Surah Nasr

By Rasheed M

Surah Nasr [meaning divine assistance/victory] was the last full chapter of the Qur’an to be revealed and signified that the death of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was near. In fact, when the Prophet’s uncle, Ibn ‘Abbaas, heard the surah, he began to weep for this precise reason.

​When the first verse talks of God opening ‘up your way’, this refers to a great victory for the Muslims. The second verse talks of people entering Islam not in small numbers, but in masses; most importantly, they are entering of their own free will. This is what happened when the Muslims returned to Mecca in C.630 AD. While there were many victories for the Muslims, this was the greatest. God qualifies this victory for the Muslims, by reminding them that it was only given to them by his will and grace, and that they should therefore not forget to praise him for allowing them this victory.
This Surat was not only a reminder to the Muslims at that time, but to us as well. Whenever someone succeed in their endeavours, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that they alone were the architect of their fate. However, for all the effort they put in, there are still many other factors out of their control: if any one of these were to go wrong, they may not have attained the same successful outcome.
It is fine to feel proud of the effort we put in when working towards our goals, but that must stop short of deluding ourselves and becoming arrogant. That is where the importance of praising God comes in: He has ensured that all the stars have aligned in order for us to achieve success. Indeed, God says in Surah Imran (3):
“If God is your helper, none can overcome you, and if he withdraws his help, who is there who can help you after him?”
Whenever good comes our way, it is important to humble ourselves, and praise God.