Of Surah Al-Fath, revealed after the truce of Al-Hudaybiyah, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Tonight a surah has been revealed to me that is dearer to me than everything on which the sun rises”, for it announces forgiveness and victory. He recited it to Umar, who asked: “Is it a victory?” – “Yes.” Later he recited it on his mount on the day of the conquest of Mecca.
Revealed to the Prophet ﷺ on his return from Al-Hudaybiyah, while his Companions were saddened, he said: “Tonight a surah has been revealed to me that is dearer to me than everything on which the sun rises”, for it announces forgiveness and victory.
Authentic (sahih)Al-Bukhari (4177, 4833, 5012) and At-Tirmidhi (3262) Authentic (sahih)Muslim (1786), At-Tirmidhi (3263) and Ibn Hibban
Many Companions disliked the truce of Al-Hudaybiyah; the surah was revealed and the Prophet ﷺ recited it to Umar to the end. “Is it a victory?” – “Yes.” Umar was calmed and the Companions were reassured of Allah’s help.
The Prophet ﷺ recited Al-Fath on his mount on the day of the conquest of Mecca, in a gentle, modulated voice: reciting the Qur’an on one’s mount is a sunnah, and such modulation beautifies the recitation and is not singing.
Authentic (sahih)Al-Bukhari (4835, 5047), Muslim (794) and Abu Dawud (1467)
It is one of the Mathani given to the Prophet ﷺ in place of the Gospel, according to the hadith of Wathilah ibn al-Asqa’: “… and the Mathani in place of the Gospel.”
According to Al-Biqa’i, one of its wonders is that it has twenty-nine verses and its last verse, “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah…”, contains all twenty-nine letters of the alphabet, which is found elsewhere only in one verse near the end of Ali ’Imran.
Arabic text, translation, reference and authenticity grade of each hadith.
لقد أنزلت علي الليلة سورة لهي أحب إلي مما طلعت عليه الشمس، ثم قرأ ﴿إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا﴾
Tonight a surah has been revealed to me that is dearer to me than everything on which the sun rises. Then he recited: “Indeed, We have given you a clear victory.”
لما نزلت: ﴿إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُبِينًا (1) لِيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّهُ﴾ إلى قوله: ﴿فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا﴾ مرجعه من الحديبية، وهم يخالطهم الحزن والكآبة، وقد نحر الهدي بالحديبية فقال: لقد أنزلت علي آية هي أحب إلي من الدنيا جميعًا
When “Indeed, We have given you a clear victory, that Allah may forgive you…” up to “… a great success” was revealed, on the return from Al-Hudaybiyah, while the Companions were overcome by grief and dejection and the Prophet ﷺ had sacrificed the offerings at Al-Hudaybiyah, he said: “A passage has been revealed to me that is dearer to me than the whole world.”
فنزلت سورة الفتح، فقرأها رسول الله ﷺ على عمر إلى آخرها فقال عمر: يا رسول الله أو فتح هو؟ قال: نعم
Then Surah Al-Fath was revealed, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited it to Umar to the end. Umar said: “O Messenger of Allah, is it then a victory?” He said: “Yes.”
رأيت رسول الله ﷺ يوم فتح مكة وهو يقرأ على راحلته سورة الفتح
I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, on the day of the conquest of Mecca, reciting Surah Al-Fath on his mount.
Main purpose: To give the Prophet and the believers glad tidings of victory and firm establishment.
Al-Fath is the 48th surah in the order of the Qur’an, revealed after As-Saf and before At-Tawbah; it has twenty-nine verses. It is Medinan in the usual sense (revealed after the Hijrah), although it came down at Kura’ al-Ghamim, between Mecca and Medina, concerning Al-Hudaybiyah. No other name is known for it; it is named after its account of the conquest of Mecca granted to the Prophet ﷺ and the believers.
The full Arabic text: introduction, virtues, themes, and a study of the chain and authenticity of each hadith.
