Surah 47 · Medinan · 38 Verses
محمد
SURAH MUHAMMAD
Muhammad
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَءَامَنُوا۟ بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍۢ وَهُوَ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۙ كَفَّرَ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَأَصْلَحَ بَالَهُمْ
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.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلْبَٰطِلَ وَأَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلْحَقَّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ أَمْثَٰلَهُمْ
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَضَرْبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا۟ ٱلْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّۢا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَا۟ بَعْضَكُم بِبَعْضٍۢ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure [their] bonds,1494 and either [confer] favor1495 afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens.1496 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.
سَيَهْدِيهِمْ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَهُمْ
He will guide them and amend their condition
وَيُدْخِلُهُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةَ عَرَّفَهَا لَهُمْ
And admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَنصُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ
O you who have believed, if you support Allāh, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَتَعْسًۭا لَّهُمْ وَأَضَلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
But those who disbelieve - for them is misery, and He will waste their deeds.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَرِهُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
That is because they disliked what Allāh revealed, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
۞ أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ دَمَّرَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ وَلِلْكَٰفِرِينَ أَمْثَٰلُهَا
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَوْلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَأَنَّ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ لَا مَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ
That is because Allāh is the protector of those who have believed and because the disbelievers have no protector.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدْخِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ جَنَّٰتٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأْكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثْوًۭى لَّهُمْ
Indeed, Allāh will admit those who have believed and done righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow, but those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as grazing livestock eat, and the Fire will be a residence for them.
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ هِىَ أَشَدُّ قُوَّةًۭ مِّن قَرْيَتِكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَخْرَجَتْكَ أَهْلَكْنَٰهُمْ فَلَا نَاصِرَ لَهُمْ
And how many a city was stronger than your city [i.e., Makkah] which drove you out? We destroyed them; and there was no helper for them.
أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ كَمَن زُيِّنَ لَهُۥ سُوٓءُ عَمَلِهِۦ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُم
So is he who is on clear evidence from his Lord like him to whom the evil of his work has been made attractive and they follow their [own] desires?
مَّثَلُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى وُعِدَ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ ۖ فِيهَآ أَنْهَٰرٌۭ مِّن مَّآءٍ غَيْرِ ءَاسِنٍۢ وَأَنْهَٰرٌۭ مِّن لَّبَنٍۢ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُۥ وَأَنْهَٰرٌۭ مِّنْ خَمْرٍۢ لَّذَّةٍۢ لِّلشَّٰرِبِينَ وَأَنْهَٰرٌۭ مِّنْ عَسَلٍۢ مُّصَفًّۭى ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ كَمَنْ هُوَ خَٰلِدٌۭ فِى ٱلنَّارِ وَسُقُوا۟ مَآءً حَمِيمًۭا فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَآءَهُمْ
Is the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered,1498 rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey, in which they will have from all [kinds of] fruits and forgiveness from their Lord... [Are its inhabitants] like those who abide eternally in the Fire and are given to drink scalding water that will sever their intestines?
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا خَرَجُوا۟ مِنْ عِندِكَ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ مَاذَا قَالَ ءَانِفًا ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ طَبَعَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَٱتَّبَعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ
And among them, [O Muḥammad], are those who listen to you, until when they depart from you, they say to those who were given knowledge,1499 "What has he said just now?" Those are the ones of whom Allāh has sealed over their hearts and who have followed their [own] desires.
فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةًۭ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا ۚ فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَىٰهُمْ
Then do they await except that the Hour should come upon them unexpectedly? But already there have come [some of] its indications. Then how [i.e., what good] to them, when it has come, will be their remembrance?
فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَىٰكُمْ
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَوْلَا نُزِّلَتْ سُورَةٌۭ ۖ فَإِذَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌۭ مُّحْكَمَةٌۭ وَذُكِرَ فِيهَا ٱلْقِتَالُ ۙ رَأَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌۭ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ نَظَرَ ٱلْمَغْشِىِّ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۖ فَأَوْلَىٰ لَهُمْ
طَاعَةٌۭ وَقَوْلٌۭ مَّعْرُوفٌۭ ۚ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ ٱلْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُمْ
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.
أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمْ وَأَعْمَىٰٓ أَبْصَٰرَهُمْ
Those [who do so] are the ones that Allāh has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision.
أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ أَمْ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبٍ أَقْفَالُهَآ
Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَٰرِهِم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَى ۙ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنُ سَوَّلَ لَهُمْ وَأَمْلَىٰ لَهُمْ
Indeed, those who reverted back [to disbelief] after guidance had become clear to them - Satan enticed them and prolonged hope for them.
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ كَرِهُوا۟ مَا نَزَّلَ ٱللَّهُ سَنُطِيعُكُمْ فِى بَعْضِ ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ
فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَٰرَهُمْ
Then how [will it be] when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs?
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَآ أَسْخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا۟ رِضْوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
That is because they followed what angered Allāh and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ أَن لَّن يُخْرِجَ ٱللَّهُ أَضْغَٰنَهُمْ
Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allāh would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?
وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَأَرَيْنَٰكَهُمْ فَلَعَرَفْتَهُم بِسِيمَٰهُمْ ۚ وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِى لَحْنِ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَعْمَٰلَكُمْ
And if We willed, We could show them to you, and you would know them by their mark; but you will surely know them by the tone of [their] speech. And Allāh knows your deeds.
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ حَتَّىٰ نَعْلَمَ ٱلْمُجَٰهِدِينَ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ وَنَبْلُوَا۟ أَخْبَارَكُمْ
And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you [for the cause of Allāh] and the patient, and We will test your affairs.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَشَآقُّوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ لَن يَضُرُّوا۟ ٱللَّهَ شَيْـًۭٔا وَسَيُحْبِطُ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
Indeed, those who disbelieved and averted [people] from the path of Allāh and opposed the Messenger after guidance had become clear to them - never will they harm Allāh at all, and He will render worthless their deeds.
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوٓا۟ أَعْمَٰلَكُمْ
O you who have believed, obey Allāh and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ مَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌۭ فَلَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُمْ
Indeed, those who disbelieved and averted [people] from the path of Allāh and then died while they were disbelievers - never will Allāh forgive them.
فَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَتَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلسَّلْمِ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ وَٱللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ وَلَن يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَٰلَكُمْ
So do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior; and Allāh is with you and will never deprive you of [the reward of] your deeds.
إِنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ ۚ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ يُؤْتِكُمْ أُجُورَكُمْ وَلَا يَسْـَٔلْكُمْ أَمْوَٰلَكُمْ
[This] worldly life is only amusement and diversion. And if you believe and fear Allāh, He will give you your rewards and not ask you for your properties.
إِن يَسْـَٔلْكُمُوهَا فَيُحْفِكُمْ تَبْخَلُوا۟ وَيُخْرِجْ أَضْغَٰنَكُمْ
If He should ask you for them and press you, you would withhold, and He would expose your hatred [i.e., unwillingness].
هَٰٓأَنتُمْ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبْخَلُ ۖ وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ ۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوٓا۟ أَمْثَٰلَكُم
Here you are - those invited to spend in the cause of Allāh - but among you are those who withhold [out of greed]. And whoever withholds only withholds [benefit] from himself; and Allāh is the Free of need, while you are the needy. And if you turn away [i.e., refuse], He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you.
About This Surah
Surah Muhammad addresses a believing community facing armed conflict and internal hesitation. It contrasts faith with active obstruction, sets rules connected to battle and captives, calls people to reflect deeply on the Quran and exposes hypocrisy through reluctance, harmful speech and attachment to worldly life. Its conflict passages belong to public authority and historical context.
The chapter opens by contrasting people who obstruct God’s path with those who believe and follow the truth revealed to Muhammad. Faith is connected with reform of actions, not identity alone.
Battlefield instructions appear early. The text discusses direct combat and what happens after opposing fighters are subdued, including release or ransom until war ends. These are not instructions for private individuals, online movements or attacks on civilians. Qualified legal and historical review is mandatory.
The chapter describes the outcomes of believers and rejecters through images of guidance and final consequence. Paradise is presented through rivers and provision, while opponents are compared with people who consume without moral reflection.
The messenger’s community is told to know divine unity, seek forgiveness and recognize that God knows movement and rest. Some believers ask for a chapter concerning action, but when a decisive command arrives, people with diseased hearts respond with fear.
A central verse asks whether people do not reflect on the Quran or whether hearts have locks. This supports deep engagement, not simplistic claims that every interpretive disagreement is bad faith.
The chapter condemns people who turn back after guidance and warns that obedience should not be undermined. It asks believers to spend without imagining that God needs their wealth.
The armed-conflict and captive passages belong to organized warfare, public authority, and a historical community under attack.
They are not instructions for individuals, militias, harassment, terrorism, or violence against civilians.
Release or ransom after restraint appears within the captive passage and must remain visible.
The chapter’s criticism of hypocrisy and reluctance cannot be used to declare named Muslims unbelievers or to suppress legitimate ethical concern about war.
Core Themes
- Faith should reform conduct.
- Conflict is governed, not private chaos.
- Human courage is tested when responsibility becomes concrete.
- Reflection on the Quran requires open hearts.
- Hypocrisy appears through speech and avoidance.
- Spending reveals attachment and trust.
Structure
Verses 1-11: Faith, obstruction and conflict — 1-11
Verses 12-19: Outcomes, reflection and forgiveness — 12-19
Verses 20-32: Reluctance, hypocrisy and harmful obedience — 20-32
Verses 33-38: Steadfast obedience and spending — 33-38
Reading Guide
Reading step 1
Do not quote battle passages without legal and historical context.
Reading step 2
Keep captive/release language within public warfare rules.
Reading step 3
Read reflection on Quran as an invitation to depth.
Reading step 4
Avoid declaring individuals hypocrites based on disagreement.
Key Passages
Truth and action — 1-3
The opening compares two orientations: obstructing God's way and believing the revealed truth while acting rightly. Their contrasting outcomes introduce the chapter's repeated concern with the relation between profession and conduct. The comparison is developed through the surrounding conflict, not through a general measure of worldly success.
Conflict and captives — 4
The verse addresses an encounter in battle and then turns explicitly to captives, mentioning release or ransom and the ending of war's burdens. Those transitions matter when reading its forceful language. Isolating the opening phrase would erase its stated setting and must not become a pretext for private violence.
Support and consequence — 7-11
Support and steadiness are contrasted with rejection of revelation and the fate of earlier opponents. The invitation to travel and observe supplies a historical perspective on the conflict. The passage does not turn an individual's preferred cause into proof that every subsequent outcome carries divine endorsement.
Image of the Garden — 15
Rivers, fruit and forgiveness describe the promised Garden in contrast with the painful drink of the Fire. The question asks whether the two destinations are alike. Its images concern the Hereafter; they are not instructions about consumption in ordinary life or a basis for identifying particular people's final destinations.
Knowledge, forgiveness and divine awareness — 19
Knowledge of God's oneness is joined with seeking forgiveness for oneself and the believing community. The final statement about movement and rest brings ordinary activity within divine awareness. The verse links conviction to humility and concern for others rather than allowing knowledge to become a claim of personal faultlessness.
Reluctance and reflection — 20-24
An expressed wish for revelation is tested when its demands become difficult. The passage moves from reluctance to warnings about corruption and broken relationships, then asks about reflection on the Quran. Its question concerns an obstructed response, not merely whether the words have been heard.
Hidden resentment and testing — 29-31
Hidden resentment is set beside what becomes apparent through speech and testing. The messenger's knowledge remains within what God makes known, while striving and patience are brought into view by events. The passage does not give ordinary observers unrestricted access to another person's concealed faith or motives.
Worldly life and spending — 36-38
The discussion of temporary worldly life becomes concrete through reluctance to spend. Withholding is described as depriving the giver, because God is independent while people are in need. The final possibility of replacement challenges the assumption that the community's participation is a favor God requires.
Recitation Note
No exclusive time, fixed repetition count, or guaranteed worldly outcome is asserted here for reciting Surah Muhammad. Reading it is worship and study; any claim about protection, healing, provision, marriage, political success, or a prescribed number requires separate exact evidence and carefully limited wording.
Interpretation Limits
- The chapter never authorizes terrorism or private warfare.
- Captive rules require qualified legal authority.
- Hypocrisy labels must not be weaponized.
- Afterlife descriptions should not be sensationalized.
- “Support God” means supporting the divine cause, not divine need.
- Conflict and captive verses require historical context, legitimate public authority, and applicable law.
- No private person or group receives permission for terrorism, vigilantism, kidnapping, or attacks on civilians.
- The captive-related verses include release and ransom language alongside the verses on conflict, and both belong together.