Surah
Juz
The events mentioned in this surah took place after The Treaty of Hudaibiyah which signifies a shift in the state of Islam. Islām, now a powerful and organised state, expanded its influence over one-third of Arabia. The Conquest of Arabia involved sending missions for Islāmic propagation, breaking the old order of ignorance. Despite a breach of the Treaty by the Quraysh, the Prophet ﷺ swiftly invaded Makkah, conquering it in the month of Ramadan in 8 A.H. The backbone of ignorance was broken, leading to an attack on Islam in the Battle of Hunain. The defeat there paved the way for making all of Arabia 'The Abode of Islam.' The second event was the Tabuk Campaign, a response to provocations by Christians near the Roman Empire. The Prophet ﷺ, with an army of thirty thousand, marched towards the Roman Empire, but they avoided confrontation. This campaign increased Islam's power, and upon the Prophet's return, ﷺ deputations from all corners of Arabia pledged allegiance to Islam. Surah 110, "The Victory," describes this triumph. Summary of campaign of Tabuk In order to support reading this surah, we will summarise the campaign of Tabuk here but encourage reading the timeline for more detail. The Campaign to Tabuk resulted from a conflict with the Roman Empire, which started before the conquest of Makkah. After the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, a mission visited northern Arab Christian clans influenced by the Romans. The Romans killed 15 delegates, including Haritli bin Umair. The Prophet ﷺ, responding to this, sent a 3,000-strong army in 8 A.H. toward the Syrian border. Facing news of a Roman army, the small Muslim band, despite odds, faced Shurahbil's large force at M'utah, emerging victorious. This event led to the conversion of Arab clans and the Christian commander Farvah to Islam. Caesar, upset, prepared to avenge M'utah, causing concern. In 9 A.H., the Prophet ﷺ, despite challenges like famine, declared preparations for a campaign against the Roman Empire, a deviation from his usual secrecy. The stakes were high: revival of ignorance, hypocrite rebellion, and a Roman attack. True Believers, understanding the critical situation, fervently prepared for the campaign, even with financial sacrifices. Every participant realised the gravity; failure meant a potential end to Islam's progress. Uthman, Abdur Rahman, Umar, and Abu Bakr contributed significantly. Thousands volunteered, expressing a desire to sacrifice for Islam. The Prophet ﷺ, unable to arm all, felt the weight of the situation. Lagging behind in the campaign raised doubts about one's commitment to Islam. The march to Tabuk in Rajab A.H. 9 involved 30,000 fighters. The harsh conditions—limited camels, heat, and water scarcity—did not deter them. Arriving at Tabuk, they found the Romans had retreated, marking a moral victory without bloodshed. The Islamic State's boundaries extended to the Roman Empire, and former Arab allies of the Romans became Muslim allies. Tabuk's moral victory weakened those expecting the revival of ignorance, whether open polytheists or hypocrites. This forced many to embrace Islam, leaving only an impotent minority against the Islamic Revolution.
This chapter in the Quran is special because it doesn't start with the usual phrase "In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful." The reason for this is that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself didn't include it when he first spoke the Surah. So, the people who followed him, known as the Companions, also left it out, and this tradition continued. This helps show how careful everyone has been to keep the Quran exactly as it was originally revealed. This surah is divided into three parts: The first part (verses 1-37) was revealed around the 9th year after Hijrah. During Hajj, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed Ali to deliver a message to different Arab clans, sharing the new approach toward polytheists. The second part (verses 38-72) was revealed during preparations for the Tabuk Campaign, urging believers to actively participate in Jihad. The third part (verses 73-129) was revealed after the Tabuk Campaign, addressing hypocrites' wrongdoings and rebuking believers who didn't join Jihad. God forgives sincere believers who couldn't participate in the struggle for various reasons after addressing and correcting their actions. Considering the context, the Muslim community faced several challenges: 1- Transforming the entire Arabia into a fully Islamic state. 2- Expanding Islamic influence to neighbouring regions. 3- Suppressing the mischief of hypocrites. 4- Preparing Muslims for Jihad against non-Muslim entities. A clear announcement was made to terminate all treaties with polytheists, releasing Muslims from such obligations after a four-month period. This step aimed to eliminate the Shirk-based lifestyle in Arabia, ensuring it aligned exclusively with Islamic principles. A decree asserted that the guardianship of the Ka’bah, central to Arabian affairs, must be taken from polytheists and permanently entrusted to the Believers. All customs related to the era of ignorance, particularly polytheistic practices, were to be forcibly eradicated, preventing polytheists from even approaching the Ka’bah. This move aimed to cleanse the sacred site, dedicated solely to the worship of God. To extend Islamic influence beyond Arabia, Muslims were directed to engage non-Muslim powers in armed conflict, forcing them to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Islamic State. The inevitable confrontation with the Roman and Persian Empires was not to impose Islam but to prevent them from coercing their deviations onto others. The third challenge involved addressing the mischief of hypocrites, who were now openly declared as disbelievers. The Prophet ﷺ took action against places where hypocrites plotted against true believers, burning Swailim's house and demolishing the mosque (Masjid A-Dirar) built as a cover for their conspiracies. To prepare Muslims for Jihad against the non-Muslim world, it was essential to eliminate any weakness in their faith. Those who neglected their duty in the Campaign to Tabuk were severely criticised, considered hypocrites if lacking a valid excuse. A clear declaration emphasised that a Muslim's faith would be judged by their efforts for the cause of Islam. Hesitation in sacrificing life, wealth, time, and energy for Islam indicated a lack of genuine faith. Understanding these key points helps decipher the contents of this Surah.
