Surah At-Tawbah (9): 33

{هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ}

Know that when the Almighty recounted how the enemies sought to invalidate the mission of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and then clarified that He refuses this invalidation and will complete His affair, He explained the manner of that completion by saying: {It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth}.

Know that the perfection of the state of the Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them) is only achieved through a collection of matters:

1. First: The abundance of proofs and miracles, which is intended by His saying: {sent His Messenger with guidance} (bil-Hudā).
2. Second: That his religion encompasses matters whose correctness, soundness, conformity with wisdom, and benefit in this world and the Hereafter are apparent to everyone. This is intended by His saying: {and the religion of truth} (wa dīn al-Ḥaqq).
3. Third: That his religion becomes dominant over all other religions, generally prevailing over its opposites and overpowering its deniers. This is intended by His saying: {to make it victorious over all [other] religions} (li-yuẓhirahu ‘alā ad-dīn kullih).

Know that the manifestation (or victory) of something over another can be through proof (ḥujjah), or through abundance and prevalence, or through overwhelming force and dominion. It is known that the Almighty promised this, and it is not permissible for Him to promise except something future and not yet realized. The victory of this religion through proof (ḥujjah) is established and known; therefore, it must be interpreted as victory through overwhelming force (ghalabah).

If it is argued: The apparent meaning of His saying: {to make it victorious over all [other] religions} implies that it should be dominant over all religions. However, this is not the case, as Islam has not become dominant over all religions in the lands of India, China, Rome, and other lands of disbelief.

We reply: They have answered this from several perspectives:

The First View: That no religion other than Islam has existed without the Muslims conquering them and prevailing over them in some places, even if not in all their locations. Thus, they conquered the Jews and expelled them from the Arabian Peninsula, and they prevailed over the Christians in the lands of Sham (Greater Syria) and adjacent areas toward Rome and the West, and they conquered the Zoroastrians over their kingdom, and they conquered the idolaters over many of their lands bordering the Turks and India, and similarly concerning other religions. Thus, it is established that what Allah informed about in this verse has occurred and happened, and this was a report about the unseen, making it a miracle.

The Second View: In response, we say: It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: This is a promise from Allah that the Almighty will make Islam superior to all religions. The completion of this will only occur upon the descent of Jesus ('Isa). Al-Saddi said: That will be upon the emergence of the Mahdi; no one will remain except that they will either enter Islam or pay the jizyah (tribute).

The Third View: What is meant is: that Islam will become dominant over all religions within the Arabian Peninsula, and this has indeed happened, as the Almighty left no disbelievers remaining there.

The Fourth View: That what is meant by His saying: {to make it victorious over all [other] religions} is that He will make the religion known to encompass all the laws (sharā’i‘) of the religion, making him fully aware of them so that nothing remains hidden from him concerning them.

The Fifth View: That what is meant by His saying: {to make it victorious over all [other] religions} is through proof and clear exposition (ḥujjah and bayān). However, this view is weak because this is a promise that the Almighty will do it. Strengthening through proof and exposition was already present from the beginning. It can be answered that in the early days, doubts were numerous due to the weakness of the believers and the dominance of the disbelievers, and the disbelievers prevented other people from contemplating those proofs. But after the strength of the Islamic state, the disbelievers became incapable, so the doubts weakened, and the manifestation of the proofs of Islam became stronger. Thus, what was intended by this glad tidings was this increase [in clarity].

{O you who have believed, indeed, many of the rabbis and monks devour the wealth of people in falsehood and avert [them] from the way of Allah. And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah - give them tidings of a painful punishment. The Day when it will be heated in the fire of Hell and seared therewith will be their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, [it will be said], "This is what you hoarded for yourselves, so taste what you used to hoard."}