Muhammad 47:11
Muhammad · Juz 26 · Page 507
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَوۡلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَأَنَّ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَا مَوۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ ١١
That is because Allāh is the protector of those who have believed and because the disbelievers have no protector.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 47:10–13
Admonition and Fire for the Disbelievers; Paradise for Those Who have Taqwa
Allah says,
أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ
(Have they not traveled) meaning, those who associate partners with Allah and deny His Messenger .
فِى الاٌّرْضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ دَمَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ
(through the land and seen what happened in the end to those before them Allah destroyed them completely,) which means that Allah punished them because of their denial and disbelief, and saved the believers from among them. That is why He says,
وَلِلْكَفِرِينَ أَمْثَلُهَا
(and a similar (end awaits) the disbelievers.) Then Allah says,
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَى الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَأَنَّ الْكَفِرِينَ لاَ مَوْلَى لَهُمْ
(That is because Allah is the Protector of all those who believe, whereas the disbelievers have no protector.) After the battle of Uhud, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb, the commander of the idolators at that time, inquired about the Prophet , Abu Bakr, and `Umar, may Allah be pleased with them. When he heard no response, he announced: "Verily, those three have died!" `Umar then responded to him: "You lie, O enemy of Allah! Allah has indeed saved those who will displease you. Indeed, those whom you mentioned are all alive!" Abu Sufyan then said: "Well, today makes up for (the defeat on) the day of Badr, and the war has its ups and downs. And indeed, you are going to find mutilation (in the bodies of your dead) that I did not command, nor did I prohibit." Then he turned around chanting: "Glory to Hubal (their greatest idol), Glory to Hubal." Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«أَلَا تُجِيبُوهُ؟»
(Aren't you going to respond to him) The Companions said: "What should we say, O Messenger of Allah" He said:
« قُولُوا: اللهُ أَعْلَى وَأَجَل»
(Say: "Allah is Most High and Most Glorious.") Then Abu Sufyan said: "We have Al-`Uzza (their second idol), and you have no `Uzza. (honor)." Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«أَلَا تُجِيبُوهُ؟»
(Aren't you all going to respond to him) They said: "What should we say, O Messenger of Allah" He said:
«قُولُوا: اللهُ مَوْلَانَا وَلَا مَوْلَى لَكُم»
(Say: "Allah is our Protector, and you have no protector.") Allah then says,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّلِحَتِ جَنَتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَرُ
(Verily, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous good deeds into Gardens through which rivers flow.) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection.
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأْكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ الاٌّنْعَمُ
(Whereas those who disbelieve enjoy their life and eat as cattle eat. ) Which means that the disbelievers enjoy their worldly life and eat in it like animals, munching and gnawing (with greed). They have no concern other than that. Thus, it has been confirmed in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«الْمُؤْمِنُ يَأْكُلُ فِي مِعىً وَاحِدٍ، وَالْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِي سَبْعَةِ أَمْعَاء»
(A believer eats with one intestine, and a disbeliever eats with seven intestines.) Then Allah says,
وَالنَّارُ مَثْوًى لَّهُمْ
(but the Fire will be their abode.) meaning, on the Day of their Reckoning. Allah then says,
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِىَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَتْكَ
(And how many a town mightier than your town that has driven you out) meaning, Makkah.
أَهْلَكْنَهُمْ فَلاَ نَصِرَ لَهُمْ
(We have destroyed, with none to help them!) gThis is a great threat and severe warning to the people of Makkah because they rejected Allah's Messenger ﷺ, who was the chief of the Messengers and the last of the Prophets. If Allah had destroyed the previous nations because of their denial of their Messengers, what then would those (people of Makkah) expect that Allah would do to them in the worldly life and the Hereafter And if the torment were to be lifted off some of them in this life by the blessing of the presence of the Messenger, the Prophet of Mercy, the torment will be stored for them in their next life, as Allah says,
يُضَاعَفُ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مَا كَانُواْ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ السَّمْعَ وَمَا كَانُواْ يُبْصِرُونَ
(Their torment will be doubled! They could not bear to hear (the preaching), and they used not to see (the truth).) (11:20) Concerning Allah's saying,
مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَتْكَ
(than Your town that has driven you out) This means, `its people who have driven you (Muhammad ﷺ ) out from amongst them (the people of Makkah).' Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that when Allah's Messenger ﷺ left Makkah (at the time of Hijrah -- migration), and he reached the cave and hid inside it, he looked back toward Makkah and said,
«أَنْتِ أَحَبُّ بِلَادِ اللهِ إِلَى اللهِ، وَأَنْتِ أَحَبُّ بِلَادِ اللهِ إِلَيَّ، وَلَوْلَا أَنَّ الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَخْرَجُونِي لَمْ أَخْرُجْ مِنْك»
(You are the most beloved to Allah among Allah's lands, and you are also the most beloved to me among Allah's lands. Were it not that the idolators have driven me out from you, I would never have left you.) Ibn `Abbas then said, "The worst of enemies is he who transgresses against Allah in His own sacred place, who kills a person who is not trying to kill him, or who kills because of Jahiliyyah vengeance. Allah then revealed to His Prophet ,
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِىَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةً مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ الَّتِى أَخْرَجَتْكَ أَهْلَكْنَهُمْ فَلاَ نَصِرَ لَهُمْ
(And how many a town mightier than your town that has driven you out have We destroyed, with none to help them!)"
Page 507
47:1
ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَضَلَّ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ ١
Those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allāh - He will waste their deeds.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., cause them to be lost or make them worthless, earning no reward. ↩
47:2
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَءَامَنُواْ بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ كَفَّرَ عَنۡهُمۡ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمۡ وَأَصۡلَحَ بَالَهُمۡ ٢
And those who believe and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down upon Muḥammad - and it is the truth from their Lord - He will remove from them their misdeeds and amend their condition.
47:3
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلۡبَٰطِلَ وَأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلۡحَقَّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ أَمۡثَٰلَهُمۡ ٣
That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood, and those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus does Allāh present to the people their comparisons.1
1 translator’s note
- So that they may know the results of their choice. ↩
47:4
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَضَرۡبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثۡخَنتُمُوهُمۡ فَشُدُّواْ ٱلۡوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنَّۢا بَعۡدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلۡحَرۡبُ أَوۡزَارَهَاۚ ذَٰلِكَۖ وَلَوۡ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنۡهُمۡ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبۡلُوَاْ بَعۡضَكُم بِبَعۡضٖۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ ٤
So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure [their] bonds,1 and either [confer] favor2 afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens.3 That [is the command]. And if Allāh had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allāh - never will He waste their deeds.
47:5
سَيَهۡدِيهِمۡ وَيُصۡلِحُ بَالَهُمۡ ٥
He will guide them and amend their condition
47:6
وَيُدۡخِلُهُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ عَرَّفَهَا لَهُمۡ ٦
And admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them.
47:7
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِن تَنصُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرۡكُمۡ وَيُثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَكُمۡ ٧
O you who have believed, if you support Allāh, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.
47:8
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فَتَعۡسٗا لَّهُمۡ وَأَضَلَّ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ ٨
But those who disbelieve - for them is misery, and He will waste their deeds.
47:9
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ كَرِهُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ ٩
That is because they disliked what Allāh revealed, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
47:10
۞ أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيۡفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۖ دَمَّرَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ أَمۡثَٰلُهَا ١٠
Have they not traveled through the land and seen how was the end of those before them? Allāh destroyed [everything] over them,1 and for the disbelievers is something comparable.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., destroyed them and all they owned. ↩
47:11
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَوۡلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَأَنَّ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ لَا مَوۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ ١١
That is because Allāh is the protector of those who have believed and because the disbelievers have no protector.
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy