The Victory

[CVIII.]

Medina.—29 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Verily, We have won for thee an undoubted VICTORY¹— In token that God forgiveth thy earlier and later faults, and fulfilleth His goodness to thee, and guideth thee on the right way,

And that God succoureth thee with a mighty succour.

He it is who sendeth down a spirit of secure repose into the hearts of the faithful that they might add faith to their faith; (for God’s are the armies of the Heavens and of the Earth: and God is Knowing, Wise:)

And that He may bring the believing men and the believing women into gardens ’neath whose trees the rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever, and that He may cancel their evil deeds: for this is the great bliss with God:

And that He may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women, and the men and women who join other gods with God, and think evil thoughts of Him. Theirs shall be a round of evil; and God is angry with them and curseth them, and hath prepared Hell for them: and, an evil journey thither!

The armies of the Heavens and of the Earth are God’s, and God is Mighty, Wise!

Verily, we have sent thee to be a witness and a herald of good (an announcer), and a warner,

That ye may believe on God and on His Apostle; and may assist Him, and honour Him, and praise him, morning and evening.

In truth, they who plighted fealty to thee, really plighted that fealty to God: the hand of God was over their hands! Whoever, therefore, shall break his oath shall only break it to his own hurt; but whoever shall be true to his engagement with God, He will give him a great reward.

The Arabs who took not the field with you,² will say to thee,³ “We were engaged with our property and our families; therefore ask thou pardon for us.” They speak with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: And who can have any power over God in your behalf, whether he will you some loss, or whether he will you an advantage? Yes, God is acquainted with your doings.

But ye thought that the Apostle and the faithful could never more come back to their families; and your hearts were pleased at this; and ye thought an evil thought of this expedition, and ye became an undone people:

For, whoso believeth not in God, and His Apostle. … Verily, we have got ready the flame for the Infidels!

And God’s is the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth: Whom He will He forgiveth, and whom He will He punisheth: and God is Gracious, Merciful!

They who took not the field with you will say, when ye go forth to the spoil to take it, “Let us follow you.” Fain would they change the word of God.⁴ Say: Ye shall by no means follow us: thus hath God said already. They will say, “Nay, ye are jealous of us.” Nay! they are men of little understanding.

Say to those Arabs of the desert, who took not the field, ye shall be called forth against a people of mighty valour. Ye shall do battle with them, or they shall profess Islam. If ye obey, a goodly recompense will God give you; but if ye turn back, as ye turned back aforetime, He will chastise you with a sore chastisement.