وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَنَّ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ فَضْلًا كَبِيرًا 47
Translations
And give good tidings to the believers that they will have from Allāh great bounty.
Transliteration
Wa bashshiri al-mu'minīna bi-anna lahum min Allāhi fadlan kabīrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to give glad tidings to the believers that they have received a great favor and grace from Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as referring to the spiritual blessings, guidance, and divine assistance granted to those who believe in Allah and His messenger, particularly in the context of the Battle of the Confederates (Ahzab) where believers demonstrated steadfast faith despite overwhelming adversity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Ahzab, which was revealed during the Medinan period following the Battle of the Confederates (Battle of Khandaq) around 5 AH. The surah addresses the trials faced by the believers when multiple Arabian tribes allied against Medina, and this particular ayah serves to encourage and console the believers by reminding them of Allah's great blessings upon them despite their hardships.
Related Hadiths
The concept of divine favor upon believers is reinforced in the hadith: 'The greatest blessing after Islam is knowledge' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet said, 'None of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,' demonstrates the communal aspect of the favors Allah grants believers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that despite worldly hardships and challenges, Allah's favor encompasses them in both visible and invisible ways—encouraging steadfastness in faith and trust in divine wisdom. Modern readers should recognize that trials often precede greater blessings, and that maintaining belief during adversity is itself a sign of receiving Allah's great grace.