🪶 Arabic Name: سورة محمد (Surah Muḥammad). Also known as Surah Al-Qitāl (The Fighting).

📝 Meaning: “Muhammad”

📍 Classification: Madani (Medinan)

🔢 Total Verses: 38

⏳ Chronological Order of Revelation: 95th Surah revealed (placing it in the early Medinan period, likely after Surah Al-Hadid).

📖 Key Themes: The clear distinction between believers and disbelievers, the nullification of deeds, the laws and ethics of warfare (Jihad), a critique of the hypocrites (Munafiqin), the importance of obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and the description of Paradise.

⚖️ Verse 47:1-3 — The Great Nullification: Two Paths, Two Fates for Your Deeds

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah opens with a stark and uncompromising declaration that draws a clear line between the two opposing forces. “Those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah – He will render their deeds worthless.” This refers directly to the Quraysh, who not only rejected the message but actively persecuted the believers and blocked others from accepting Islam. In direct contrast: “And those who believe and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down to Muhammad… He will remove from them their misdeeds and amend their condition.” The opening verses establish a divine law of spiritual cause and effect. Disbelief nullifies good deeds, while faith multiplies them and rectifies one’s entire state.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 1-2 AH), defining the two opposing parties: the Muslims in Madinah and the Quraysh in Makkah.

Those who disbelieve and avert [people] from the way of Allah – He will render their deeds worthless. (47:1)

• Primary evidence: The clear binary division between believers and those who “avert people from the way of Allah” perfectly describes the political and spiritual reality of the early Medinan period, where the Quraysh were actively engaged in trying to crush the new Muslim state. The Medinan style is evident in its direct, legislative, and community-focused tone.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that the deeds of the disbelievers are rendered worthless because they are not based on a sincere and correct foundation. They are like a building with no foundation, which is bound to collapse. For the believers, Allah not only accepts their good deeds but also, out of His grace, forgives their sins and rectifies all their affairs, both in this life and the next.

• Location/Context: Madinah, in the period of escalating tension with Makkah.
• Primary Actors: The believers in Madinah vs. the disbelieving Quraysh.
• Function in Narrative: To establish the fundamental spiritual divide between the two warring camps and the ultimate consequences of their respective paths on their deeds.
• Evidence Level: High (based on thematic content and scholarly consensus).

⚔️ Verse 47:4-6 — The Rules of Engagement: A Divine Command for the Battlefield (Legal Ruling)

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): This verse is one of the first and most explicit revelations regarding the conduct of war in Islam. It comes at a time when the Muslims, having been given permission to fight, are anticipating their first major battles. The instructions are clear and direct: “So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks.” This is a command for decisive action in the heat of battle. However, it is immediately followed by instructions for what to do *after* the fighting has ceased and prisoners are taken: “then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens.” The options given are release as an act of grace or exchange for a ransom, not summary execution or indefinite enslavement. The passage ends with a promise of divine guidance and a glorious reward for those who are killed in the cause of Allah.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 2 AH). This is a direct legislative command for future military conduct.

So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them]… (47:4)

• Primary evidence: The content is explicitly legislative and deals with the rules of combat and prisoners of war. This is a quintessentially Medinan theme, as the authority to legislate on such matters only came after the establishment of the state in Madinah.
• Classical tafsir: The majority of classical commentators, including Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir, interpret this verse as laying down the primary rulings for prisoners of war. They discuss the different legal opinions derived from it and the Prophet’s (ﷺ) own practice, such as his release of many prisoners after the Battle of Badr, some for ransom and some as an act of grace.

• Location/Context: Madinah, in anticipation of the first battles with the Quraysh.
• Primary Actors: The Muslim fighters.
• Function in Narrative: To provide the first clear divine legislation on the conduct of war and the treatment of prisoners, establishing an ethical framework for the Muslim army.
• Evidence Level: High (clear legislative content).

🤝 Verse 47:7-11 — The Divine Guarantee: “If You Help Allah, He Will Help You”

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): For the small, outnumbered, and poorly equipped Muslim community facing the mighty Quraysh, the prospect of war was terrifying. These verses were revealed to provide a powerful spiritual assurance and a divine guarantee of victory. “O you who have believed, if you help Allah, He will help you and make your foothold firm.” This establishes a clear condition for divine aid: sincere effort in His cause. This promise is immediately contrasted with the fate of the disbelievers: “But those who disbelieve – for them is misery, and He will render their deeds worthless.” The reason for their failure is that they “disliked what Allah sent down.” The section concludes with the ultimate declaration of allegiance: “That is because Allah is the protector of those who have believed, and because the disbelievers have no protector.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 2 AH).

O you who have believed, if you help Allah, He will help you and make your foothold firm. (47:7)

• Primary evidence: The direct address to the believers, the promise of divine aid in conflict, and the contrast with the disbelievers are all hallmarks of a Medinan surah revealed in the context of preparing for jihad.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that this is a promise from the Most Generous. If the believers support His religion, He guarantees to support them against their enemies and to plant their feet firmly in the battlefield. He is their Mawla, their Protector and Helper, while the disbelievers have no one to turn to when divine justice descends.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The Muslim community.
• Function in Narrative: To provide a divine guarantee of victory and protection for the believers, conditional on their sincere effort, and to boost their morale before the impending conflict.
• Evidence Level: High (clear thematic purpose for the Medinan context).

🏞️ Verse 47:12-15 — The Two Lifestyles, The Two Afterlives

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah now paints a vivid picture of the two ultimate destinations, connecting them to the lifestyles of the two groups on earth. “Indeed, Allah will admit those who have believed and done righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow.” Their life is one of purpose. In stark contrast: “But those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as grazing livestock eat, and the Fire will be a residence for them.” Their life is portrayed as aimless and animalistic, focused only on consumption. The verses then comfort the Prophet (ﷺ) by reminding him of the many cities, far more powerful than Makkah (“your city which has evicted you”), that were destroyed for their disbelief. The section culminates in a beautiful and detailed description of Paradise, the ultimate motivation for the believers’ sacrifice: a place with rivers of pure water, milk, wine, and honey.

Referenced Timeline: The Continuous Present (the lifestyles of the two groups) and Eschatological Time (the Hereafter).

Is the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey…? (47:15)

• Primary evidence: The direct address to the Prophet (ﷺ) concerning “your city which has evicted you” is an undeniable reference to his expulsion from Makkah, firmly placing the verse in the Medinan period.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that the disbelievers’ lives are only for this world, so they eat with gluttony and greed, with no thought for the Hereafter, just like cattle. He notes that the description of the rivers of Paradise is a parable of the immense and varied blessings that await the believers, blessings that are pure and free from the negative qualities of their worldly counterparts (e.g., the wine does not intoxicate).

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The believers vs. the disbelievers.
• Function in Narrative: To contrast the purpose-driven life of a believer with the aimless materialism of a disbeliever, and to provide a powerful, sensory motivation (Paradise) for the sacrifices being asked of the believers.
• Evidence Level: High (clear reference to the Hijra).

👂 Verse 47:16-19 — The Divided Audience: A Portrait of the Hypocrites

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah now turns its attention to a new and dangerous element that did not exist in Makkah: the hypocrites (Munafiqin). “And among them are those who listen to you, until when they depart from you, they say to those who were given knowledge, ‘What has he said just now?'” This is a perfect snapshot of their insincerity. They sit in the Prophet’s (ﷺ) gatherings, but their hearts are absent. They listen without understanding or caring, and then mockingly ask the true companions what was said. The verse diagnoses them as those whose “hearts Allah has sealed and who follow their own desires.” In contrast, those who accept guidance, Allah “increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.” The section ends with a command to the Prophet (ﷺ) to “know that there is no deity except Allah and seek forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 1-2 AH).

Those are the ones whose hearts Allah has sealed and who follow their own desires. (47:16)

• Primary evidence: The discussion of the hypocrites (Munafiqin) is a definitive marker of a Medinan surah. This group and this term only became relevant after the establishment of the Muslim state in Madinah.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that these verses describe the hypocrites who would attend the Prophet’s (ﷺ) gatherings but would not pay attention. Their question was not for clarification but for mockery. The command for the Prophet (ﷺ) to seek forgiveness is explained as a way of legislating this practice for his Ummah and showing the importance of constantly turning to Allah, even for the most righteous.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The hypocrites (Munafiqin), the believers, Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
• Function in Narrative: To identify and expose the character and motivations of the hypocrites, a new internal threat to the Muslim community, and to teach the importance of seeking forgiveness.
• Evidence Level: High (clear reference to the Munafiqin).

😨 Verse 47:20-24 — The Litmus Test: How the Hypocrites React to the Call for Battle

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): This section provides the ultimate litmus test that separates the true believers from the hypocrites: the call to fight. “Those who believe say, ‘Why has a surah not been sent down?'” The sincere believers are eager for a decisive command. “But when a precise surah is revealed and fighting is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at you with the look of one fainting to death.” The hypocrites are terrified. Their verbal claims of obedience are exposed as hollow. The Surah condemns them, warning them that obedience and good words would be better for them. The passage ends with a piercing question directed at them: “Do they not then reflect on the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 2 AH).

But when a precise surah is revealed and fighting is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is a disease looking at you with the look of one fainting to death. (47:20)

• Primary evidence: The explicit mention of the community’s reaction to a “surah… wherein fighting is mentioned” is a direct reference to the specific historical context of early Madinah, where the permission and then command to fight were being revealed for the first time.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that the believers wished for the legislation of jihad to be revealed so they could act. In contrast, the hypocrites, due to their cowardice and weak faith, were filled with terror at the prospect of meeting the enemy. Their disease is the disease of doubt and hypocrisy. The “locks on the hearts” means their hearts are sealed and cannot comprehend the Qur’an or benefit from its guidance.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The sincere believers vs. the hypocrites.
• Function in Narrative: To use the command of fighting as a divine test to expose the reality of the hypocrites and to contrast their cowardice with the eagerness of the true believers.
• Evidence Level: High (clear historical context).

😈 Verse 47:25-32 — Secret Deals with the Devil and the Unveiling of Hatred

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah delves deeper into the psychology and actions of the hypocrites. “Indeed, those who turn back after guidance has become clear to them – Satan has enticed them and prolonged hope for them.” Their apostasy is attributed to satanic deception. The verse then reveals their secret alliances: “That is because they said to those who disliked what Allah sent down, ‘We will obey you in part of the matter.'” This is a reference to the hypocrites secretly conspiring with the Jews of Madinah or the polytheists of Makkah, promising partial obedience in their plots against the Prophet (ﷺ). The verses warn that “Allah knows their secrets” and questions how they will fare when the angels of death come to “strike their faces and their backs.” The final verse states that Allah will “bring out their resentment,” meaning He will expose their hidden hatred through trials like the command to fight.

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 1-2 AH).

That is because they said to those who disliked what Allah sent down, “We will obey you in part of the matter.” And Allah knows their secrets. (47:26)

• Primary evidence: The specific mention of secret alliances with “those who disliked what Allah sent down” (a clear reference to other hostile groups) is a direct reflection of the complex political situation in early Madinah.
• Classical tafsir: Commentators identify “those who disliked what Allah sent down” as either the Jews of Madinah or the polytheists of Makkah. The hypocrites, trying to hedge their bets, would maintain secret ties with these groups, promising to cooperate with them against the Muslims in “part of the matter” (i.e., in matters that served their own interests). Allah exposes this conspiracy, assuring the believers that He is aware of all their secret plots.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The hypocrites and their external allies (Jews of Madinah or polytheists of Makkah).
• Function in Narrative: To expose the treasonous conspiracies of the hypocrites, to warn them of their ultimate fate, and to explain that divine trials are designed to reveal their hidden hatred.
• Evidence Level: High (strong historical context).

📣 Verse 47:33-35 — A Final Call to Obedience: “Do Not Falter!”

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah now issues its final, powerful commands to the believers as they stand on the precipice of war. “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not make your deeds worthless.” This is a crucial warning: disobedience, especially at this critical juncture, can nullify one’s good deeds. The verse then re-affirms that those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers will never be forgiven. The final command is a direct morale booster for the impending conflict: “So do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior; and Allah is with you and will never deprive you of [the reward of] your deeds.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 2 AH).

So do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior; and Allah is with you and will never deprive you of [the reward of] your deeds. (47:35)

• Primary evidence: The explicit command not to weaken in the face of the enemy and the promise “Allah is with you” are classic features of Qur’anic verses related to jihad, perfectly fitting the pre-Badr context.
• Classical tafsir: Ibn Kathir explains that “do not make your deeds worthless” means do not nullify them by apostasy or disobedience. The command not to call for peace is interpreted as applying when the Muslims are in a position of strength and are capable of fighting for the truth. It is a prohibition against showing cowardice when steadfastness is required. The promise “Allah is with you” refers to His divine support, aid, and victory.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The Muslim community preparing for battle.
• Function in Narrative: To issue a final call for absolute obedience and steadfastness, to forbid showing weakness in the face of the enemy, and to provide the ultimate assurance of divine support.
• Evidence Level: High (clear military and historical context).

💸 Verse 47:36-38 — The Final Test: Will You Spend for Your Own Souls?

Estimated placement in timeline: Early Medinan — Confidence: High (95%).

Context & Events (Asbab al-Nuzul): The Surah concludes with a final test and a powerful reminder about wealth. It begins by devaluing the worldly life: “This worldly life is only amusement and diversion.” It then calls the believers to the final requirement for the coming struggle: spending in the cause of Allah. Preparing for war required resources, and the community was poor. “Here you are – those invited to spend in the cause of Allah – but among you are those who withhold [out of stinginess].” The Surah then delivers a stunning insight: “And whoever withholds only withholds [benefit] from himself.” It concludes with a final declaration of divine self-sufficiency and human need: “And Allah is the Free of need, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you.”

Referenced Timeline: Contemporary Madinah (c. 2 AH).

And Allah is the Free of need, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you. (47:38)

• Primary evidence: The call to “spend in the cause of Allah” is a major Medinan theme, directly linked to the practical needs of the nascent state, especially funding military expeditions.
• Classical tafsir: Al-Tabari explains that being stingy in God’s cause is a form of self-harm, as one is denying their own soul the immense reward. The final warning of being “replaced” is a powerful motivator, reminding the believers that they are not indispensable. God’s religion will triumph, with or without them, so the choice to participate is a choice for their own benefit.

• Location/Context: Madinah.
• Primary Actors: The Muslim community.
• Function in Narrative: To provide the final call to action—spending in the cause of Allah—and to frame this sacrifice as a test of faith and an opportunity for their own salvation, concluding with a powerful reminder of God’s self-sufficiency.
• Evidence Level: High (clear historical and thematic context).