word {’’ذَنْبٌ‘‘} regarding you (peace be upon him), whose well-known and famous meaning is "sin." Therefore, almost all translators in Persian and Urdu have translated {’’ذَنْبٌ‘‘} here as "sin." As for the objection that attributing the word "sin" to you diminishes your status, those who think so do so because they consider the sins of the Prophets to be like their own sins. The real matter is that Allah Almighty has granted the Prophets (peace be upon them) such a great and lofty status that, keeping that in view, they consider even their minor shortcomings and slips as sins, and Allah Almighty also calls them {’’ذنوب‘‘} and commands them to seek forgiveness, which is why they seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty, and their status becomes even higher as a result. For example, when Musa (peace be upon him) accidentally killed a Copt, he prayed: «رَبِّ اِنِّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ فَغَفَرَ لَهٗ » [ القصص : ۱۶ ] "O my Lord! I have wronged myself, so forgive me," so Allah forgave him. When Adam (peace be upon him), despite being forbidden, ate from the tree out of forgetfulness, he said: « رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَاۤ اَنْفُسَنَا وَ اِنْ لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَ تَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْخٰسِرِيْنَ » [ الأعراف : ۲۳ ] "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers." So as a result of this seeking forgiveness, Allah made him {’’مجتبيٰ‘‘}, saying: « ثُمَّ اجْتَبٰهُ رَبُّهٗ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ وَ هَدٰى» [ طٰہٰ : ۱۲۲ ] "Then his Lord chose him, so He turned to him with mercy and guided him." Yunus (peace be upon him) left his people without permission and called upon Allah from the belly of the fish: «لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْتَ سُبْحٰنَكَ اِنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ » [الأنبیاء: ۸۷] "There is no deity except You; You are exalted. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers." As a result of this seeking forgiveness, he attained a status that could never have been attained without the error and seeking forgiveness, as Allah said: « فَاجْتَبٰىهُ رَبُّهٗ فَجَعَلَهٗ مِنَ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ » [ القلم : ۵۰ ] "Then his Lord chose him and made him among the righteous."

The difference between the children of Adam and the angels is that angels neither err nor need to seek forgiveness, nor can they attain the lofty status that comes from seeking forgiveness. The Prophets (peace be upon them) do not commit major sins or deliberate disobedience like us, because they are Allah's chosen obedient servants. However, due to human nature, they may make minor mistakes or errors in judgment. The special quality of the Prophets is that Allah does not let them persist in such mistakes or errors, but immediately corrects them through revelation. This is the meaning of the Prophets being infallible. No follower, no matter how high his rank, has the distinction that his mistake is corrected by Allah through revelation. Even these minor mistakes or errors in judgment, considering their status, seem so great to the Prophets themselves that they repeatedly seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty. Allah commanded our noble Prophet (peace be upon him) to seek forgiveness for his "sins," and he used to seek forgiveness abundantly. See the commentary of Surah Muhammad, Ayah (19). In all the various supplications for forgiveness that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to make to Allah, the word "dhanb" (sin) is used. We can only say that this is a matter between Allah Almighty and His Messenger, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is acknowledging his sins and seeking forgiveness, and Allah is giving him the glad tidings of forgiveness for his former and latter sins. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also used to refer to this, that Allah has forgiven your former and latter sins, as Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: [ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَقُوْمُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ حَتّٰی تَتَفَطَّرَ قَدَمَاهُ، فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ لِمَ تَصْنَعُ هٰذَا يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! وَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللّٰهُ لَكَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ قَالَ أَفَلاَ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَكُوْنَ عَبْدًا شَكُوْرًا؟ ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «لیغفر لک اللہ ما تقدم…» : ۴۸۳۷ ] "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to stand in prayer at night until his feet would crack, so Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Why do you do this when Allah has forgiven your former and latter sins?' He replied: 'Should I not be a grateful servant?'"

That is why almost all earlier translators have translated "dhanb" as "sin." Were all these servants of the Qur'an, God forbid, disrespectful to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or unaware of his status? Some people say that this would make the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) a sinner. Ask these people to translate "dhanb" themselves. One of them has translated {’’ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللّٰهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْۢبِكَ وَ مَا تَاَخَّرَ ‘‘} as: "So that Allah may forgive your former and latter mistakes." Another has translated: "So that Allah may pardon all your former and latter shortcomings." In their view, they have saved the Prophet (peace be upon him) from being called a sinner, but could not save him from being called mistaken or faulty. Tell me, what achievement is this? The truth is that a person does not deserve the title of "sinner" for one or two minor sins or mistakes, nor can he be called mistaken or faulty.

Some have translated "dhanb" here as "accusation" and rendered it: "So that Allah may remove all former and latter accusations made against you." Someone should ask them: those matters for which Allah questioned the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and at the same time gave him the glad tidings of forgiveness, were they all accusations that Allah declared false and removed? For example, Allah said: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ لِمَ تُحَرِّمُ مَاۤ اَحَلَّ اللّٰهُ لَكَ تَبْتَغِيْ مَرْضَاتَ اَزْوَاجِكَ وَ اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ » [ التحریم : ۱ ] "O Prophet! Why do you prohibit what Allah has made lawful for you? You seek the pleasure of your wives, and Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." And He said: « عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنْكَ لِمَ اَذِنْتَ لَهُمْ حَتّٰى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الَّذِيْنَ صَدَقُوْا وَ تَعْلَمَ الْكٰذِبِيْنَ » [التوبۃ : ۴۳ ] "Allah has pardoned you; why did you give them permission until it became clear to you who spoke the truth and you knew the liars?" And He said: « مَا كَانَ لِنَبِيٍّ اَنْ يَّكُوْنَ لَهٗۤ اَسْرٰى حَتّٰى يُثْخِنَ فِي الْاَرْضِ تُرِيْدُوْنَ عَرَضَ الدُّنْيَا وَ اللّٰهُ يُرِيْدُ الْاٰخِرَةَ وَ اللّٰهُ عَزِيْزٌ حَكِيْمٌ» [ الأنفال : ۶۷ ] "It is not for a Prophet to have captives until he has thoroughly slaughtered in the land. You desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires the Hereafter, and Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." And He said: « وَ تَخْشَى النَّاسَ وَ اللّٰهُ اَحَقُّ اَنْ تَخْشٰىهُ» [ الأحزاب : ۳۷ ] "And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him."

The real issue is that such people, due to exaggeration, are bent on declaring anyone who does not consider the Prophet (peace be upon him) to possess divine attributes, or does not believe him to be all-knowing, or all-powerful, or does not believe that he can never err, as disrespectful to the Messenger. Some of them have translated "dhanb" as "sin" here, but in translating this verse, have committed such a grave crime of distortion of the Qur'an that, had Allah not decided to grant respite to this Ummah, they would have been wiped out. For example, one of them has translated {’’ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللّٰهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْۢبِكَ وَ مَا تَاَخَّرَ ‘‘} as: "So that Allah may, because of you, forgive the sins of your predecessors and your successors." Another has translated: "So that, for your sake, Allah may forgive your Ummah (all those individuals) their former and latter mistakes (who fought and sacrificed at your command)." See their audacity in distortion: the word {’’ ذَنْۢبِكَ ‘‘} can only mean "your sins," but they translate it as "the former and latter sins of your Ummah," and claim such monopoly over love for the Messenger that anyone who does not distort like them, or does not praise their distortion, is not, in their view, acquainted with love for the Messenger. According to their translation, all the former and latter sins of the followers have been forgiven, so if anyone commits murder, adultery, or theft, why should he be punished? He has already been forgiven by Allah. All this is the result of the same exaggeration from which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade. Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say from the pulpit: [ لاَ تُطْرُوْنيْ كَمَا أَطْرَتِ النَّصَارَی ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُهُ ، فَقُوْلُوْا عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ وَرَسُوْلُهُ ] [بخاري، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللّٰہ تعالٰی : « واذکر فی الکتاب مریم… » : ۳۴۴۵ ] "Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Mary. I am only His servant, so say: 'the servant of Allah and His Messenger.'"

➌ At this point, most commentators, while explaining the word "dhanb" regarding the Prophet (peace be upon him), have mentioned a statement as an established saying: {’’ حَسَنَاتُ الْأَبْرَارِ سَيِّئَاتُ الْمُقَرَّبِيْنَ ‘‘} "The good deeds of the righteous are the bad deeds of those brought near." This statement is certainly not from Allah Almighty or His Messenger (peace be upon him); Allah knows best who said it, but most commentators and authors keep quoting it blindly. They do not consider how a good deed can become a bad deed, nor do they consider that, according to the Qur'an, the division of the righteous and those brought near is itself incorrect. Who can be more "brought near" than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? And among the supplications he used to recite in the last part of the night is this supplication: « وَ تَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْاَبْرَارِ» [آل عمران : ۱۹۳ ] "And cause us to die with the righteous." Then who are those righteous whose good deeds are the bad deeds of those brought near?

➍ {وَ يُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهٗ عَلَيْكَ:} This is the second blessing, the glad tidings of which were given as a result of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. It refers to the many blessings that had not been granted to you before, such as the Quraysh, the people of Makkah, and others entering Islam in large numbers, all enemies and opponents being subdued, the entire land of Arabia coming under your control, and the completion of the religion, etc., which were promised to you at this occasion and fulfilled shortly thereafter, and it was announced: « اَلْيَوْمَ اَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِيْنَكُمْ وَ اَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِيْ وَ رَضِيْتُ لَكُمُ الْاِسْلَامَ دِيْنًا » [ المائدۃ : ۳ ] "Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor upon you and have approved Islam for you as religion."

➎ {وَ يَهْدِيَكَ صِرَاطًا مُّسْتَقِيْمًا:} This is the promise of the third blessing, that Allah Almighty will guide you to a straight path regarding the implementation of His commands, their propagation and jihad, the affairs of the state, and the attainment of victory and success. Although you already had all this before, after this, you attained it with such breadth as you had not before. See also the commentary of Surah Al-Fatiha, Ayah: « اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ ».

2. 1. By this is meant matters of leaving what is preferable, or those affairs which you ﷺ did according to your own understanding and ijtihad, but Allah did not approve of them, such as the incident of Abdullah bin Umm Maktum ؓ and others, upon which Surah Abasa was revealed. Although these matters and affairs are neither sins nor contrary to infallibility, due to the exalted status of your rank, even these were counted as shortcomings, for which forgiveness is being announced. In "liyaghfir," the "lam" is for causation, meaning this clear victory is the cause of the three things mentioned in the verse, and this forgiveness of sins is a cause in the sense that after this treaty, the number of those accepting Islam increased greatly, which also greatly increased your ﷺ immense reward, as well as your good deeds and elevation in ranks.

2. 2. By making this religion prevail, to which you invite, or by granting victory and dominance. And some say that this is the complete blessing over forgiveness and guidance (Fath al-Qadeer).

2. 3. That is, to grant steadfastness upon it. To bestow the highest of the high ranks of guidance.

2. So that Allah may forgive you your past and future shortcomings [2], complete His favor upon you, and guide you on a straight path,

[2] ﴿ذَنْبٌ﴾ refers to every action whose outcome is evil (Mufradat al-Quran), and in the sense of every deed that results in blame (Fiqh al-Lughah). The usage of this word is so general that it can apply to minor slips as well as major sins. The greatest sin is unjust killing. This word is also used for that. Sayyiduna Musa ؑ says to Allah Almighty: ﴿وَلَهُمْ عَلَيَّ ذَنْبٌ فَاَخَافُ اَنْ يَّقْتُلُوْنِ﴾ [14:26] "And I have a sin (unjust killing) against them, and I fear that they will kill me." And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ﴿عَفَا اللّٰهُ عَنْكَ لِمَ اَذِنْتَ لَهُمْ﴾ [43:9] "May Allah forgive you! Why did you grant them (the hypocrites) permission (to stay back from jihad)?" And it is obvious that forgiveness is only for a sinful or mistaken act. And in this verse, "sin" refers to certain ijtihadi errors in administrative matters, which are a characteristic of human nature. The basis for forgiving all past and future sins is that Allah knew you could never intentionally commit a sin. The happiness you felt at this verse and the impression it made on you can be seen in the following hadiths:
1. Sayyiduna Anas ؓ narrates that these verses were revealed when you ﷺ were returning to Madinah from Hudaybiyyah. You ﷺ said: "A verse ﴿لِيَغْفِرَلَكَ﴾ has been revealed to me which is dearer to me than all the wealth of the earth." The Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah, congratulations, congratulations! Allah has clarified this for you, but what will happen to us?" At that time, this verse was revealed: ﴿لِّيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ فَوْزًا عَظِيْمًا﴾ [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير]
2.
Increase in Your Worship After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah:

Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when you ﷺ would command the Companions, you would instruct them in deeds they could (easily) do. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would say, "We are not like you. Allah has forgiven all your past and future sins." At this, you ﷺ would become angry, and the signs of anger would appear on your face, and you would say: "(Listen!) I am the one who fears Allah the most among you and knows Him the best." [بخاری۔ کتاب الایمان۔ باب قول النبی انا اعلمکم باللّٰہ]
3. Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: You ﷺ would stand (in the night prayer) so long that your feet would crack (and in another narration, your feet would swell). Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Why do you exert yourself so much? Allah has forgiven all your past and future sins." You ﷺ replied: "Should I not be a grateful servant of Allah?" Then, when your body (in the last part of your life) became heavy, you ﷺ would perform this prayer sitting. When the time for ruku' came, you would stand and recite a little, then perform ruku'. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]