النصر
An-Nasr
The Victory - The Last Surah and a Hidden Farewell
Madani Surah | 3 Verses | 19 Words

Quick Facts

Surah 110 3 Verses 19 Words Madinah Last Surah Revealed Theme: Victory & Farewell

The Story Behind This Surah

Surah An-Nasr is the last complete surah revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him). It came after the conquest of Makkah, in the 10th year of Hijrah.

When Umar ibn al-Khattab asked the scholars about its meaning, the young Ibn Abbas recognized what the senior companions missed: this surah was a farewell. Allah was telling the Prophet that his mission was complete. (Bukhari 4970)

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that after this surah was revealed, the Prophet increased his saying of "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk" in every ruku and sujud. (Bukhari 4967, Muslim 484)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away approximately 80 days after this surah was revealed.

Verse-by-Verse Breakdown

Verse 1
إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ
إِذَاidhaWhen
جَاءَja'acomes
نَصْرُnasruvictory of
اللَّهِAllahiAllah
وَالْفَتْحُwal-fathuand the conquest
Verse 2
وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا
وَرَأَيْتَwa-ra'aytaand you see
النَّاسَan-nasathe people
يَدْخُلُونَyadkhulunaentering
فِيfiinto
دِينِdinireligion of
اللَّهِAllahiAllah
أَفْوَاجًاafwajain multitudes
Verse 3
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا
فَسَبِّحْfa-sabbihThen glorify
بِحَمْدِbi-hamdiwith praise of
رَبِّكَRabbikayour Lord
وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُwastaghfirhuand seek His forgiveness
إِنَّهُinnahuIndeed He
كَانَkanais always
تَوَّابًاtawwabaAccepting of repentance

Arabic Learning

Root N-S-R (help/victory): nasr, nasir, ansar, mansoor

Verb Form X: istaghfir - from the root gh-f-r (to cover/forgive). Form X adds the meaning of "seeking" the action.

Key Vocabulary Frequency in Quran

نَصْر (Nasr)12 times
فَتْح (Fath)8 times
دِين (Deen)92 times
سَبَّحَ (Sabbaha)92 times
اِسْتَغْفَرَ (Istaghfara)45 times
تَوَّاب (Tawwab)11 times

Key Lessons

  1. Victory belongs to Allah. Not your strategy, not your effort alone. When He decides, the doors open.
  2. At your peak, stay humble. The moment of greatest triumph is the moment for the deepest gratitude and humility.
  3. Every mission has an end. Even the Prophet's mission had a completion point. Finish strong, with worship.
  4. Allah is always ready to forgive. Tawwab - He doesn't just forgive once. He is ALWAYS accepting repentance.

Sources

Tafsir Ibn Kathir | Tafsir As-Sa'di | Sahih al-Bukhari 4970 (Ibn Abbas on the farewell) | Sahih al-Bukhari 4967 (Aishah on increased istighfar) | Sahih Muslim 484