The Noble Qur’an elaborates extensively on the conflict between truth and falsehood, affirming that the law of alternation governs this struggle—falsehood may prevail at times, but the ultimate victory always belongs to the believers in accordance with unchanging divine laws: “And incumbent upon Us was support of the believers.” (Ar-Rum: 47) In the following lines, we will explore the concept of victory in the Qur’an and the related notions tied to it. We will then outline the types of victory and conclude with a discussion on the characteristics of victory derived from Qur’anic ayahs. We begin first with a definition of nasr (victory) and its meanings in both language and Qur’anic usage.
Al-Samin al-Ḥalabi says: Nasr and nuṣrah (victory) mean help and protection. It is said, “I granted him victory,” meaning I aided him against his enemy and shielded him from him.
The root of the word nasr (victory) occurs in the Qur’an more than seventy times in both noun and verb forms. The Qur’anic usage of the term appears in several senses, including:
- Support, which is the most frequent usage, as in: “Indeed, We will support Our messengers.” (Ghafir: 51)
- Protection, as in: “Who would protect me...” (Hud: 63)
- Victory, as in: “Victory is not but from Allah.” (Al-Anfal: 10)
- Vengeance, as in: “And whoever avenges himself after having been wronged...” (Ash-Shura: 41)
Victory is linked with several other concepts, among which:
- Overcoming: This may take the form of coercion or domination and is usually mentioned in the context of the triumph of the believers, as in: “Allah has written, ‘I will surely overcome, I and My messengers.’” (Al-Mujadila: 21)
Its opposite is defeat, meaning destruction or crushing, as in:
“Their assembly will be defeated, and they will turn their backs [in retreat].” (Al-Qamar: 45) and “So they defeated them by permission of Allah.” (Al-Baqarah: 251)
Another opposite term is abandonment, which is the withdrawal of support and aid. The one who forsakes is the opposite of the helper, as in: “If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him?” (Aal ‘Imran: 160)
The Qur’an also points out that victory does not take one form, but manifests in multiple ways. Among these are:
- The Hereafter Victory:
The Qur’an does not confine the concept of victory to worldly life but extends it to the Hereafter as well. This is the true and absolute victory, whoever loses it suffers manifest loss. Allah says, “If those who disbelieved but knew the time when they will not avert the Fire from their faces or from their backs and they will not be aided.” (Al-Anbiya: 39) and “And fear a Day when no soul will suffice for another soul at all, nor will intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be taken from it, nor will they be aided.” (Al-Baqarah: 48)
- Worldly Victory:
This includes various types, among which:
- Victory of the believers, which is typically associated with Allah’s support, as in: “If you do not aid the Prophet - Allah has already aided him.” (At-Tawbah: 40)
- Victory of others, which is not associated with Allah and may be connected to what they associate with Him, as in: “Burn him and support your gods.” (Al-Anbiya: 68)
- Material Victory:
This is the most frequent type of victory mentioned in the Qur’an. It is often linked with battle and warfare. The Qur’an speaks realistically about both the victory of believers and that of their opponents. It mentions both the material causes of victory—like troops, allies, and power—and the spiritual causes like faith, steadfastness, patience, and perseverance. Examples include: “[The disbelievers continue] until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in number.” (Al-Jinn: 24) and “And there will not be for them any allies to aid them other than Allah.” (Ash-Shura: 46)
- Moral/Spiritual Victory:
This may come through the triumph of the believers' arguments and evidence over the disbelievers. It includes the victory of reason, proof, and argumentation—as in the case of Prophet Ibrahim, whose proof prevailed, leading his opponents to resort to brute force: “They said, ‘Burn him and support your gods.’” (Al-Anbiya: 68) and in “Indeed, We will support Our messengers.” (Ghafir: 51) Some interpret this as support through argument and proof. Often, material victory can be followed by moral victory, as in: “Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people.” (At-Tawbah: 14) This emotional relief and healing of the believers’ hearts is a form of moral victory that completes the broader concept of triumph.
4 Conditions to Achieve Desired Victory
Characteristics of Victory in the Qur’an:
First, victory belongs solely to Allah, who alone has the power to grant it, not allies, soldiers, or any other worldly means: “And victory is not except from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Aal ‘Imran: 126)
Second, it is almost always linked with the virtues of patience and steadfastness, as if these two are prerequisites for achieving victory. Without them, success is elusive. Allah says, “Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (Al-Baqarah: 250) and “Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and the enemy come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction].” (Aal ‘Imran: 125)
Third, numerical or material superiority is not a precondition for achieving victory. This is a significant point, as some might assume parity is necessary. However, the Muslims themselves experienced the futility of relying on numbers at the Battle of Hunayn: “Allah has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of Hunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing.” (At-Tawbah: 25) This meaning is reinforced in: “And how many a city was stronger than your city [Makkah] which drove you out? We destroyed them; and there was no helper for them.” (Muhammad: 13)
Thus, sheer force or aggression is not enough to secure victory if the spiritual elements are missing.
Fourth, victory only comes after prolonged struggle and perseverance. It is not granted in the first round of the clash between truth and falsehood. Allah’s unchanging law is that falsehood will dominate for a time, while the believers suffer hardship, displacement, and oppression. But if they remain patient and steadfast, divine victory eventually arrives. Many ayahs describe the suffering they endure during this phase: “[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah." And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.” (Al-Hajj: 40)
Indeed, victory is only for those who support Allah. As Al-Raghib Al-Asfahani puts it, supporting Allah means supporting His servants, safeguarding His boundaries, upholding His covenant, embracing His rulings, and avoiding His prohibitions. Whoever neglects these will not receive victory.
Educational Insights: Triumph Emerges Through Patience
-------------------------------------------------------------