And Allah has promised you abundant Booty that you will achieve, now He has hastened this to you, and He has restrained the hands of people from you for becoming It a sign for the believers, and to guide you to the Straightpath.
‘Now He has hastened this to you’ said in this verse is about the ‘Hudaibiya Treaty’. According to the conditions of this treaty, the Messenger and Muhammad had to return to Medina without performing ‘Umra’, and in the next year, they could come to Mecca and perform ‘Umra’. And if anyone from Mecca comes to Medina seeking asylum, he should be returned to Mecca, whereas if anyone from Medina goes to Mecca, there is no need for returning him to Medina. Even though the conditions seemed openly against the believers and in favor of the disbelievers, indirectly, it was in favor of the believers and against the disbelievers. That is because the believers coming from Mecca to Medina seeking asylum, if returned to Mecca, would lead a model life there, testifying to Islam, which might help familiarize Islam among the people at Mecca. At the same time, those who are going to Mecca from Medina are the filthy hypocrites who darted away from Islam, and there is no loss for believers due to their going. That is the meaning of “for becoming It a sign for the believers”’ mentioned in the verse. See explanation 3: 154; and 9: 124-125.