Surah Muhammad 47:17
ﳀ ﳁ ﳂ ﳃ ﳄ ﳅ
And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.
Tafsir of Muhammad 47:17
Tafsir
Mafatih al-Ghayb
Verse range: 47:17
Surah Muhammad (47): Verse 17
وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَآتَاهُمْ تَقْوَاهُمْ
When Allah the Exalted mentioned that the hypocrite listens but does not benefit, and repeats (what he hears) but does not gain understanding, He then clarified that the state of the guided believer is the opposite. The believer listens, understands, and acts upon what he knows. The hypocrite repeats, while the guided one explains and reiterates. In this contrast, there are two benefits: 1. Clarifying the difference between the two groups. 2. Cutting off any excuse for the hypocrite and making clear that his path is blameworthy. If the hypocrite claimed he did not understand due to the obscurity of the text, it is refuted by saying: The guided one understood, derived its implications and consequences. This is due to the blindness of their hearts, not the hidden nature of the intended meaning.
Issue 1: Who is the agent of the increase mentioned in {زَادَهُمْ} (He increased them)?
There are several views:
- The Message Heard: The increase comes from what the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited of Allah's word and the Prophet's speech. This is supported by the preceding verse: {وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ} (And among them are those who listen to you), which implies something was heard. The purpose is to show the contrast: they did not understand what was heard, while these others did.
- Allah (God): Allah Himself is the one who increased them. This is supported by His statement in the previous verse: {أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ} (Those are the ones whom Allah has set a seal upon their hearts). Just as He sealed their hearts, He increased the guided ones with guidance.
- The Hypocrite's Mockery: The hypocrite's mockery increased the guided one's guidance. Since Allah said {وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ} (and followed their desires), He then said {وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ} (And those who are guided, He increases them). Their following guidance increased their guidance because they found the hypocrites' actions repulsive and avoided them.
Issue 2: What is the meaning of {وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا} (And those who are guided)?
There are transmitted and inferred meanings:
Transmitted Views:
- It means Allah gave them the reward for their piety (Taqwa).
- It means He gave them piety itself, without implication—meaning, He clarified piety for them.
- It means He gave them success (Tawfiq) to act upon what they knew.
Inferred Views:
- It clarifies the state of those who listen to the Qur'an, understand its meanings, and explain it, highlighting the extreme difference from the hypocrite. The hypocrite listened but did not understand, and repeated but did not learn. The guided one learned and explained it to others. This is supported by the use of هدى (guidance) rather than اهتداء (being guided). Huda is the masdar (verbal noun). Allah says: {فَبِهَدَاهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ} (Follow their guidance), meaning take what they were guided by and be guided as they were guided.
- Under this interpretation, {وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا} means they were kept away from speaking about the Qur'an without proof and were led to guard against interpretation based on mere opinion.
- Consequently, {زَادَهُمْ هُدًى} means they were already guided, and Allah increased their guidance until they ascended from the rank of the guided to the rank of the guides.
- It could mean that {زَادَهُمْ هُدًى} refers to knowledge, while {وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا} refers to taking precaution regarding what they do not know. This is inferred from: {فَبَشِّرِ الْعِبَادِ * الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ} (So give good tidings to My servants, who listen to the word and follow the best of it) and {وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ} (And those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it...").
Third Meaning: It may clarify that the sincere person is in a state of greater fear (Khawf) than others. Since Allah said {زَادَهُمْ هُدًى} (He increased them in guidance), this implies an increase in knowledge. Allah also says: {إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ} (Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who are learned). Thus, He gave them the fear (Khawf) that knowledge necessitates.
Fourth Meaning: It refers to their piety concerning the Day of Resurrection, as Allah says: {يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَاخْشَوْا يَوْمًا لَّا يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِ} (O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son...). This is supported by the subsequent verse mentioning the Hour: {فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً} (Then do they await aught except the Hour that it should come upon them suddenly?), suggesting that mentioning the Hour immediately after piety implies this connection.
Fifth Meaning: He gave them the piety befitting a believer—the piety where one does not fear the blame of any blamer. This is supported by Allah's statement: {الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ} (who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him and fear none except Allah). This meaning is appropriate because the verse aims to distinguish the two groups. The hypocrite feared people (both believers and disbelievers), wavered between them, sought to please both parties, and thus angered Allah. Allah clarified that the guided believer is the opposite: he knew the truth, feared Allah alone, and feared no one besides Him.
Surah Muhammad (47): Verse 18
فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً فَقَدْ جَاءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ
Then do they await aught except the Hour that it should come upon them suddenly? For already its signs have come. So how will there be for them remembrance (or benefit from admonition) when it comes to them?