Victory, Conquest — Verse 22

And if those who disbelieve had fought you at al-Hudaybiyya they would have turned their backs to flee — then they would not have found any protector to guard them or helper.

Good News of abundant Spoils of War Mujahid said that Allah's statement, وَعَدَكُمُ اللَّهُ مَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَةً تَأْخُذُونَهَا (Allah has promised you abundant spoils that you will capture,) refers to the spoils that Muslims earned up until this time, while, فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَـذِهِ (and He has hastened for you this,) means, the conquest of Khaybar. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَـذِهِ (and He has hastened for you this,) means, "The peace treaty of Al-Hudaybiyyah." Allah said, وَكَفَّ أَيْدِىَ النَّاسِ عَنْكُمْ (and He has restrained the hands of men from you,) meaning, `no harm that your enemies had planned against you, both fighting and warfare, touched you. Allah also restrained the hands of men, whom you left behind close to your families and children, from harming them,' وَلِتَكُونَ ءَايَةً لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (that it may be a sign for the believers,) with which they take heed and understand. Verily, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored shall help and protect the believers against all enemies, even though the believers are few in number. By doing so, the believers will come to know that Allah is truly the Knower of the consequences of all matters and that the best decisions are those which He prefers for His believing servants, even though these decisions might look unfavorable outwardly, وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ (It may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you) (2:216). Allah said, وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ صِرَطاً مُّسْتَقِيماً (and that He may guide you to the straight path) on account of your obeying His commands and adhering by His orders by following the path of His Messenger , Good News of continuous Muslim Victories until the Day of Resurrection The statement of Allah the Exalted and Most Honored, وَأُخْرَى لَمْ تَقْدِرُواْ عَلَيْهَا قَدْ أَحَاطَ اللَّهُ بِهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيراً (And other (victories) which are not yet within your power; indeed Allah encompasses them. And Allah is Ever Able to do all things.) Meaning, there are other war spoils and victories to come which are not within your grasp now. However, Allah will make them within your reach and indeed He compasses all these victories for your benefit. Surely, Allah the Exalted provides provisions and sustenance for His servants who have Taqwa, from resources they could never imagine. Scholars of Tafsir differ over the reference to other war spoils mentioned here. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said that it refers to the conquest of Khaybar. This meaning is sound according to the Ayah, فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَـذِهِ (and He has hastened for you this.) which refers to the treaty of Al-Hudaybiyyah. This is view of Ad-Dahhak, Muhammad bin Ishaq and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Qatadah said that this part of the Ayah refers to the conquest of Makkah, and this opinion was preferred by Ibn Jarir. Ibn Abi Layla and Al-Hasan Al-Basri said that it refers to victories over the Persians and the Romans, while Mujahid said that it refers to every victory and all spoils of war, until the Day of Resurrection. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented on the Ayah, وَأُخْرَى لَمْ تَقْدِرُواْ عَلَيْهَا قَدْ أَحَاطَ اللَّهُ بِهَا (And other (victories) which are not yet within your power; indeed Allah compasses them.), "They are the victories that are continuing until this day." Had Makkah's Disbelievers fought at Al-Hudaybiyyah, They would have retreated in Defeat Allah said, وَلَوْ قَـتَلَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كفَرُواْ لَوَلَّوُاْ الاٌّدْبَـرَ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُونَ وَلِيّاً وَلاَ نَصِيراً (And if those who disbelieve fight against you, they certainly would have turned their backs; then they would have found neither a protector nor a helper.) Allah the Exalted and Most Honored delivers the glad tidings to His believing servants that had the idolators fought them, Allah would have given victory to His Messenger and His faithful servants. Then, the army of the disbelievers would have been defeated and would have deserted the battlefield and fled. They would not have found any helper or supporter, because they were fighting Allah, His Messenger and His Faithful Party. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, سُنَّةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِى قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَن تَجِدَ لِسُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبْدِيلاً (That has been the way of Allah already with those who passed away before. And you will not find any change in the way of Allah.) means this is the way Allah deals with His creation. Whenever faith and disbelief meet at any distinguishing juncture, Allah gives victory to faith over disbelief, raises high truth and destroys falsehood. For instance, Allah the Exalted helped His loyal faithful supporters during the battle of Badr and they defeated His idolator enemies, even though the Muslims were few in num- ber and lightly armed, while the idolators were large in number and heavily armed. Allah the Exalted and Most Honored said, وَهُوَ الَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِن بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيراً (And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you victors over them. And Allah is Ever the All-Seer of what you do.) Allah the Exalted reminds His faithful servants of His favor when He restrained the hands of the idolators, and thereby, no harm touched the Muslims from the idolators. Allah restrained the hands of the believers and they did not fight the idolaters near Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Rather, Allah saved both parties from battle and brought forth a peace treaty that produced good results for the believers, in addition to, earning them the good end in this life and the Hereafter. We stated a Hadith from Salamah bin Al-Akwa` in which he narrated that when the Muslims brought forth those seventy idolator prisoners, they tied and paraded them before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who looked at them and said, «أَرْسِلُوهُمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ بَدْءُ الْفُجُورِ وَثِنَاه» (Release them, so that they earn the burden of starting hostilities and its infamy.) Thereafter, Allah the Exalted and Most Honored sent down this Ayah about that incident, وَهُوَ الَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم (And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your hands from them...) Imam Ahmad recor- ded that Anas bin Malik said, "On the day of Hudaybiyyah, eighty armed men from Makkah went down the valley coming from Mount At-Tan`im to ambush the Messen- ger of Allah . The Messenger invoked Allah against them, and they were taken prisoners." `Affan added, "The Messenger ﷺ pardoned them, and this Ayah was later on revealed, وَهُوَ الَّذِى كَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ عَنْهُم بِبَطْنِ مَكَّةَ مِن بَعْدِ أَنْ أَظْفَرَكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ (And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you victors over them.)" Muslim, Abu Dawud in his Sunan and At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i, in the Tafsir section of their Sunan, collected this Hadith.

وعدكم الله مغانم كثيرة تأخذونها في أوقاتها التي قدَّرها الله لكم فعجَّل لكم غنائم "خيبر"، وكفَّ أيدي الناس عنكم، فلم ينلكم سوء مما كان أعداؤكم أضمروه لكم من المحاربة والقتال، ومن أن ينالوا ممن تركتموهم وراءكم في "المدينة"، ولتكون هزيمتهم وسلامتكم وغنيمتكم علامة تعتبرون بها، وتستدلون على أن الله حافظكم وناصركم، ويرشدكم طريقا مستقيما لا اعوجاج فيه. وقد وعدكم الله غنيمة أخرى لم تقدروا عليها، الله سبحانه وتعالى قادر عليها، وهي تحت تدبيره وملكه، وقد وعدكموها، ولا بد مِن وقوع ما وعد به. وكان الله على كل شيء قديرًا لا يعجزه شيء. ولو قاتلكم كفار قريش بـ "مكة" لانهزموا عنكم وولوكم ظهورهم، كما يفعل المنهزم في القتال، ثم لا يجدون لهم من دون الله وليًا يواليهم على حربكم، ولا نصيرًا يعينهم على قتالكم.

يقول عز وجل مبشرا لعباده المؤمنين بأنه لو ناجزهم المشركون لنصر الله رسوله وعباده المؤمنين عليهم ولا نهزم جيش الكفر فارا مدبرا لا يجدون وليا ولا نصيرا لأنهم محاربون لله ولرسوله ولحزبه المؤمنين.

ثم بشرهم - رابعا - بأنهم هم المنصورون لأن سنته قد اقتضت ذلك ، فقال : ( وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الذين كفَرُواْ لَوَلَّوُاْ الأدبار . . . ) وتولية الأدبار كناية عن الهزيمة ، لأن المنهزم يعطى ظهره لمن انتصر عليه . أى : ولو قاتلكم الذين كفروا وأنتم على تلك الحالة من قوة الإِيمان ، وصدق العهد ، وإخلاص النية ، وحسن الاستعداد ، ومباشرة الأسباب . لولوا الأدبار أمامكم ( ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُونَ وَلِيّاً ) يعينهم ( وَلاَ نَصِيراً ) لنصرهم .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوَلَّوُا الأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّا وَلا نَصِيرًا (22)يقول تعالى ذكره للمؤمنين به من أهل بيعة الرضوان: ( وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ) بالله أيها المؤمنون بمكة ( لَوَلَّوُا الأدْبَارَ ) يقول: لانهزموا عنكم, فولوكم أعجازهم, وكذلك يفعل المنهزم من قرنه في الحرب ( ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّا وَلا نَصِيرًا ) يقول: ثم لا يجد هؤلاء الكفار المنهزمون عنكم, المولوكم الأدبار, وليا يواليهم على حربكم, ولا نصيرا ينصرهم عليكم, لأن الله تعالى ذكره معكم, ولن يغلب حزب الله ناصره.وبنحو الذي قلنا في ذلك قال أهل التأويل.* ذكر من قال ذلك:حدثنا بشر, قال: ثنا يزيد, قال: ثنا سعيد, عن قتادة قوله ( وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوَلَّوُا الأدْبَارَ ) يعني كفار قريش, قال الله ( ثم لا يجدون وليا ولا نصيرا ) ينصرهم من الله.

( ولو قاتلكم الذين كفروا ) يعني : أسدا ، وغطفان ، وأهل خيبر ، ( لولوا الأدبار ) [ لانهزموا ] ( ثم لا يجدون وليا ولا نصيرا ) .

وَلَوْ قَاتَلَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوَلَّوُا الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا (22(هذا عطف على قوله : { وكف أيدي الناس عنكم } [ الفتح : 20 ] على أن بعضه متعلق بالمعطوف عليه ، وبعضه معطوف على المعطوف عليه فما بينهما ليس من الاعتراض .والمقصود من هذا العطف التنبيه على أن كف أيدي الناس عنهم نعمة على المسلمين باستبقاء قوتهم وعدتهم ونشاطهم . وليس الكف لدفع غلبة المشركين إياهم لأن الله قدَّر للمسلمين عاقبة النصر فلو قاتلهم الذين كفروا لهزمهم المسلمون ولم يجدوا نصيراً ، أي لم ينتصروا بجمعهم ولا بمن يعينهم .والمراد بالذين كفروا ما أريد بالناس في قوله : { وكف أيدي الناس عنكم } . وكان مقتضى الظاهر الإتيان بضمير الناس بأن يقال : ولو قاتلوكم ، فعدل عنه إلى الاسم الظاهر لما في الصلة من الإيماء إلى وجه بناء الخبر وهو أن الكفر هو سبب تولية الإدبار في قتالهم للمسلمين تمهيداً لقوله : { سنة اللَّه التي قد خلت من قبل } .و { الأدبار } منصوب على أنه مفعول ثان لِ { وَلَّوا } ومفعوله الأول محذوف لدلالة ضمير { قاتلكم الذين كفروا } عليه . والتقدير : لولوكم الأدبار .وأل للعهد ، أي أدبارهم ، ولذلك يقول كثير من النحاة إن أل في مثله عوض عن المضاف إليه وهو تعويض معنوي .والتولية : جعل الشيء والياً ، أي لجعلوا ظهورهم تَليكم ، أي ارتدوا إلى ورائهم فصُرتم وراءهم .و { ثم } للتراخي الرتبي فإن عدم وجدان الولي والنصير أشد على المنهزم من انهزامه لأن حين ينهزم قد يكون له أمل بأن يستنصر من ينجده فيكُرّ بِهِ على الذين هزموه فإذا لم يجد ولياً ولا نصيراً تحقق أنه غير منتصر وأصل الكلام لولوا الأدبار وما وجدوا ولياً ولا نصيراً .والولي : المُوالي والصديق ، وهو أعم من النصير إذ قد يكون الوَلي غير قادر على إيواء وليه وإسعافه .

هذه بشارة من الله لعباده المؤمنين، بنصرهم على أعدائهم الكافرين، وأنهم لو قابلوهم وقاتلوهم { لَوَلَّوُا الْأَدْبَارَ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُونَ وَلِيًّا } يتولى أمرهم، { وَلَا نَصِيرًا } ينصرهم ويعينهم على قتالكم، بل هم مخذولون مغلوبون.

قوله تعالى : ولو قاتلكم الذين كفروا لولوا الأدبار قال قتادة : يعني كفار قريش في الحديبية . وقيل : ولو قاتلكم غطفان وأسد والذين أرادوا نصرة أهل خيبر ، لكانت الدائرة عليهم . ثم لا يجدون وليا ولا نصيرا

It was the law of God that when the Prophet’s initial addressees refused to answer his call, He destroyed them. On the occasion of Hudaybiyyah the Quraysh’s refusal had finally been made known. Under these circumstances, had things reached the stage of battle, the angels of God would have come down to strengthen the Muslims so that they might defeat their enemies. But, with regard to the polytheists, it was God’s intention that they should not be destroyed so that their extraordinary human talents could be utilized for the purposes of Islam. Therefore, Almighty God guided his Prophet towards the No-War Pact.

وَعَدَكُمُ اللَّـهُ مَغَانِمَ كَثِيرَ‌ةً تَأْخُذُونَهَا فَعَجَّلَ لَكُمْ هَـٰ وَأُخْرَ‌ىٰ لَمْ تَقْدِرُ‌وا عَلَيْهَا قَدْ أَحَاطَ اللَّـهُ بِهَا (And (there are) other (victories) that have not come within your power as yet, (but) Allah has encompassed them...." (48:21). This verse embodies a prophecy that Muslims will achieve many more great victories after the victory of Khaibar. But Allah says that they were unable to achieve them at that time; they would happen in future. Among these victories, Makkah was the first one to be achieved. Therefore, some scholars refer this to the victory of Makkah. However, the wordings are general and refer to all the victories that will be achieved till the end of the world (Mazhari).

(And if those who disbelieve) Asad, Ghatafan along with Khaybar (join battle with you they will take to flight) defeated, (and afterward they will find no protecting friend) to prevent you from killing them (nor helper) who can prevent their killing and defeat.