Surah Al-Fath (48) — Ayah 26

(Ayah 26) ➊ The word {اِذْ جَعَلَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا فِيْ قُلُوْبِهِمُ الْحَمِيَّةَ:} in the end of the previous verse is the adverbial phrase of {’’ اِذْ ‘‘}, meaning, if those believing men and believing women had separated from the disbelievers, “then We would have inflicted a painful punishment on those who disbelieved, when those who disbelieved had stubbornness in their hearts…” And the omitted verb can also be the object of {’’اُذْكُرْ‘‘}, meaning, remember that time when… .
➋ By the stubbornness of ignorance in { حَمِيَّةَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ:} is meant that they refused to accept even that which was accepted by all Arabs, that no one performing Tawaf, Umrah, or Hajj of Allah’s House could be prevented, and that fighting was not allowed in the sacred months. Rather, they were ready to fight and said, we cannot bear the disgrace that someone forcibly enters Makkah, so this year the Muslims should return, come next year to perform Umrah, and even then stay only three days and bring only swords in their sheaths as weapons. Besides this, their constant arguments with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and placing unreasonable conditions for the treaty were also stubbornness of ignorance, such as saying, write {’’بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ‘‘} instead of {’’بِاسْمِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ‘‘}, and write “Muhammad bin Abdullah” instead of “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah,” and if anyone comes to you as a Muslim, return him, but if anyone becomes an apostate and comes to us, we will not return him. Similarly, Suhail bin Amr’s refusal to allow his son Abu Jandal, who had become Muslim, to go with the Muslims despite showing his miserable condition in the middle of the treaty, and even torturing him in front of everyone, was also stubbornness of ignorance.
➌ By { فَاَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ سَكِيْنَتَهٗ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِهٖ وَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ:} tranquility is meant that patience, forbearance, and dignity with which the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Muslims faced the ignorant zeal of the disbelievers of Makkah, that they did not become agitated, did not utter any unjust words, nor did they give the disbelievers any opportunity to start a fight by their actions.
➍ If you reflect on the words of this verse, you can see the difference between the behavior of the disbelievers and the Muslims, and the way Allah dealt with them: (1) The disbelievers harbored zeal, that is, stubbornness in their hearts, without thinking, and they themselves were the ones holding this stubbornness. In contrast, tranquility was in the hearts of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the believers, which Allah sent down from His own treasures. (2) The stubbornness in the hearts of the disbelievers was the stubbornness of ignorance, while the tranquility in the hearts of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the believers was divine tranquility.
➎ {وَ اَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ التَّقْوٰى:} That word of piety was that the Muslims, in hardship, excitement, anger, and in all circumstances, kept themselves bound to the obedience of Allah and His Messenger. This was a special favor of Allah that He calmed the agitated emotions of His Messenger (peace be upon him) and the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), kept them firm on His command, and thus brought the treaty to completion.
➏ { وَ كَانُوْۤا اَحَقَّ بِهَا وَ اَهْلَهَا:} And they were more deserving of it and worthy of it, because they believed in Allah and His Messenger, and they had the honor of the company and training of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
➐ { وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمًا:} And Allah has always been fully aware of everything. With this very knowledge, He chose these pure personalities, knowing them to be the most deserving and worthy of piety, for the company of His Messenger, granted them the ability to obey, and kept them firm on the word of piety.