Tafseer of The Victory · Al-Fath · 48:4
It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith. And to Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allah Knowing and Wise.
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.
The explanation of the words of the Exalted: هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِيمَانًا مَعَ إِيمَانِهِمْ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا (4) (He it is who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers, that they might increase in faith (īmān) added to their faith. And to Allah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (4))
He, whose renown is exalted, means by His words ( هُوَ الَّذِي أَنـزلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ) He it is who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers: Allah sent down calm and serenity of soul into the hearts of those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, directed toward faith (īmān) and toward the truth with which Allah has sent you, O Muḥammad. The mention of the disagreement of the exegetes concerning the meaning of the "sakīna" (tranquillity) has already been given previously, as well as the correct judgement concerning it, with the supporting evidence that makes it unnecessary to repeat that here.
( لِيَزْدَادُوا إِيمَانًا مَعَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ) that they might increase in faith added to their faith — He says: that they might increase through their affirmation of that which Allah has newly instituted of obligations (farāʾiḍ) which He has imposed upon them and which were not formerly obligatory upon them — (faith added to their faith) — He says: that they might increase, on top of their faith, with the obligations that were already obligatory upon them before that time.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes have spoken.
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAlī related to me, he said: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, he said: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning His words ( هُوَ الَّذِي أَنـزلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ): he said: the sakīna is mercy. ( لِيَزْدَادُوا إِيمَانًا مَعَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ): he said: indeed, Allah — exalted be His praise — sent His prophet Muḥammad — Allah's peace and blessings be upon him — with the testimony that there is no god but Allah. When they believed in that, He added for them the prayer (ṣalāh); when they believed in that, He added for them the fasting (ṣawm); when they believed in that, He added for them the alms (zakāh); when they believed in that, He added for them the pilgrimage (ḥajj). Then He perfected for them their religion and said: الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي (This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you). Ibn ʿAbbās said: the firmest faith of the inhabitants of the earth and the inhabitants of the heavens, the truest and the most complete of it, is the testimony that there is no god but Allah.
His words ( وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ ) and to Allah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth — the Exalted, whose renown is great, says: and to Allah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth, helpers through whom He takes vengeance upon whomever He wills of His enemies. ( وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ) and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise — the Exalted, whose renown is great, says: and Allah has at all times had knowledge of that which exists, before it existed, and of that which His creatures would do, and He is wise in His governance.
