Reflection on the last verse in Surah al-Fath

Assalamualaikum,

Today, the khatib wanted all of us to reflect on a verse from Al-Quran.

A verse from the holy book holds many lessons for us. All it needs is the heart of a person opens its ears to it, heeds it, reflects upon it, thinks about it, in a practical sense what it means to that person, man or woman or even a child, in the context of their lives.

Allah (s.w.t ) tells us and continues to tell us in the last verse of Surah al-Fath, about the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and the companions.

(Copied from www.quranexplorer.com)

مُّحَمَّدٌ۬ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ مَعَهُ ۥۤ أَشِدَّآءُ عَلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِ رُحَمَآءُ بَيۡنَہُمۡ‌ۖ تَرَٮٰهُمۡ رُكَّعً۬ا سُجَّدً۬ا يَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلاً۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَٲنً۬ا‌ۖ سِيمَاهُمۡ فِى وُجُوهِهِم مِّنۡ أَثَرِ ٱلسُّجُودِ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكَ مَثَلُهُمۡ فِى ٱلتَّوۡرَٮٰةِ‌ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡإِنجِيلِ كَزَرۡعٍ أَخۡرَجَ شَطۡـَٔهُ ۥ فَـَٔازَرَهُ ۥ فَٱسۡتَغۡلَظَ فَٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِۦ يُعۡجِبُ ٱلزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِہِمُ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ‌ۗ وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ مِنۡہُم
Al-Fath, Verse 29;
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Thou (O Muhammad) seest them bowing and falling prostrate (in worship), seeking bounty from Allah and (His) acceptance. The mark of them is on their foreheads from the traces of prostration. Such is their likeness in the Torah and their likeness in the Gospel - like as sown corn that sendeth forth its shoot and strengtheneth it and riseth firm upon its stalk, delighting the sowers - that He may enrage the disbelievers with (the sight of) them. Allah hath promised, unto such of them as believe and do good works, forgiveness and immense reward. (29)

For the benefit of my Malay readers, I complement the translation with a Malay translation;

"(Nabi Muhammad (s.a.w) ialah Rasul Allah dan orang-orang yang bersama dengannya bersikap keras dan tegas terhadap orang-orang kafir yang (memusuhi Islam) dan sebaiknya bersikap kasih sayang serta belas kasihan sesama sendiri (umat Islam). Engkau melihat mereka tetap beribadat rukuk dan sujud, dengan mengharapkan limpah kurnia (pahala) dari Tuhan mereka serta mengharapkan keredaanNya. Tanda yang menunjukkan mereka (sebagai orang-orang yang soleh) terdapat pada muka mereka dari kesan sujud (dan ibadat mereka yang ikhlas). Demikianlah sifat mereka yang tersebut di dalam Kitab Taurat dan sifat mereka di dalam Kitab Injil pula ialah: (Bahawa mereka diibaratkan) sebagai pokok tanaman yang mengeluarkan anak dan tunasnya, lalu anak dan tunasnya itu menyuburkannya, sehingga ia menjadi kuat, lalu ia tegap berdiri di atas (pangkal) batangnya dengan keadaan yang mengkagumkan orang-orang yang menanamnya. (Allah menjadikan sahabat-sahabat Nabi Muhammad s.a.w dan pengikut-pengikutnya kembang biak serta kuat gagah sedemikian itu) kerana Dia hendak menjadikan orang-orang kafir merana dengan perasaan marah dan hasad dengki dengan kembang biaknya umat Islam itu. (Dan selain itu) Allah telah menjanjikan orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh dari mereka, keampunan dan pahala yang besar. / (29) )"

In this verse, the lifestyles of the companions were mentioned. The khatib was mentioning that the currency that the companions used among themselves was not in terms of money, but the currency was the fear of Allah (taqwa). Which means, whoever has the most currency, which is taqwa) is the most successful person at the time.

To summarize their characters, they are always in ruku' and sujud to Allah, and because of that, we can see the marks on their forehead and in their good characters. Their characters are not only mentioned in the Quran, but were mentioned long time ago in the Taurah and the Injil. Indeed, these are the characters that we should strive to follow to be successful in this life and in the hereafter. As promised by Allah to the companions, anybody among us who believes in him and keeps doing good works, will get the forgiveness and rewards from Him.

But, the companions were not all hard against the disbelievers. They made peace and also merciful with the disbelievers who did not wage war with them, such as mentioned in Surat al-Mumtahina, verse 8, which related to Hudaibiyyah Treaty (this reminds me of writing a sermon about Hudaibiyyah Treaty, presented months ago, by the same khatib).

سُوۡرَةُ المُمتَحنَة
لَّا يَنۡهَٮٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُقَـٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمۡ يُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَـٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَتُقۡسِطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡہِمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ (٨)
Al-Mumtahina, Verse 8;
Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers. (8)

"(Allah tidak melarang kamu daripada berbuat baik dan berlaku adil kepada orang-orang yang tidak memerangi kamu kerana agama (kamu) dan tidak mengeluarkan kamu dari kampung halaman kamu; sesungguhnya Allah mengasihi orang-orang yang berlaku adil. (8) )"

By pondering upon the true meanings of the above verses, we should struggle to emulate and follow the lifestyles and characters of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). They are not ordinary people, their stories are told in the Quran, Taurah and Injil for us to take example on.

May Allah gives us strength to follow the companions (r.a)

Wallahu 'alam.