Muhammad 47:21
Muhammad · Juz 26 · Page 509
طَاعَةٞ وَقَوۡلٞ مَّعۡرُوفٞۚ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ فَلَوۡ صَدَقُواْ ٱللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۡ ٢١
Obedience and good words. And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been true to Allāh, it would have been better for them.
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 47:20–23
It is characteristic of a hypocrite to talk big. But his words do not follow his actions; he talks of jihad but in times of defensive battle runs away from it. It is the way of true people of faith that they are always ready to hear and obey and, when stringent measures are decided upon, they prove by their actions that they have fulfilled the pledge that they had taken before God as their witness. In order to avoid participation in defensive battle, hypocrites make a pretence of being lovers of peace. But, in reality, whenever they have the opportunity, they start spreading bad blood, so much so that, completely careless of Muslims who are their relatives, they become the supporters of their enemies. In the eyes of God, such people are accursed. Being such means their thinking power is taken away from them. In spite of having eyes, they will not see, and in spite of having ears, they will hear nothing.
Page 509
47:20
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوۡلَا نُزِّلَتۡ سُورَةٞۖ فَإِذَآ أُنزِلَتۡ سُورَةٞ مُّحۡكَمَةٞ وَذُكِرَ فِيهَا ٱلۡقِتَالُ رَأَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٞ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيۡكَ نَظَرَ ٱلۡمَغۡشِيِّ عَلَيۡهِ مِنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۖ فَأَوۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ ٢٠
Those who believe say, "Why has a sūrah1 not been sent down?" But when a precise sūrah is revealed and battle is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is disease [i.e., hypocrisy] looking at you with a look of one overcome by death. And more appropriate for them2 [would have been]
47:21
طَاعَةٞ وَقَوۡلٞ مَّعۡرُوفٞۚ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ فَلَوۡ صَدَقُواْ ٱللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيۡرٗا لَّهُمۡ ٢١
Obedience and good words. And when the matter [of fighting] was determined, if they had been true to Allāh, it would have been better for them.
47:22
فَهَلۡ عَسَيۡتُمۡ إِن تَوَلَّيۡتُمۡ أَن تُفۡسِدُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَتُقَطِّعُوٓاْ أَرۡحَامَكُمۡ ٢٢
So would you perhaps, if you turned away,1 cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship?
1 translator’s note
- From Islām or from jihād (struggling in the cause of Allāh). ↩
47:23
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمۡ وَأَعۡمَىٰٓ أَبۡصَٰرَهُمۡ ٢٣
Those [who do so] are the ones that Allāh has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision.
47:24
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ أَمۡ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقۡفَالُهَآ ٢٤
Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?
47:25
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱرۡتَدُّواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَدۡبَٰرِهِم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡهُدَى ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمۡ وَأَمۡلَىٰ لَهُمۡ ٢٥
Indeed, those who reverted back [to disbelief] after guidance had become clear to them - Satan enticed them and prolonged hope for them.
47:26
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمۡ قَالُواْ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُواْ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمۡ فِي بَعۡضِ ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِسۡرَارَهُمۡ ٢٦
That is because they said to those who disliked what Allāh sent down,1 "We will obey you in part of the matter." And Allāh knows what they conceal.
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the Jews of Madīnah. ↩
47:27
فَكَيۡفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتۡهُمُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَضۡرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمۡ وَأَدۡبَٰرَهُمۡ ٢٧
Then how [will it be] when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs?
47:28
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُواْ مَآ أَسۡخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُواْ رِضۡوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحۡبَطَ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ ٢٨
That is because they followed what angered Allāh and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
47:29
أَمۡ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخۡرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضۡغَٰنَهُمۡ ٢٩
Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allāh would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?