Tafsir of Muhammad 47:29

Surah Muhammad 47:29

ﲽ ﲾ ﲿ ﳀ ﳁ ﳂ ﳃ ﳄ ﳅ ﳆ ﳇ

Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allah would never expose their [feelings of] hatred?

Tafsir

Mafatih al-Ghayb

Verse range: 47:29

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Muhammad: (29) Or do those who disbelieve think...

This refers to the hypocrites. The particle {أَمْ} (am, or) typically requires a preceding interrogative clause if it is a connecting interrogative particle (like in "Is Zayd in the house, or is 'Amr?"). If it is a disjunctive interrogative particle (meaning "rather" or "nay"), it does not require a preceding question.

The commentators agree that here it is disjunctive. However, it is possible to argue that it is connecting, with the preceding question being implied from the preceding verse: {وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِسْرَارَهُمْ} (And Allah knows their secrets). It is as if Allah is saying: Do the disbelievers think Allah will not know their secrets, or do the hypocrites think Allah will not reveal them? In either case, this thinking is flawed, as He knows and reveals them.

This interpretation is supported by the fact that the disjunctive am rarely occurs at the beginning of speech (e.g., one would not typically start by saying, "Rather, Zayd came," or "Or did 'Amr come?").

The meaning of {إِخْرَاجُهُمْ} (bringing them out) is making something apparent (revelation/manifestation). {الأَضْغَانَ} (al-adghān) are deep-seated grudges or malice; the singular is ḍighn.

< { وَلَوْ نَشَاءُ لَأَرَيْنَاكَهُمْ فَلَعَرَفْتَهُمْ بِسِيمَاهُمْ وَلَتَعْرِفَنَّهُمْ فِي لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ أَعْمَالَكُمْ } >

"And if We willed, We could show them to you, and you would recognize them by their marks, and certainly you will recognize them by the tone of their speech. And Allah knows your deeds."