هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُۥ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ ٱلْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلدِّينِ كُلِّهِۦ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْمُشْرِكُونَ 33
Translations
It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they who associate others with Allāh dislike it.
Transliteration
Huwa alladhī arsala rasūlahu bil-hudā wa-dīni al-haqqi li-yuẓhirah `alā ad-dīni kullihi wa-law kariha al-mushrikūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth in order to manifest it over all other religions, regardless of the disbelievers' rejection. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain this as Allah's promise that Islam will ultimately prevail and become dominant, not through the numerical superiority of Muslims but through divine will and the strength of truth. This ayah provides reassurance to the early Muslim community facing opposition, affirming that Allah's religion will ultimately triumph over all falsehood and competing belief systems.
Revelation Context
Revealed in Madinah during a period when the Muslim community faced significant military and ideological opposition from polytheists and hypocrites. The broader context of Surah At-Tawbah addresses the struggles of the early Islamic state and reaffirms Allah's promise of victory and the ultimate supremacy of Islam despite contemporary challenges.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'This religion will continue to spread and will reach every house, whether in cities or deserts, and Allah will elevate some people through it and humiliate others.' (Musnad Ahmad). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized that Islam would spread to the furthest corners of the earth (various hadith collections).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that ultimate victory belongs to Allah's truth and His religion, not to material power or numbers, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite opposition. For modern readers, it reinforces trust in divine justice and the eventual triumph of truth, providing spiritual resilience when facing worldly challenges or societal pressures against Islamic values.