The Vision Fulfilled, and Those Who Are With Him

Certainly Allah has shown His Messenger the vision in truth: you will surely enter al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, if Allah wills, in safety. Remember the vision the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw, that he was making ṭawāf around al-Kaʿbah. So Allah is saying that it will happen. However, it did not happen at that particular time; but it would happen in the future, and it did. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and your hair shortened, not fearing anyone. And, subḥān Allāh, when they did make ḥajj with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), they were not fearing anyone when it happened, in Ḥajjat al-Wadāʿ, the Farewell Ḥajj.^* He knew what you did not know, and He has arranged besides that a victory near at hand.

Then Allah (swt) says: it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all religion; and sufficient is Allah as a witness. So Allah (swt) tells us that the religion of Allah (swt) that was sent through Muḥammad (peace be upon him), and the guidance that was sent with Muḥammad (peace be upon him), will prevail over all religion.

And then, in the last āyah — and this āyah is an enduring virtue of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) — Allah (swt) says: Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. Remember that the disbelievers refused to write down "Muḥammad the Messenger of Allah": they refused to testify and bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allah. So Allah revealed it in the Qurʾān: Allah has sent Muḥammad (peace be upon him) as a messenger, and Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah. And here are characteristics of the Companions. Number one, they are forceful against the disbelievers; ruḥamāʾu baynahum, and they are merciful among themselves. Unfortunately, we find that there are some Muslims who are the total opposite of this description: they are forceful against the believers, and they are very merciful towards the disbelievers.

You see them bowing and prostrating in prayer, seeking bounty from Allah and His pleasure. So one of their most prominent characteristics is their ṣalāh: look at them, and you will see that they are in sujūd or in rukūʿ. Sīmāhum fī wujūhihim min athar al-sujūd: their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. So prostration leaves a trace on the face. This is not talking about the dark mark on the forehead; it is talking about the light that shines from the face because of sujūd. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is like a plant that sends out its shoots and strengthens them, so that they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers — so that He may enrage the disbelievers by them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds forgiveness and a great reward. So the likeness of the believers in the Gospel is a plant that grows until it is firm and unbreakable, and that angers the disbelievers. These are the āyāt of Sūrat al-Fatḥ that were revealed after this great opening, Ṣulḥ al-Ḥudaybiyah. And may Allah send peace and blessings upon our master Muḥammad, and upon his family and his Companions.