Tafseer of Divine Support · An-Nasr · 110:3
Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
And His words فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ — that is to say: so glorify your Lord and magnify Him with His praise and thanksgiving, for what He has fulfilled for you of His promise. For at that moment you draw near to Him, and you shall taste what those before you among His messengers have tasted of death.
With what we have said concerning this, the scholars of interpretation are in agreement.
Mention of those who said this:
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥabīb, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, asked them about the words of Allah, the Exalted, إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ. They said: the conquest of cities and palaces. He said: And you, Ibn ʿAbbās, what do you say? I said: It is a parable struck for Muḥammad ﷺ; his approaching death was announced to him therein.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abī Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, kept him close to himself, and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān said: We have sons who are his equal. ʿUmar said: It is because of what you know. He asked ʿUmar about the words of Allah إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ until the end of the sūra; Ibn ʿAbbās said: His approaching death was announced to him, Allah made that known to him. ʿUmar said: I know nothing more of it than what you know.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of ʿĀṣim, on the authority of Abī Razīn, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, asked: What is it? — that is, concerning إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ. Ibn ʿAbbās said: إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ — until he reached: وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ — verily you shall die — إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا. ʿUmar said: We know nothing more of it than what you have said.
He said: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Sufyān, on the authority of ʿĀṣim, on the authority of Abī Razīn, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ knew that his approaching death was being announced to him therein, and it was said to him: إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ... until the end of the sūra.
Abū Kurayb and Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, both of whom said: Ibn Fuḍayl related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who said: When إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "My approaching death has been announced to me; it is as though I shall be taken up in that year."
Muḥammad ibn Saʿd related to me, saying: My father related to me, saying: My uncle related to me, saying: My father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his words إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ — he said: That is the moment at which his approaching death was proclaimed to him. He says: when وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا — that is to say: the people's entering Islam — that is the moment that your hour has come. فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا.
Abū al-Sāʾib and Saʿīd ibn Yaḥyā al-Umawī related to me, both of whom said: Abū Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Muslim, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say frequently before his death: "Subḥānaka Llāhumma wa-biḥamdik, astaghfiruka wa-atūbu ilayk." She said: I asked: O Messenger of Allah, what are these words that I see you saying frequently? He said: "A sign has been made for me concerning my community; when I see it, I shall say those words: إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ — until the end of the sūra."
Yaḥyā ibn Ibrāhīm al-Masʿūdī related to me, saying: My father related to me, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Muslim, on the authority of Masrūq, who said: ʿĀʾisha said: I never let the Messenger of Allah ﷺ — after this sūra إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed to him — fail to say before every prayer: "Subḥānaka Rabbanā wa-biḥamdik, Allāhumma ghfir lī."
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Ibn Numayr related to us, on the authority of al-Aʿmash, on the authority of Muslim, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, the like of it.
Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Manṣūr, on the authority of Abī al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Masrūq, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say frequently in his bowing and his prostration: "Subḥānaka Llāhumma wa-biḥamdik, Allāhumma ghfir lī" — thereby putting the Qurʾān into practice.
Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Ibn ʿUlayya related to us, on the authority of Dāwūd, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī — Dāwūd said: I think it is via Masrūq, and sometimes he said on the authority of Masrūq — on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say frequently: "Subḥāna Llāhi wa-biḥamdih, astaghfiru Llāha wa-atūbu ilayh." I said: You say this frequently. He said: "Verily, my Lord has told me that I shall see a sign in my community, and has commanded me that when I see that sign I should glorify Him with His praise and ask Him for forgiveness, for He is indeed Forgiving. And I have seen it: إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ."
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Ḥafṣ related to us, saying: ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of al-Shaʿbī, on the authority of Umm Salama, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, at the end of his life, did not stand up nor sit down, did not depart nor come, without saying: "Subḥāna Llāhi wa-biḥamdih." I asked: O Messenger of Allah, you say frequently "Subḥāna Llāhi wa-biḥamdih"; you do not go and you do not come, you do not stand up and you do not sit down, without saying: "Subḥāna Llāhi wa-biḥamdih." He said: "I have been commanded to do so." And he recited: إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ — until the end of the sūra.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Salama related to us, saying: Ibn Isḥāq related to us, on the authority of some of his companions, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār, who said: The sūra إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed in its entirety in Medina, after the conquest of Mecca and the people's entering the religion, and his approaching death was announced to him therein.
He said: Jarīr related to us, on the authority of Mughīra, on the authority of Ziyād ibn al-Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Abī al-ʿĀliya, who said: When إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed and the approaching death was announced to the Prophet ﷺ, he did not rise from a gathering he was attending before saying: "Subḥānaka Llāhumma wa-biḥamdik, ashhadu an lā ilāha illā anta, astaghfiruka wa-atūbu ilayk."
He said: Al-Ḥakam ibn Bishr related to us, saying: ʿAmr related to us, who said: When إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ used to say frequently: "Subḥānaka Llāhumma wa-biḥamdik, Rabb ighfir lī wa-tub ʿalayy, innaka anta al-tawwābu al-raḥīm."
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ — he read the entire sūra. Ibn ʿAbbās said: This sūra is a sign and a limit that Allah had set for His Prophet ﷺ, and his approaching death was announced to him therein — verily you shall live only a little after this. Qatāda said: By Allah, he lived only a short time after that — two years — and then died ﷺ.
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Mihrān related to us, on the authority of Abī Muʿādh ʿĪsā ibn Abī Yazīd, on the authority of Abī Isḥāq, on the authority of Abī ʿUbayda, on the authority of Ibn Masʿūd, who said: When إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ was revealed, he used to say frequently: "Subḥānaka Llāhumma wa-biḥamdik, Allāhumma ghfir lī, subḥānaka Rabbanā wa-biḥamdik, Allāhumma ghfir lī, innaka anta al-tawwābu al-ghafūr."
It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn, who said: I heard Abā Muʿādh saying: ʿUbayd related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk saying concerning the words of Allah إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ: This sūra was a sign of the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, saying: ʿĪsā related to us; and al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: Al-Ḥasan related to us, saying: Warqāʾ related to us — all together on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning the words of Allah وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا — he said: know that you shall then die soon.
And His words وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ — that is to say: ask Him to forgive your sins. — That is to say: He is the One who returns to His servant who has obeyed, toward what He loves. And the "h" in His words "innahu" refers to Allah, the Almighty and Exalted.
End of the interpretation of Sūrat al-Naṣr.
