وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ 56
Translations
And whoever is an ally of Allāh and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allāh - they will be the predominant.
Transliteration
Wa man yatawalla Allaha wa rasulahu wa alladhina amanu fa-inna hizba Allahi humu al-ghalibun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that whoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and the believers as allies and protectors will be among the victorious party of Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that true loyalty to Allah and His Messenger necessitates allegiance to the Muslim community, and that such allegiance guarantees ultimate triumph regardless of apparent worldly circumstances. The term 'hizb Allah' (party of Allah) denotes those who follow divine guidance and form a cohesive, obedient community.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan context where the Muslim community was establishing itself against opposition from various factions. It addresses the believers during a period when they needed reassurance of divine support and encourages them to maintain strong bonds of brotherhood and unified allegiance to Allah and the Prophet (peace be upon him), contrasting with those who sought alliances with disbelievers or hypocrites.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever' (Sahih Muslim 2586). Additionally, 'Whoever loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah has perfected his faith' (Sunan Abu Dawud 4681).
Themes
Key Lesson
True success comes not from numerical strength or worldly resources, but from steadfast allegiance to Allah and His Messenger combined with genuine solidarity with the believing community. Muslims today should prioritize their spiritual bonds and collective adherence to Islamic principles over temporary worldly gains or alliances that compromise their faith.
Related Ayahs
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَقْدِرُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ فَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Except for those who return [repenting] before you overcome [i.e., apprehend] them. And know that Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ هَلْ تَنقِمُونَ مِنَّآ إِلَّآ أَنْ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَنَّ أَكْثَرَكُمْ فَـٰسِقُونَ
Say, "O People of the Scripture, do you resent us except [for the fact] that we have believed in Allāh and what was revealed to us and what was revealed before and because most of you are defiantly disobedient?"
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْدَ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُۥ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَآءٌ مِّثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ ٱلنَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِۦ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ هَدْيًۢا بَـٰلِغَ ٱلْكَعْبَةِ أَوْ كَفَّـٰرَةٌ طَعَامُ مَسَـٰكِينَ أَوْ عَدْلُ ذَٰلِكَ صِيَامًا لِّيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِۦ ۗ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ ۚ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِنْهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ
O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of iḥrām. And whoever of you kills it intentionally - the penalty is an equivalent from sacrificial animals to what he killed, as judged by two just men among you as an offering [to Allāh] delivered to the Kaʿbah, or an expiation: the feeding of needy people or the equivalent of that in fasting, that he may taste the consequence of his matter [i.e., deed]. Allāh has pardoned what is past; but whoever returns [to violation], then Allāh will take retribution from him. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.
قَالَ ٱللَّهُ هَـٰذَا يَوْمُ يَنفَعُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ صِدْقُهُمْ ۚ لَهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٌ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا ۚ رَّضِىَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allāh will say, "This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness." For them are gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allāh being pleased with them, and they with Him. That is the great attainment.