This is a Madani surah, giving the Prophet ﷺ glad tidings of the conquest of Makkah. The victory which strengthened the Muslims, and enabled Islam to spread amongst the Arab lands. This victory was unimaginable less than a decade before, when the Muslims were weak, boycotted by the polytheists, the majority of its followers being slaves and from the poor. Truly Allah speaks the truth when he says indeed the assistance and succour of Allah is near[1].
This surah was also an indication that the death of the Prophet ﷺ was near. For this reason, this surah is also named al-Tawdee’ (The farewell). Ibn Umar mentions[2] that this surah was revealed in Mina during the farewell pilgrimage, and thereafter the last verse of the Quran[3] was revealed. The Prophet ﷺ lived for 80 days after this.
With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful.
إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ – 110:1
[110:1] (O Prophet,) When there comes Allah‘s help and the Victory, an address to the Prophet ﷺ reminding him of the blessing of Allah. Meaning; when Allah helped you, O Muhammad, against your enemies, and He gave you victory over Makkah.
Some mufassirun have mentioned that the information regarding the conquest of Makkah occurred before it had taken place, and this is from one of the signs of prophethood.
وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا – 110:2
[110:2] and you see people entering Allah‘s (approved) religion in multitudes, and you see the Arabs entering Islam in multitudes, one after another, without any war or bloodshed.
After the conquest of Makkah, droves of Arabs started entering Islam, in their multitudes. Ibn Kathir mentions that the Arabs were waiting for the conquest of Makkah. They said that if the Prophet ﷺ can triumph over his people then surely he is a prophet. Therefore, when Makkah was conquered, the Arabs entered Islam in their multitudes, such that in two years the whole of the Arab lands had become Muslim, and there was not a tribe left except that most were Muslims.
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا – 110:3
[110:3] then pronounce the purity and praise of your Lord, and seek forgiveness from Him. Surely, He is Ever-Relenting. So, pronounce the purity of your Lord, the Great, and pronounce the praises of your Lord. And give thanks to your Lord for your victory over your enemies, and for the conquest of Makkah. And seek forgiveness from Him, for yourself and for your ummah. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving to His slaves, the believers. Indeed, His mercy has no bounds.
[1]Quran 2:214
[2]Tafseer Qurtubi
[3]Quran 5:3
