Overview 

(Verses 27 - 28)

The Prophet's True Vision

We have already learnt that some of the Prophet's Companions on this trip, who were delighted with his dream knowing that prophets' dreams always come true, found it hard that his dream should not be fulfilled that year, and that they would be prevented entry to the Sacred Mosque. God assured them, however, that the Prophet's dream was true and that it would be fulfilled. Not only so, but it would also herald something even larger:

God has shown the truth in His Messenger's true vision: most certainly you shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if God so wills, in full security, with your heads shaved or your hair cut short, without fear. God knew what you did not, and He granted you, besides this, a speedy victory. It is He who sent His who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so as to make it prevail over all religions. Sufficient is God as a witness. (Verse 27-28)

The first piece of good news, that the Prophet's dream of the muslims' safe entry into the Sacred Mosque and their shaving their heads or cutting their hair short as a mark of completing the duties of 'Umrah will come true, was fulfilled one year later. It was fulfilled in a much larger and more effective way two years after the signing of the al-Hudaybiyah peace treaty. Then, they marched into Makkah and it fell to Islam.

Yet the surah emphasis the good manners believers should always have. It tells them: "Most certainly you shall enter the Sacred Mosque, if God so wills. "(Verse 27) That they would enter the Sacred Mosque was absolutely certain, because God gave them the news. However, they should attach this to God's free and unrestricted will, so that this is well established in their hearts, forming the basis of their understanding of Him. The Qur'an states this truth and includes the condition of God's will at every point, even when a promise by God is mentioned. We know that God's promise will never fail, but its attachment to God's will is also necessary. This is a principle the Qur'an drives home to people so that it becomes well established in their hearts and minds.

Reports mention that at the beginning of the month of Dhu'l-Qa'dah of year 7, i.e. a year after signing the peace treaty, the prophet and those who were with him at al-Hudaybiya set out on a trip to Makkah to perform 'Umrah. He entered into the state of consecration, i.e. ihram, which is a requirement of 'Umrah, at a place called Dhu'l-Hulayfah, near Madinah. He drove before him his sacrificial animals, as he had done the year before. His companions joint him repeating phrases of talbiya, which asserted their willing submissions to God and extolled His glory. 

Muhammad ibn Maslamah went ahead with horses and arms until he arrived at Marr al-Zahran, about one day's travel, by camel, from Makkah. There he found a few men from the Quraysh who were greatly worried at what they saw. They thought that he was about to attack Makkah in violation of the peace treaty, which stipulated that there would be no war between the two sides for ten years. When the Prophet encamped at Marr al-Zahran where he could see the idols placed in the Sacred Mosque, he sent all the Muslims' arms, including bows, arrows and spears to a place called Batn Ya'juj. He then marched towards Makkah with his Companions having only their swords in their sheaths, as he had promised the people of Makkah.

The Quraysh then sent Mikraz ibn Hafs at the head of a delegation to the Prophet. They said to him: "Muhammad, we have never known you to break a promise ever since you were a young child." He asked why they were saying this. They replied: "You are trying to enter the city carrying all your arms; spears, bows and arrows." The Prophet said: "I am not going to carry arms into the city. We have sent them to Barn Ya'juj." Mikraz ibn Hafs then replied: "This is more like what we know of your faithfulness."

Many of the Quraysh nobility left Makkah and went into the surrounding mountains; this because they did not wish to look at the Muslims as they arrived at the city for worship. Indeed, the very sight infuriated them. The rest of the Makkans were either out in the streets or on rooftops looking at the Prophet and his Companions as they entered repeating their phrases that declared their submission to God. The Prophet was riding his she-camel, al-Qaswa', which he rode the previous year. His Companion, `Abdlullah ibn Rawahah, held the she-camel's rein and guided its march.

Thus the Prophet's dream came true and God's promise was fulfilled. The following year witnessed the fall of Makkah to Islam, and the divine faith came to reign in Makkah, then throughout the rest of Arabia. Then God's other promise and the other piece of good news were fulfilled: "it is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so as to make it prevail over all religions. Sufficient is God as a witness." (Verse 28) The religion of truth prevailed, and not only in the Arabian Peninsula. Within half a century it prevailed across much of the inhabited parts of the earth. It subdued the entire Persian Empire and took over much of the Byzantine Empire. It marched as far as India and China before moving into Malaysia, southern Asia and Indonesia. In the sixth and seventh centuries, these areas constituted most of the then known world.

This true religion continues to prevail over all religions, even after its political retreat from much of the areas it moved into, particularly in Europe and the major islands in the Mediterranean. It prevails even though the power of its people is very weak compared to the new powers that have recently emerged in the East and the West. Indeed, as a religion, Islam prevails over all else. It carries within itself and in its nature the elements of its strength. It moves forward, supported by neither sword nor gun drawn by its people. Its advance is due only to its inherent harmony with human nature and the natural laws of the universe, and to the fact that it satisfies, with perfect ease, the requirements of mind and soul, progress and civilisation, regardless of whether people live in tents or in skyscrapers.

Any religious person who looks objectively at Islam is bound to recognise the soundness and inherent strength of this religion. Nor can they help but recognise its ability to lead humanity with wisdom and to answer its progressive needs in an easy and straightforward way: "Sufficient is God as a witness." (Verse 28)

We see, then, that God's promise was fulfilled in the immediate, political form, before one century had elapsed after the Prophet's mission. God's promise continues to be fulfilled in its substantive form, as Islam prevails over all other religions. in fact, it is the only religion that continues to act and lead in all situations. Perhaps only the Muslims do not understand this truth. Other people know it and take it into account as they draw up their policies and programmes.