Nasr, which means “victory” or “help,” and is also known as “surat Fath,” relates to the Muslim conquest of Makkah. Surat at Tawdiyah – the farewell surah – is another name for it. Surah Nasr was revealed after the migration to Madinah and is the 110th chapter of the Quran with three verses. This Surah was revealed at Medina after the migration of the Prophet (S) from Mecca to Medina.
Names of the Surah
- al-Naṣr is the most popular name and this is what you will find in the Qurānic codices today
- al-Fatḥ, in which case it has the same meaning as the other chapter alFatḥ which was revealed at the time of the treaty of Hudaybīyyah. However, this name is very rarely mentioned.
- Surah al-Tawdī’ (the farewell), and this meaning is derived from a narration which speaks of the end of the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) life.
The reason behind the revelation
Allah informed His Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam in Surah Nasr that Islam had triumphed completely in Arabia. People have begun to convert in large numbers to Islam, indicating that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam’s goal for which he was sent to the world has been fulfilled.
The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam was then instructed to praise Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, by Whose kindness he had been able to perform such an amazing duty, in Surah Al Nasr. He should beg Him to forgive him for any shortcomings he may have displayed during the service.
Consider for a moment what would have happened if an ordinary leader had brought about a revolution in his lifetime, which had been the central goal of his battle. On the contrary, we find something exactly the opposite in the case of Prophet Muhammad. He spent 23 years transforming the beliefs, customs, morals, economy, politics, and other aspects of the lives of ignorant Arabs. He was, however, urged to glorify Allah and plead for His pardon after completing his work. Muhammad, Sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam, meekly bowed to Allah’s mandate.
The following hadith reveals another aspect of interpreting the Surah Nasr’s cause of Revelation:
“After ALLAH revealed this Surah, the Messenger of Allah Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) summoned his daughter Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her,” stated Imam Al-Bayhaqi Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him. “It signifies my death,” he told her. Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, began to cry at this point, but she later laughed when the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), remarked, “Have patience, my daughter; you are the first of my family to join me in the hereafter.”
Sahih Al-Bukhari.
Ayah 1
The Surah begins by Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala stating,
إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ
“When comes the Help of Allah and the victory.”
When you dig into Surah Nasr in English, فَتْحُ means Victory. Victory here does not imply in any one particular campaign, but the decisive Victory, after which there remained no absolute power in the land to resist and oppose Islam. It had become evident that Islam alone would hold sway in Arabia.
Ayah 2
In Ayah 2, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says,
وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا
“And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah into multitudes.”
Surah Nasr meaning and explanation signifies that after Muslims attained Victory in Arabia, Islam became the land’s religion. People were entering into Islam, not in small numbers, but large crowds were coming to this new religion. They were accepting Islam without any force or pressure. They decided to accept Allah’s Deen at their own free will,
According to records, this occurrence happened toward the start of A.H. 9. That’s why we call that year the time of delegations. Delegations from all aspects of Arabia began preceding the Messenger sallAllahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam. It was a practice of making the vow of devotion to him until he went for the Farewell Pilgrimage to Makkah. This event took place during A.H. 10. The whole of Arabia had gotten Muslim, and not a solitary polytheist remained anyplace in the nation.
Ayah 3
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala ends this Surah by stating,
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا
“Then glorify with the praises of your Lord and ask His forgiveness. Indeed, He is Oft-Returning.”
According to Surah Nasr in English commentators, means praising Allah Almighty as well as thanking Him. Similarly, tasbeeh implies to see Allah as flawless and devoid of any flaws.
Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala directed His Messenger salAllahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam to do hamd and tasbeeh of his Lord when the Muslims conquered Arabia and vast populations began to convert to Islam. ALLAH instructed him to do so so that this Victory would not deceive him.
ALLAH reminded him that this victory was the result of His Rabb’s favor and mercy, not his own efforts. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala instructed him to remember and acknowledge him with all of his heart and speech. He should thank ALLAH and express thanks for the victory. It is only Allah’s property. His heart should be full of assurance that the success of his effort and battle was contingent on Allah’s help and assistance. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala could choose any of His slaves to do this task. As a result, his favor was that He had accepted this service from Muhammad salAllahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam and used it to help the religion of Islam succeed. Surah Al Nasr clearly defines the kind of etiquette that Islam teaches its followers to follow suit. A person may have rendered the utmost possible service to Allah’s faith, making several sacrifices in His name, and exerting oneself to the fullest extent feasible. He should never, however, believe that his efforts were the exclusive source of his achievements.
The Benefits and Virtues of Reciting Surah Nasr
Some of the advantages of reciting Surah Nasr are as follows:
– One shall obtain the reward of one of those who fought and were martyred alongside Prophet Muhammad at the capture of Mecca.
– By offering a four-unit prayer in which surah Nasr is recited 10 times after surah Fatiha, God will keep the fire of hell from that person’s flesh, and for each recited ayah, that person will earn the prize of ten martyrs from the Battle of Badr, as well as the reward of religious scholars.
– One’s prayer will be heard, and one will triumph over one’s adversaries.
Lessons of Surah Nasr
The Quran is a miracle in that the revelation of this surah foreshadows future events such as the Muslims’ victory and conquest of Mecca with God’s help.
As stated in Surah Ahzab 8, the Prophet of Islam is the role model for all Muslims, and Muslims should do everything God orders them to do, such as glorifying Him and seeking forgiveness from Him.
Glorifying God and seeking forgiveness from Him is not only for sinners, but also for infallible like the Prophet.
