As-Saff 61:9 · The Ranks · Arabic, translation, recitation

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to show that it is above all [other] religions, even though the idolaters hate it."

Pickthall (classic)+

"He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it conqueror of all religion however much idolaters may be averse."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"It is He Who has sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

The Most Unjust among all People

Allah said,

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُوَ يُدْعَى إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ

(And who does more wrong than the one who invents a lie against Allah, while he is being invited to Islam) meaning, none is more unjust than he who lies about Allah and calls upon rivals and associates partners with Him, even while he is being invited to Tawhid and sincerely worshipping Him. This is why Allah said,

وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ

(And Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.) Allah said,

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُواْ نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ

(They intend to put out the Light of Allah with their mouths.) indicating that the disbelievers will try to contradict the truth with falsehood. Their attempts are similar to one's attempt to extinguish the sun with his mouth, which is impossible. Likewise is the case of their attempt to extinguish truth. So Allah said,

يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُواْ نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَـفِرُونَ - هُوَ الَّذِى أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ

(But Allah will bring His Light to perfection even though the disbelievers hate (it). He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it victorious over all (other) religions even though the idolators hate (it).) We explained the meanings of similar Ayat before, in the Tafsir of Surah Bara'ah. All praise and thanks are due to Allah.

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Всевышний упомянул о той причине, по которой ислам непременно одержит победу на земле. Она заключается в том, что Пророк Мухаммад, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует, принес человечеству руководство к прямому пути и истинную религию. Его миссия состояла в обучении людей полезному знанию и праведным деяниям. Именно это знание ведет людей к Аллаху и Райской обители, побуждает их творить добро и облагораживать свой нрав и помогает им обрести успех как при жизни на земле, так и после смерти. Его религия проповедует поклонение одному Господу миров. Его учение лишено недостатков и пороков, его предписания суть пища для души и умиротворение для тела, а соблюдение его запретов - залог благополучия и непорочности. Божье руководство и истинная религия являются величайшим доказательством правдивости Пророка Мухаммада, да благословит его Аллах и приветствует. Это доказательство будет существовать, пока существует этот мир, и чем больше благоразумный человек будет размышлять над жизнью, тем сильнее он будет убеждаться в его безупречности. А ниспослано оно для того, чтобы превознести ислам над всеми остальными вероучениями благодаря мудрости его свидетельств и неопровержимости его доказательств и чтобы даровать победу его приверженцам благодаря мощи их мечей и острию их копий. Сам по себе ислам во все времена останется непревзойденным. Всякий, кто станет бороться против него либо враждовать с ним, непременно будет повержен. Триумф и господство всегда будут сопутствовать исламу. Что же касается его приверженцев, то если они будут верны его заповедям, будут озарять свой путь его светом и будут руководствоваться его наставлениями как в духовных, так и в мирских делах, то ни одна душа не сможет сломить их и успех всегда будет сопутствовать им. Если же они будут пренебрегать его заповедями и ограничатся лишь тем, что просто нарекут себя мусульманами, то это ничем не поможет им. А по причине того, что они предали забвению завет с Аллахом, их враги станут править над ними. Это известно каждому, кто изучал и анализировал положение мусульман в прошлом и в настоящем.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الَّذِينَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ صَفًّا كَأَنَّهُم بُنْيَانٌ مَّرْ‌صُوصٌ (Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way in firm rows, as if they were a solid edifice...61:4) The main subject of this Surah for which it was revealed is to mention the dearest action in the sight of Allah. This verse states that it is jihad in Allah's way, and that the best row of battle in the sight of Allah is the one firmly established against Allah's enemies to make Allah's word prevail, and which, on account of the valor and unshaken determination of Mujahidin, looks like a strong structure cemented with molten lead.

This is followed by a description of the Jihads which Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) fought in Allah's Cause, and how they suffered at the hands of the enemies. After this description, the Muslims are directed to undertake jihad. The stories of Prophets Musa and ` Isa (علیہما السلام) have many academic and practical lessons and guidance to offer. For instance, it is described in the story of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) that when he invited the Children of Israel to accept his prophethood and obey him, he mentioned two things in particular. First, he said that he was not a unique Prophet who came with unique teachings. In fact, his teachings were the same as those of the previous prophets. They are mentioned in the earlier celestial scriptures, and the same teachings will be imparted later by the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . From among the earlier Scriptures, Torah is specially mentioned in this context, probably because that was the latest Scripture that was revealed to the Children of Israel. Otherwise belief in the Prophets embraces all the previous Scriptures of Allah. This also points out that the Shari’ ah of ` Isa (علیہ السلام) was, though an independent Shari’ ah, its most rules conformed to the sacred laws of Musa (علیہ السلام) and the Torah. Only a few laws had been changed. This theme covered the subject of belief in the previous Prophets and their Books.

The second thing ` Isa (علیہ السلام) mentioned in particular was the good news of the advent of the Final Messenger ﷺ . This too points out that his teachings will also be the same as those of the previous Prophets (علیہم السلام) ، and therefore it is the demand of reason and honesty to believe in him.

Prophet ` Isa (علیہ السلام) foretold the Children of Israel that a Final Messenger ﷺ will come after him by the name of Ahmad. When he appears, it would be obligatory for them to embrace faith in him and obey him مُبَشِّرً‌ا بِرَ‌سُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ (…and giving you the good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad."...6) The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ is given here as Ahmad. The name of the Final Messenger ﷺ was Muhammad and Ahmad. He had some other names as well. However, the name given in Injil is Ahmad rather than Muhammad, perhaps because Muhammad was a common name in Arabia since time immemorial. There was a possibility that the people might take the reference to some other person, rather than the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ . The name Ahmad, on the other hand, was an uncommon name in Arabia, and was exclusive to the Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ .

Prophecy of The Final Messenger of Allah ﷺ in Injil

It is a known fact that the previously revealed Divine scriptures have been changed and distorted. The Jews and the Christians themselves had to admit that Torah and Injil have been subjected to changes and distortion. As a matter of fact, the distortions made in these scriptures are so drastic that it is hardly possible to make out the original texts of the scriptures. Based on the distorted version of Injil, the Christians today challenge the correctness of the Qur'anic version of the prophecy, asserting that no prophecy in the name of Ahmad is found in the Injil. An elaborate response to Christian challenge has been prepared by Maulana Rahmatullah Kairanwi (رح) . The name of his book is Izhar-ul -Haqq. He has thoroughly analyzed Christianity and changes made in the Bible. He concludes that despite drastic changes in the present Biblical version the prophecy about the Prophet Ahmad ﷺ is still available.

This book was originally written in Arabic, later its translations appeared in Turkish and English. Christian missionaries attempted their utmost to destroy it. Its Urdu translation was not available until recently. A little while back, Maulana Akbar ` Ali, a lecturer at Darul Uloom Karachi, translated it into Urdu, with in-depth research into current versions of the Bible by Maulana Muhammad Taqi, lecturer at Darul Uloom, and published in three volumes. Volume [ 3] from pages 182 to 362 elaborates on the prophecies pertaining to the Holy Prophet ﷺ with reference to the currently published Bibles, and rebuts their doubts and allays their suspicions.