Muhammad (مُحَمَّد)

Surah Muhammad (محمد) has 38 ayah and 4 Rukus. It is the 47th surah in the Holy Quran, and it’s named after the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Another name for this surah is Al-Qital, meaning Jihad, war, or fighting. This name, ‘Al-Qital,’ refers to the rules and regulations of armed struggles in Islam. Surah Muhammad talks about the Battle of Badr, the first large-scale confrontation between the Quraysh of Makkah (Mecca) and the Muslims of Arabia, who resided mainly in Medina. The battle occurred in the holy month of Ramadan, the second year after Hijrah, or the migration. 

With the revelation of this surah, it was made clear to Muslims that they had to fight and do battle when necessary. While no fighting had taken place until then, the surah was a signal to start preparing for war against those who harmed Muslims. The battle of Badr was a strategic battle to seize resources from the enemy to boost the morale of the Muslims in Medina, to avenge the persecutions of Muslims in Mecca by the Quraysh, and to deliver a financial and moral blow to the opponents of Islam. 

٤٧ - مُحَمَّد

47 - Muhammad

اَلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا وَصَدُّوْا عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللہِ اَضَلَّ اَعْمَالَہُمْ۝۱
Allatheena kafaroo wasaddoo AAan sabeeli Allahi adalla aAAmalahum

English

Ahmed Ali

THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE and obstruct (others) from the way of God will have wasted their deeds.

1

وَالَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَاٰمَنُوْا بِمَا نُزِّلَ عَلٰي مُحَمَّدٍ وَّہُوَالْحَقُّ مِنْ رَّبِّہِمْ۝۰ۙ كَفَّرَ عَنْہُمْ سَـيِّاٰتِہِمْ وَاَصْلَحَ بَالَہُمْ۝۲
Waallatheena amanoo waAAamiloo alssalihati waamanoo bima nuzzila AAala muhammadin wahuwa alhaqqu min rabbihim kaffara AAanhum sayyiatihim waaslaha balahum

English

Ahmed Ali

But those who believe and do the right, and believe what has been revealed to Muhammad, which is the truth from their Lord, will have their faults condoned by Him and their state improved.

2

ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا اتَّبَعُوا الْبَاطِلَ وَاَنَّ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّبَعُوا الْحَقَّ مِنْ رَّبِّہِمْ۝۰ۭ كَذٰلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللہُ لِلنَّاسِ اَمْثَالَہُمْ۝۳
Thalika bianna allatheena kafaroo ittabaAAoo albatila waanna allatheena amanoo ittabaAAoo alhaqqa min rabbihim kathalika yadribu Allahu lilnnasi amthalahum

English

Ahmed Ali

That is because those who refuse to believe only follow what is false; but those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. That is how God gives men precepts of wisdom.

3

فَاِذَا لَقِيْتُمُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا فَضَرْبَ الرِّقَابِ۝۰ۭ حَتّٰۗي اِذَاۗ اَثْخَنْتُمُوْہُمْ فَشُدُّوا الْوَثَاقَ۝۰ۤۙ فَاِمَّا مَنًّۢا بَعْدُ وَاِمَّا فِدَاۗءً حَتّٰى تَضَعَ الْحَرْبُ اَوْزَارَہَا۝۰ۣۚۛذٰؔلِكَ۝۰ۭۛ وَلَوْ يَشَاۗءُ اللہُ لَانْتَصَرَ مِنْہُمْ وَلٰكِنْ لِّيَبْلُوَا۟ بَعْضَكُمْ بِبَعْـضٍ۝۰ۭ وَالَّذِيْنَ قُتِلُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللہِ فَلَنْ يُّضِلَّ اَعْمَالَہُمْ۝۴
Faitha laqeetumu allatheena kafaroo fadarba alrriqabi hatta itha athkhantumoohum fashuddoo alwathaqa faimma mannan baAAdu waimma fidaan hatta tadaAAa alharbu awzaraha thalika walaw yashao Allahu laintasara minhum walakin liyabluwa baAAdakum bibaAAdin waallatheena qutiloo fee sabeeli Allahi falan yudilla aAAmalahum

English

Ahmed Ali

So, when you clash with the unbelievers, smite their necks until you overpower them, then hold them in bondage. Then either free them graciously or after taking a ransom, until war shall have come to end. If God had pleased He could have punished them (Himself), but He wills to test some of you through some others. He will not allow the deeds of those who are killed in the cause of God to go waste.

4

سَيَہْدِيْہِمْ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَہُمْ۝۵ۚ
Sayahdeehim wayuslihu balahum

English

Ahmed Ali

He will show them the way, and better their state,

5

وَيُدْخِلُہُمُ الْجَــنَّۃَ عَرَّفَہَا لَہُمْ۝۶
Wayudkhiluhumu aljannata AAarrafaha lahum

English

Ahmed Ali

And will admit them into gardens with which he has acquainted them.

6

يٰۗاَيُّہَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۗا اِنْ تَنْصُرُوا اللہَ يَنْصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ اَقْدَامَكُمْ۝۷
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo in tansuroo Allaha yansurkum wayuthabbit aqdamakum

English

Ahmed Ali

O you who believe, if you help (in the cause of) God He will surely come to your aid, and firmly plant your feet.

7

وَالَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا فَتَعْسًا لَّہُمْ وَاَضَلَّ اَعْمَالَہُمْ۝۸
Waallatheena kafaroo fataAAsan lahum waadalla aAAmalahum

English

Ahmed Ali

As for the unbelievers, they will suffer misfortunes, and their deeds will be rendered ineffective.

8

ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّہُمْ كَرِہُوْا مَاۗ اَنْزَلَ اللہُ فَاَحْبَطَ اَعْمَالَہُمْ۝۹
Thalika biannahum karihoo ma anzala Allahu faahbata aAAmalahum

English

Ahmed Ali

That is so as they were averse to what has been revealed by God, and their actions will be nullified.

9

اَفَلَمْ يَسِيْرُوْا فِي الْاَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوْا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَۃُ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِہِمْ۝۰ۭ دَمَّرَ اللہُ عَلَيْہِمْ۝۰ۡوَلِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ اَمْثَالُہَا۝۱۰
Afalam yaseeroo fee alardi fayanthuroo kayfa kana AAaqibatu allatheena min qablihim dammara Allahu AAalayhim walilkafireena amthaluha

English

Ahmed Ali

Have they not journeyed in the land and seen the fate of those before them? Destroyed they were utterly by God; and a similar (fate) awaits the unbelievers.

10

 

Themes and Subject Matter of Surah Muhammad (مُحَمَّد):

The surah’s theme and subject matter is the preparation of war. The believers were instructed on how to conduct war and how to go into battle. The main topics include:

Assurance from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)

In the beginning of Surah Muhammad (مُحَمَّد), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) makes it clear that there are two groups. One has accepted the truth and obeys Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), while the other rejects all the signs and messages that were sent to them. In fact, the non-believers of the Quraysh were making obstacles and hurdles in the way of Muslims who were trying to spread the truth. In Surah Muhammad, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is saying that He has nullified all the efforts of the non-believer group and will improve the situation of the believers. The Muslims are assured that their efforts and struggles will not be in vain. They will get rewards for staying on the True path both in this world and the hereafter. 

The Hypocrites in Madinah

This surah also talks about those who pretended to be Muslims but were not willing to fight when the command came down. They conspired with non-believers to avoid fighting at any cost. This surah comes with a warning to such people; it tells them that even the good deeds of the hypocrites are not accepted by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Anyone who holds his own interests and safety in higher regard than the command of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will risk his or her faith and possibly get the same punishment. 

Motivation for the Muslims

At the Battle of Badr, the Quraysh had around a thousand men. The Muslims only had 313, but this surah told them that they shouldn’t lose hope due to having small numbers. They were not to show any weakness to the opposite side. At this time, they have to march out, place their trust in only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and clash with forces much larger than theirs. 

Spending Wealth in The Way of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)

Finally, this surah also invites Muslims to spend for the sake of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). While Muslims were not financially strong at this point, they needed to safeguard their faith and fight for it. To this end, they had to spend what economic resources they did have to prepare for war. Anyone who shirked this responsibility would risk facing punishment and bring about their own downfall. Allah promised reward for Muslims who spent in the way of Allah to promote and strengthen Islam. 

Virtues and Benefits of Surah Muhammad (مُحَمَّد)

A major theme of this surah is how the disbelievers and hypocrites will not be rewarded even for their positive deeds or actions until they surrender to the truth and accept that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the one true God and none are worthy of worship except Him. By reciting this surah, we remind ourselves of the Oneness of our Lord and that we need to stay faithful to get rewards in the hereafter. Some of the special benefits that we get from reciting Surah Muhammad include the following: 

Protection & Hope 

Surah Muhammad reassures Muslims that they are in the right and Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will help them. Even if we are weak and ill-equipped at some point, this surah will keep us calm and hopeful. We may also use the message of Surah Muhammad to stay fearless, brave, and able to withstand any harm. 

Relief From Mental Illness

If someone is suffering from mental or psychological issues, they will gain some relief by reciting Surah Muhammad. If they reflect upon its meaning, the reassurance and hope in its messages may help to restore their calmness and a more normal mindset. Plus, the recitation and reflection might remove any doubts they have about being weak and without support. The surah tells them that they have the biggest support in their Lord, who will always help them if they accept the truth. 

Remaining Firm in Faith

Those who recite Surah Muhammad may also find it easier to remain firm in their faith and beliefs. The lessons and assurances can help us stay connected with our deen and with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Imam Jafar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) is reported to have said: “The person who will recite surah Muhammad benefits him. The angels will pay salutation to his grave when he will die.”