Al-Fath: 29. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah...
(Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah): Meaning, he is that Messenger sent with guidance and the religion of truth. Muhammad is considered as an elevated noun (mubtada') whose predicative noun is omitted, and (Messenger of Allah) is an explanatory apposition (atf bayan), an adjective (na't), or a substitute (badal). The sentence is an initiating statement (isti'naf) clarifying the words of the Almighty: (He is the One who sent His Messenger). This is the most preferred interpretation, as it is the most appropriate for the sequence of the discourse, as stated in al-Kashf. It is also supported—considering some of the viewpoints to follow, God willing—by the reading of Ibn Amir, who narrates (Messenger) in the accusative case (nasb) as a form of praise.
His words, the Almighty: (And those who are with him), is an elevated noun (mubtada'), whose predicate (khabar) is His words, the Sublime: (are intense against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves). Abu Hayyan stated: The apparent meaning is that (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) is a subject and predicate, and the sentence is based upon that which is witnessed. As for it being the message (risalah), that is clear. As for it being the realization of the promise, it is said: It is because the existence of what He promised is necessary for his being—upon him be peace and prayer—the Messenger of Allah, for he is not promised except that which is realized, and he does not inform except of every truth.
It is permissible that Muhammad is the subject (mubtada'), Messenger is a follower of it, and (those who are with him) is a conjunction (atf) linked to it, while the predicate for him and for them is His words: (intense), etc. Al-Hasan read (intense, merciful) in the accusative case for both, which is said to be for praise, or as a state (hal), with the governing agent (amil) for both being the same as the agent for (with him). In this interpretation, the predicate would be the sentence (you see them) which follows. Likewise, the predicate for (those) in the first view.
According to Ibn Abbas, those who are with him are the witnesses of al-Hudaybiyyah. The majority say: All of his companions—may the peace and prayer of God be upon him, and may God be pleased with them. (Intense) is the plural of shadid (intense), and (merciful) is the plural of rahim (merciful). The meaning is that they possess severity and toughness against the enemies of the religion, and mercy and tenderness toward their believing brethren. Describing them with mercy after describing them with intensity is a perfection and a safeguard; for if the first description alone sufficed, one might imagine that the concept of the restriction is not meant to be considered, and thus imagine harshness and intensity absolutely. This was dispelled by following it with the second description. The conclusion is that while they are intense against the enemies, they are merciful toward their brothers. Similar to this is His word: (Humble toward the believers, mighty toward the disbelievers).
- As for the intensity of the companions toward the disbelievers: It is narrated from al-Hasan that they would avoid their clothes sticking to their clothes, and their bodies touching their bodies.
- As for their mercy among themselves: It reached a point where no believer would see another without shaking his hand and embracing him. Regarding handshaking (musafahah), the jurists do not differ. Abu Dawud extracted from al-Bara' who said: The Messenger of Allah—upon whom be the peace and prayer of God—said: "When two Muslims meet and shake hands, then praise God and seek His forgiveness, they are forgiven."
(You see them bowing, prostrating): Another predicate for those or an initiating statement. Bowing, prostrating is a state (hal) from the object; the meaning is that you see them praying. Expressing prayer through bowing and prostrating is a figurative metaphorical expression (majaz mursal). The use of the imperfect verb (mudari') denotes continuity, and this is a customary continuity.
(Seeking bounty from Allah and pleasure): Meaning, reward and approval. The sentence is either another predicate, or a state from the object of you see them, or from the hidden pronoun in bowing, prostrating, or an initiating statement based on a question arising from their diligence in bowing and prostrating, as if it were asked: "What do they desire by that?" and the answer was: "They seek bounty, etc."
(Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration): Simah (mark) is their sign. It is also read as sima'uhum with an added ya after the mim and elongation (madd), which is an eloquent dialect frequently found in poetry. Simah is derived from sumah (the mark made on a sheep).
- The meaning of "trace of prostration": It has become common to interpret this as that which happens on the forehead of the worshipper, resembling the mark of cauterization or a camel's callous. It is said that Ali b. al-Husayn (Zayn al-Abidin) and Ali b. Abdullah b. Abbas—may God be pleased with them—were called "possessors of the callouses" (dhu al-thafanat) because their frequent prostration caused their forehead sites to resemble a camel's callous. However, the report regarding the Prophet—may God bless him and grant him peace—"Do not brand your faces," means do not mark them. Ibn Umar, having seen a man with a mark of prostration on his nose, said: "The image of your face is your nose, so do not brand your face and do not disfigure your image." That (branding) is only when one relies with his forehead and nose on the ground to intentionally create that mark, which is pure ostentation and hypocrisy—we seek refuge in God from it. The discussion here is about what happens on the face of the one who prostrates solely for the sake of God.
- Some have denied that this is the intended mark: Al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi extracted from Humayd b. Abd al-Rahman that he was with al-Sa'ib b. Yazid when a man came with the trace of prostration on his face. He said: "This man has ruined his face. By God, this is not the simah (mark) which God the Almighty named. I have prayed on my face for eighty years, and there is no trace of prostration between my eyes."
Some have interpreted this as the light of the face on the Day of Resurrection, as in the report of Ubayy b. Ka'b from the Prophet—may God bless him and grant him peace: "The light on the Day of Resurrection." It is not far-fetched that the light is a sign on their faces in this world and the hereafter, but because it is more manifest and complete in the hereafter, the Prophet—peace be upon him—specified it for mention.
(That is their description): An indication of what was mentioned of their glorious attributes. The distance (implied by dhalika) despite the nearness of the reference, is to signal the loftiness of their status and the remoteness of their rank in excellence.
(Like a crop that puts forth its shoot): A renewed parable, meaning they, or their description, are like a crop, etc. The shat' are the sprouts of the crop. Then it strengthens it (fa-azarahu): meaning it helped it and made it firm, as said by al-Hasan and others. The original meaning is from tightening the izar (loincloth).
- Regarding the "splitting" of the companions (the Shia's claim): Making the word min (from/of) as tab'idiyyah (for partitive/division), to fulfill what the Shia claim regarding the apostasy of the companions, is rejected by the Book, the Sunnah, and the speech of the family (itra). The prior praise of them, with words denoting renewal and continuity like (you see them bowing, prostrating), and describing them with what denotes constancy and stability like (and those who are with him are intense against the disbelievers), refuses the claim of division and apostasy. Their claim falls further from the level of consideration in that this praise was written by God the Almighty in the Torah before He created the heavens and the earth. No rational person would accept that the Almighty granted absolute praise and wrote it for people, only a few of whom would maintain the attribute.
(He causes the disbelievers to burn with rage at them): This is a cause for what the speech indicates regarding His—the Almighty's—creating them in the manner included in the parable.
- Pointing to specific companions: Some of the predecessors assigned each sentence of the verse to a specific companion. Some said: (puts forth its shoot) is Abu Bakr, (strengthens it) is Umar, (makes it thick) is Uthman, (stands upon its stalk) is Ali—may God be pleased with them all.
(And God has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them): ...a forgiveness and a great reward. In this verse, Imam Malik deduced the takfir (declaration of disbelief) of the Rafidah (hardline Shia) who hate the companions—may God be pleased with them—for they are enraged by them, and whoever is enraged by the companions is a disbeliever. Many scholars agreed with him.
