**Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah**
{Muhammad}: Either a predicate for an implied subject (i.e., "He is Muhammad"), due to the preceding verse: “He is the One who sent His Messenger” (Al-Fath: 28); or it is a subject, and “the Messenger of Allah” is an appositive (‘atf bayan). Ibn ‘Amir read it as “Rasula Allah” in the accusative case, denoting praise.
{And those with him}: His companions.
{Are severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves}: Plural of shadid (severe) and rahim (merciful). Similar to: “Humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers” (Al-Ma’idah: 54), “Be harsh with them” (At-Tawbah: 73), and “To the believers, he is kind and merciful” (At-Tawbah: 128).
Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Their severity toward the disbelievers reached the point where they would avoid their clothes touching theirs, or their bodies touching theirs. Their mercy among themselves reached the point where no believer would see another without shaking his hand and embracing him. Jurists do not differ on handshaking, but Abu Hanifah (may Allah have mercy on him) disliked embracing and kissing. He said: "I do not like for a man to kiss another man’s face, hand, or any part of his body." Abu Yusuf, however, permitted embracing.
It is the right of Muslims in every age to observe this severity and this compassion: to be severe toward those not of their faith and religion, avoiding them, and to associate with their brothers in Islam with compassion, kindness, maintaining ties, refraining from harm, providing aid, patience, and good character.
Those who read {ashidda’a wa ruhama’a} in the accusative case do so as a form of praise, or as a state (hal) implied by the word {ma‘ahu} (with him), making {tarahum} (you see them) the predicate.
{Their mark}: Their sign. It is also read as {sima’uhum}. There are three linguistic forms: these two, and simiya’. It refers to the mark that appears on the forehead of the one who prostrates much, due to the frequency of prostration. The verse {from the trace of prostration} explains it—that is, the effect left by prostration. Both Ali ibn al-Husayn (Zayn al-Abidin) and Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Abbas (the father of kings) were called "the one with calluses" (dhu al-thafanat), because their frequent prostration created marks on their foreheads like the calluses of a camel.
If you ask: "It has been narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'Do not disfigure your faces,' and Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man with a mark on his face from prostration and said: 'The image of your face is your nose, so do not disfigure your face or ruin your image.'" I say: That applies when one intentionally presses his forehead against the ground to create that mark; that is showing off (riya’) and hypocrisy, from which we seek refuge in Allah. We are speaking of what occurs on the forehead of the one who prostrates only sincerely for the sake of Allah.
Some predecessors said: "We used to pray and nothing was seen between our eyes, yet now we see one of us praying and a camel’s knee-mark is seen between his eyes; we do not know if heads have become heavy or the earth has become hard." They meant those who do this intentionally for hypocrisy. Others said: It is the yellowness of the face from the fear of Allah. Ad-Dahhak said: It is not a physical mark, but a yellowness. Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib said: It is the moisture of ablution and the dust of the earth. ‘Ata’ said: Their faces became luminous from the length of their night prayers, as the saying goes: "Whoever prays much at night, his face is beautiful by day."
{That is their description}: This amazing description of them in both Books (Torah and Gospel). Then He began: {Like a crop}, meaning: they are like a crop. It is said the sentence ends at {That is their description in the Torah}, then a new sentence begins: {And their description in the Gospel is like a crop}.
{Which puts forth its shoot}: Its offshoots. It is said: ashata al-zar’ when it produces offshoots.
{And strengthens it}: From mu’azara, which is assistance. Al-Akhfash said it is the form af’ala. It means: it strengthened its support and fortified it.
{So it becomes thick}: It went from thinness to thickness.
{And stands on its stalks}: It stands straight on its stems.
It is said: It is written in the Gospel that a people will emerge who grow like a crop, enjoining good and forbidding evil. ‘Ikrimah said: "It puts forth its shoot" is Abu Bakr, "strengthens it" is Umar, "becomes thick" is Uthman, and "stands on its stalks" is Ali. This is a parable Allah strikes for the beginning of Islam and its growth until it became strong and firm, for the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood alone, then Allah strengthened him with those who believed with him, just as the first sprout of a crop is strengthened by what surrounds it and grows from it, until it amazes the farmers.
If you ask: "What does {to enrage the disbelievers by them} explain?" I say: It explains what the comparison to the crop indicates regarding their growth and increase in strength. It is also possible that it explains {Allah has promised those who believe}, because when the disbelievers hear what is prepared for them in the Hereafter, along with the honor Allah gives the believers in this world, they are enraged. The min in {minhum} is for clarification, like the verse: “Avoid the impurity of idols” (Al-Hajj: 30).
From the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "Whoever recites Surat al-Fath, it is as if he was among those who witnessed the conquest of Mecca with Muhammad."
