Al-Fath · Madani · ayah 9 of 29

Al-Fath 48:9

لِّتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

“That you [people] may believe in Allāh and His Messenger and honor him and respect him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] and exalt Him [i.e., Allāh] morning and afternoon.”

Saheeh International

Essence

The Prophet was sent so that people would believe, stand by him, give him his weight, and glorify Allah morning and evening.

A reflection

Four answers to one sending

The previous ayah described the Messenger: a witness, a bringer of good news, a warner. This one opens with a small letter, li, meaning "so that". It gives the purpose. The sending was never an end in itself. It was aimed at a response.

One classical commentary lays the two ayat side by side and finds a pattern. Each title on his side calls for an answer on ours.

He was sent, so believe in the One who sent him and in the one sent. He is a witness that there is no god but Allah, so support that truth and strengthen it. He brings good news of Allah's honour for those who obey, so honour Allah in return. He warns, so declare Allah far above every evil, and keep clear of it yourself.

The same commentary offers a second reading. Every title calls for all four answers at once. Either way, the shape is the same. Description on one side; duty on the other.

Some ask why belief in the Messenger is joined to belief in Allah at all. Is believing in God not enough? But consider how you know anything about Allah's will. You know it because someone carried it to you, recited it, lived it and explained it. To accept the message and wave away the messenger is to keep the letter and burn the envelope with the address on it.

The pairing is also a protection. A belief in God with no messenger soon fills with our own preferences. A god we design rarely asks anything hard of us. The Messenger is where Allah's will meets real days, real meals, real quarrels and real prayers.

Read this way, the ayah turns a portrait into a reply card. Four boxes are already printed on it. The only question is which ones your life is ticking.

The full entry has 5 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.