The Virtues of Surah An-Nasr

It has been mentioned previously that

- it (Surah An-Nasr) is equivalent to one-fourth of the Qur'an and that

- Surah Az-Zalzalah is equivalent to one-fourth of the Qur'an.

An-Nasa'i recorded from Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah that Ibn Abbas said to him, "O Ibn `Utbah! Do you know the last Surah of the Qur'an that was revealed''

He answered, "Yes, it was إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ  When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest. (110:1)''

He (Ibn Abbas) said, "You have spoken truthfully.''

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious,Most Merciful

This Surah informs of the Completion of the Life of Allah's Messenger

Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn Abbas that he said, "Umar used to bring me into the gatherings with the old men of (the battle of) Badr. However, it was as if one of them felt something in himself (against my attending). So he said, `Why do you (`Umar) bring this (youth) to sit with us when we have children like him (i.e., his age)'

So `Umar replied, `Verily, he is among those whom you know.`Then one day he called them and invited me to sit with them, and I do not think that he invited me to be among them that day except to show them. So he said, `What do you say about Allah's statement, إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ   (When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest.)'

Some of them said, `We were commanded to praise Allah and seek His forgiveness when He helps us and gives us victory.'

Some of them remained silent and did not say anything.

Then he (Umar) said to me, `Is this what you say, O Ibn `Abbas'

I said, `No.'

He then said, `What do you say'

I said, `It was the end of the life of Allah's Messenger that Allah was informing him of.

Allah said,

إِذَا جَاء نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ ﴿١﴾

When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest.

which means, that is a sign of the end of your life.

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا

So, glorify the praises of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness.

Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives.'

So, Umar bin Al-Khattab said, `I do not know anything about it other than what you have said.'''

Al-Bukhari was alone in recording this Hadith. Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn Abbas that he said,

"When إِذَا جَاء نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ (When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest.) was revealed, the Messenger of Allah said نُعِيَتْ إِلَيَّ نَفْسِي  My death has been announced to me. And indeed he died during that year.''

Ahmad was alone in recording this Hadith.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Aishah said,

"The Messenger of Allah used to say often in his bowing and prostrating, سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِي (Glory to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me.) He did this as his interpretation of the Qur'an (i.e., showing its implementation).''

The rest of the group has also recorded this Hadith except for At-Tirmidhi.

Imam Ahmad recorded from Masruq that Aishah said,

"The Messenger of Allah used to often say towards the end of his life,سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْه Glory to Allah, and praise be unto Him. I seek Allah's forgiveness and I repent to Him. And he said,

إِنَّ رَبِّي كَانَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنِّي سَأَرَى عَلَامَةً فِي أُمَّتِي، وَأَمَرَنِي إِذَا رَأَيْتُهَا أَنْ أُسَبِّحَ بِحَمْدِهِ وَأَسْتَغْفِرَهُ، إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا، فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهَا:

Verily, my Lord has informed me that I will see a sign in my Ummah and He has commanded me that when I see it, I should glorify His praises and seek His forgiveness, for He is the One Who accepts repentance. And indeed I have seen it (i.e., the sign).

إِذَا جَآءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ

وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا ﴿٢﴾

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا ﴿٣﴾

When there comes the help of Allah and the Conquest (Al-Fath).

And you see that the people enter Allah's religion in crowds.

So glorify the praises of your Lord, and ask His forgiveness.

Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives.''

Muslim also recorded this Hadith.

The meaning of Al-Fath here is the conquest of Makkah, and there is only one view concerning it. For indeed the different areas of the Arabs were waiting for the conquest of Makkah before they would accept Islam. They said, "If he (Muhammad is victorious over his people, then he is a (true) Prophet.''

So when Allah gave him victory over Makkah, they entered into the religion of Allah (Islam) in crowds. Thus, two years did not pass (after the conquest of Makkah) before the peninsula of the Arabs was laden with faith. And there did not remain any of the tribes of the Arabs except that they professed (their acceptance) of Islam. And all praise and blessings are due to Allah.

Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih that `Amr bin Salamah said,

"When Makkah was conquered, all of the people rushed to the Messenger of Allah to profess their Islam. The various regions were delaying their acceptance of Islam until Makkah was conquered. The people used to say, `Leave him and his people alone. If he is victorious over them he is a (true) Prophet.'''

We have researched the war expedition for conquest of Makkah in our book As-Surah. Therefore, whoever wishes he may review it there.

And all praise and blessings are due to Allah. Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu `Ammar that a neighbor of Jabir bin `Abdullah told him, "I returned from a journey and Jabir bin `Abdullah came and greeted me. So I began to talk with him about the divisions among the people and what they had started doing. Thus, Jabir began to cry and he said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

إِنَّ النَّاسَ دَخَلُوا فِي دِينِ اللهِ أَفْوَاجًا، وَسَيَخْرُجُونَ مِنْهُ أَفْوَاجًا

Verily, the people have entered into the religion of Allah in crowds and they will also leave it in crowds.''

This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah An-Nasr, and all praise and blessings are due to Allah.

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