Tafsir of An-Nasr 110:1

Context: It was revealed in Minā during the Farewell Pilgrimage, thus it is considered Medinan. It is the final complete surah to be revealed. It consists of 3 verses and was revealed after [Sūrat] al-Tawbah.

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. When the victory of God comes and the conquest.

2. And you see the people entering into the religion of God in multitudes.

3. So glorify the praise of your Lord and seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is ever-Accepting of repentance.

{When the help comes} The word "when" (idhā) is governed by the verb "glorify" (sabbiḥ), and it refers to the future. Informing of this before it occurred is among the signs of Prophethood. It is reported that it was revealed during the Days of Tashriq in Mina during the Farewell Pilgrimage.

If you ask: What is the difference between "help" (naṣr) and "conquest" (fatḥ) such that the latter is conjoined to the former? I say: Naṣr is providing aid and granting victory over an enemy. From this is the phrase "Allah helped the land" (naṣara Allāhu al-arḍ), meaning He provided it with rain. Fatḥ is the opening of lands. The meaning is the victory of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) over the Arabs or Quraysh, and the conquest of Mecca. Others say it refers to the general help of Allah for the believers and the opening of the lands of polytheism to them.

The conquest of Mecca took place on the tenth of Ramadan in the eighth year. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had with him ten thousand of the Emigrants (Muhājirūn), the Helpers (Anṣār), and various Arab tribes. He stayed there for fifteen nights, then set out for Hawāzin. When he entered it, he stood at the door of the Kaaba and said: "There is no god but Allah alone, He has no partner. He fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and defeated the confederates alone." Then he said: "O people of Mecca, what do you think I am going to do with you?" They replied: "Good; a noble brother and the son of a noble brother." He said: "Go, for you are the freed ones (al-ṭulaqāʾ)." Thus, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) emancipated them, even though Allah had placed them under his authority by force, and they were spoils of war. That is why the people of Mecca are called "the freed ones."

{Into the religion of Allah} Meaning, into the creed of Islam, the only religion to which no other can be added. {And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him} (Al-Imran: 85).

{In multitudes} Dense groups. Tribes would enter it in their entirety, whereas before, they used to enter one by one or two by two. Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) wept one day, and when asked why, he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'People entered the religion of Allah in multitudes, and they will leave it in multitudes.'" It is also said that by "people," he meant the people of Yemen. Abu Hurayrah said: When it was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah is the Greatest! The help of Allah and the conquest have come, and the people of Yemen have come: a people with soft hearts. Faith is Yemeni, jurisprudence is Yemeni, and wisdom is Yemeni." He also said: "I find the breath of your Lord from the direction of Yemen."

Al-Hasan said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) conquered Mecca, the Arabs turned to one another and said: "Since he has triumphed over the people of the Sanctuary, no one has the power to oppose him." Allah had protected them from the People of the Elephant and from everyone who intended them harm, so they began entering Islam in multitudes without fighting.

Ibn Abbas read it as: "The conquest of Allah and the help." It is also read as "they are entered" (yudkhalūn) in the passive voice. If you ask: What is the grammatical position of "they enter" (yadkhulūn)? I say: It is in the accusative, either as a state (ḥāl)—assuming "you see" (raʾayta) means "you perceive" or "you know"—or it is a second object, assuming it means "you know."

{So glorify the praise of your Lord} Say: "Glory be to Allah" (Subḥān Allāh), while praising Him. That is: marvel at Allah’s facilitation of something that never crossed your mind or the mind of anyone else—that anyone could overcome the people of the Sanctuary—and praise Him for His handiwork. Or: remember Him while glorifying and praising Him, as an increase in worship and commendation for His increased favor upon you. Or: pray to Him. Umm Hani reported that when he opened the door of the Kaaba, he prayed the Duha prayer, eight rak'ahs.

Aisha reported that before his death, the Prophet (ﷺ) would frequently say: "Glory be to You, O Allah, and with Your praise; I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You." The command for seeking forgiveness alongside glorification is a completion of the command regarding the foundation of religion: combining obedience with guarding against disobedience. This was a kindness to his nation, despite his infallibility, and because seeking forgiveness is an act of humility before Allah and self-abasement, making it an act of worship in itself. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "I seek forgiveness one hundred times a day and night."

It is reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited this to his companions, they rejoiced, but Al-Abbas wept. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "What makes you weep, uncle?" He replied: "Your own death has been announced to you." He said: "It is as you say." He lived for two years after that, during which he was never seen laughing or rejoicing. It is also said that it was Ibn Abbas who said this, to which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: "This boy has been given much knowledge."

It is reported that when it was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave a sermon and said: "A servant was given a choice by Allah between the world and meeting Him, and he chose meeting Allah." Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) understood, and said: "We sacrifice our souls, our wealth, our fathers, and our children for you."

Ibn Abbas reported that Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) used to bring him close and allow him to sit with the veterans of Badr. Abd al-Rahman said: "Do you allow this youth to sit with us when we have sons like him?" Umar replied: "He is who you know him to be." Ibn Abbas said: "One day he invited them and invited me with them. He asked them about the saying of Allah: {When the help of Allah comes...}—and I do not think he asked them except because of me. Some said: 'Allah commanded His Prophet, when victory is granted to him, to seek His forgiveness and repent.' I said: 'It is not so; rather, his own death was announced to him.' Umar said: 'I know nothing of it other than what you know.' Then he said: 'How can you blame me for him after what you see?'"

The Prophet (ﷺ) called Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "O my daughter, my death has been announced to me." She wept, so he said: "Do not weep, for you are the first of my family to join me." Ibn Mas'ud said that this surah is called "The Surah of Farewell."

{He is ever Accepting of repentance} Meaning: In past times, since the creation of those accountable, He has been accepting of their repentance when they seek it. Therefore, every seeker of forgiveness should expect the same.

From the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Whoever recites the surah 'When the help of Allah comes' is given a reward like one who witnessed the day of the conquest of Mecca with Muhammad."