This sūra follows the tone and mood of Sūra 47. Like the previous sūra, this one includes a battle and associates the messenger with Allah for allegiance and obedience. In addition, Allah promises an abundance of the spoils of war and dictates speeches to the Bedouin, who do not seem to be dealing honestly with the messenger.

Muslim tradition connects this sūra with two events in the story of Islamic origins. One is the peaceful entry into – and conquest of – Mecca by a large number of Muslims together with their messenger. The other is the treaty of al-Ḥudaybiyya, through which the Muslims were permitted to attack settlements previously protected by the Quraysh (the dominant tribe in Mecca), particularly the Jewish settlement of Khaybar.