Tafsir of Al-Fath 48:24

Surah Al-Fath (The Victory) - Verse 24

And He it is Who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them, in the valley of Mecca, after He had given you victory over them.

This verse clarifies the preceding statement: "And if those who disbelieve had fought you, they would have surely turned their backs in flight" (Al-Fath: 22).

It means that this restraint was by God's decree:

1. He restrained their hands (the disbelievers) from fighting you by making them flee.
2. He restrained your hands (the Muslims) from fighting them by making you withdraw.

The phrase "in the valley of Mecca" points to a situation where restraint would normally not be expected. This situation was the Muslims entering the heart of Mecca. This entry would typically necessitate:

• The restrained party (the Meccans) fighting fiercely to defend their homes and honor, as the enemy had entered their territory seeking vengeance.
• The Muslims exerting maximum effort in Jihad, as any slackening would lead to their defeat and capture due to their exposed position (far from their secure base).

Thus, "in the valley of Mecca" signifies a situation where restraint was unlikely, yet it occurred by the will of God Almighty.

The phrase "after He had given you victory over them" is open to two interpretations:

1. A favor to the believers: Victory was already yours, even though the apparent circumstances suggested the victory should have been theirs (since they were in their own land and had a larger number).
2. Mentioning two factors that made restraint difficult, yet God achieved it:
   • Restraining the disbelievers was difficult because they were defending their families and homes in their own land, as indicated by "in the valley of Mecca."
   • Restraining the Muslims was difficult because it happened after they had gained the upper hand. When one has overpowered an enemy who, had the situation been reversed, would have utterly destroyed them, it is unlikely for them to hold back—yet God restrained their hands.

"And Allah is ever, of what you do, Seeing."

This means Allah saw the greater benefit in this restraint, even if you did not perceive it. This is further explained by the following verses:

"They are the ones who disbelieved and barred you from the Sacred Mosque and the sacrificial Hady (offering) from reaching its prescribed place. And if there had not been believing men and believing women whom you did not know—that you might tread them underfoot and thus incur sin concerning them unknowingly—[Allah held back the hands of the disbelievers] so that Allah might admit into His Mercy whom He wills. If they had been clearly distinguished, We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with a painful punishment." (Al-Fath: 25)

This restraint was a measure to protect the believing men and women who were still in Mecca, allowing them to eventually enter Mecca openly without harm coming to them or the Muslims being forced to harm them unintentionally.

The exegetes (Mufassirun) differed regarding the specific event of this restraint:

• Some said it refers to the events of the Year of the Conquest (Fath).
• Others said it refers to the events of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, where the Muslims routed the disbelievers' army, forcing them into their homes. It is also narrated that the fighting involved stones.