Surah Muhammad 47:1
سُورَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ · Medinan · Verse 1 of 38
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَضَلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
Translation
God will bring to nothing the deeds of those who disbelieve and bar others from the way of God,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This opening verse of Surah Muhammad begins with a powerful declaration about those who choose to reject faith and actively hinder others from it. Allah Himself is speaking here, setting a clear tone of warning and consequence, especially for those actively opposing the message of Islam. The specific choice of words paints a vivid picture of their actions and their ultimate fate.
The Rejecters and Hinderers
The verse opens by describing "الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ" (Allatheena kafaroo wa saddoo 'an sabeelil-Lah), meaning "those who disbelieved and averted from the path of Allah." The term "الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا" (those who disbelieved) refers to those who denied Allah's oneness and the truth of Islam. But it doesn't stop there. The Quran adds "وَصَدُّوا" (wa saddoo), which means they didn't just disbelieve themselves; they also actively "averted" or blocked others from Allah's path. This "path of Allah," or "سبيل الله" (sabeelil-Lah), is a beautiful metaphor for the religion of Islam itself, because it leads to Allah's pleasure, just as a road leads a traveler to their destination. Scholars like Ibn Ashur point out that this act of averting included many things: preventing people from hearing the Quran, stopping Muslims from accessing the sacred mosque, and even spending money to gather armies against the Prophet. Al-Razi explains that "saddoo" implies an active resistance, either by blocking themselves from their inner inclination towards truth or by obstructing others.
Deeds Gone Astray
The consequence for these actions is expressed in the stark phrase: "أَضَلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ" (adhalla a'malahum), which means "He made their deeds go astray" or "He wasted their deeds." The word "أَضَلَّ" (adhalla) carries the sense of making something lost, wasted, or nullified. Al-Zamakhshari likens it to a lost camel that has no owner to care for it or guarantee its return. This means that any good deeds these disbelievers might have done in their lives, such as showing generosity, maintaining family ties, or helping the needy, will not bring them any reward in the Hereafter. Scholars explain that these actions are "nullified" because they lack the essential condition for acceptance by Allah: true faith, or *iman*. As al-Razi notes, if an action isn't performed purely for Allah's sake or without belief in Him, it cannot be considered truly "good" in a way that merits divine reward. Their efforts against Islam, like the resources spent in the Battle of Badr, were also ultimately wasted and proved fruitless.
This verse highlights that while outwardly good deeds might seem commendable, their ultimate value in Allah's sight is intrinsically linked to faith. Without that foundation, even seemingly virtuous actions become like a path that leads nowhere, ultimately going "astray" in the journey to the Hereafter.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Muhammad 47:1 is discussed in 8 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Muhammad 47:1 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.