Tafsir of Al-Fath 48:10

Surah Al-Fath (The Victory): Verse 10

[10] Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, they are pledging allegiance to Allah.

When it was established that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a messenger, the text mentions that whoever pledges allegiance to him is, in reality, pledging allegiance to Allah.

{The Hand of Allah is above their hands.}

This statement is open to several interpretations:

1. If the word "Hand" (yad) has one meaning in both instances:
   • First interpretation: The "Hand of Allah" means Allah's favor (ni'mah) over them, surpassing their own efforts toward Allah, just as Allah says: {But rather, Allah confers favor upon you by guiding you to faith} (Al-Hujurat: 17).
   • Second interpretation: {The Hand of Allah is above their hands} means Allah's support (nasr) for them is stronger and higher than their support for Him. The phrase "The hand belongs to so-and-so" is used idiomatically to mean dominance, victory, and power.

2. If the word "Hand" has two meanings:
   • For Allah, it means preservation/protection (hifdh).
   • For the pledge-makers, it means the physical limb (jārihah).
   • The hand is a metaphor for preservation, derived from the situation of two people in a transaction: when each extends their hand to the other, a third mediator might place his hand over both their hands to ensure the contract is completed and neither party withdraws prematurely. Similarly, Allah's "Hand above their hands" means He preserves them in fulfilling the pledge, just as the mediator preserves the hands of the contracting parties.

{But whoever breaks his pledge, he breaks it only to his own detriment.}

• If the meaning of "Hand" was favor or power, then whoever breaks the pledge forfeits immense grace in return for little action, thus incurring loss and breaking the pledge against himself.
• If the meaning was preservation, then the consequence returns to him because the pledge was made to Allah (as stated: {Indeed, they pledge allegiance to Allah}). If he breaks the pledge, the breach does not return to the Prophet (PBUH) because the covenant is with Allah, and Allah is not harmed by anything; thus, the harm returns only to the breaker himself.

{And whoever fulfills what he has covenanted with Allah, He will give him a great reward.}

We have previously explained that the term "great" (ʿaẓīm), when applied to physical objects, implies a combination of great length, wide expanse, and thick solidity. A mountain that is merely high is called tall or lofty, but when it also has breadth, it is called great.

Similarly, the reward is described as "great" because:

1. The provisions of Paradise will be of the highest quality.
2. They will be in extreme abundance.
3. They will extend eternally without interruption.

Thus, the reward possesses the qualities that warrant the description "great." When applied to Allah, "The Great" indicates His perfection in His Attributes, just as when applied to a body, it indicates perfection in its dimensions.

Surah Al-Fath (The Victory): Verse 11

{11. The laggards among the Bedouins will say to you, "Our wealth and our families occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, "Then who can possess for you anything from Allah if He intends for you some harm or intends for you some benefit?" Rather, Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.}