Tafsir of Muhammad 47:30

Surah Muhammad (47): Verse 30

Original Text: { ولو نشاء لاريناكهم فلعرفتهم بسيماهم ولتعرفنهم فى لحن القول والله يعلم أعمالكم }

Translation: And if We willed, We could show them to you, and you would surely know them by their marks, and you would surely know them by the manner of their speech. And Allah knows your deeds.

Exegesis (Tafsir):

When the preceding verse implied that Allah would expose the hidden malice (أضغانهم) of those with sickness in their hearts, it might prompt the question: Why does Allah not immediately reveal their secrets?

The answer is given here: { ولو نشاء لاريناكهم } (And if We willed, We could show them to you). There is no barrier preventing Us from doing so.

• لاريناكهم (We could show them to you): Showing (الإراءة) here means making them known (التعريف).
• فلعرفتهم (and you would surely know them): This phrase is added for added emphasis. Sometimes, "to make known" (عرفته) does not necessarily imply that the recipient actually comprehends or knows (عرف). For instance, one might say, "I made him understand, but he did not understand."
  • Here, { لاريناكهم فلعرفتهم } means: We would make them known to you in a way that ensures your knowing them, indicating the strength of the revelation.
  • The Lam (لـ) in فلعرفتهم is the Lam that follows Law (لو) in a conditional sentence, indicating that the knowledge (المعرفة) is directly linked to the willing (المشيئة). It is as if He said: "If We willed, We would know them for you," implying that the knowledge is immediate and inseparable from the showing, thus confirming and strengthening the act of making them known.

• ولتعرفنهم فى لحن القول (and you would surely know them by the manner of their speech): The Lam here is the Lam of an implied oath (e.g., "By Allah, you would surely know them").

There are several interpretations for فى لحن القول (in the manner/tone of speech):

1. Regarding the meaning of the speech: * It could mean knowing them by the meaning of their own speech, where they utter words implying hypocrisy (e.g., saying "We were with you" upon victory, or their statement, "If we return to Medina, the most honorable will surely expel the meanest from it," or their excuse, "Our houses are exposed"). * It could mean knowing them by the meaning of Allah's speech concerning them, where Allah describes the hypocrites (e.g., "The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts feel awe," or "The believers are only those who, when they are with him on an important matter, do not depart...").

2. Regarding deviation from truth: It refers to their speech deviating from what they truly believe. They say things they do not hold internally, such as: "We testify that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah," while Allah testifies they are liars. Or their claim, "Our houses are exposed," when they are not.

3. Regarding the hidden aspect of speech: It refers to the subtle, hidden meaning of their speech that the Prophet (PBUH) could discern, but others could not. The Prophet (PBUH) knew the hypocrites but was commanded not to expose them until Allah permitted him to reveal their status and forbade praying over their dead.

• بسيماهم (by their marks): The apparent meaning is that if Allah willed, He would place a visible sign on their faces, or He might transform their appearance, as in { ولو نشاء لمسخناهم } (And if We willed, We could have transformed them). It is narrated that some of them woke up with "This is a hypocrite" written on their foreheads.

• والله يعلم أعمالكم (And Allah knows your deeds): This is a promise to the believers and a clarification contrasting their state with that of the hypocrites.
  • The hypocrite has speech without action.
  • The believer has action without boasting of it (except for glorification/praise, as indicated by verses like "Our Lord, do not impose upon us what we forgot or erred in," and "Our Lord, forgive us our sins and cover our bad deeds"). Believers perform good deeds while speaking of their shortcomings with repentance and fear.
  • Conversely, the hypocrite speaks of good deeds (e.g., "We are with you," or "The Bedouins say, 'We have believed'"), while performing evil deeds.
  • Therefore, Allah hears their empty words and knows your righteous deeds, and He will not let them go to waste.

Surah Muhammad (47): Verse 31

Original Text: { ولنبلونكم حتى نعلم المجاهدين منكم والصابرين ونبلو أخباركم }

Translation: And We will surely test you until We know those who strive among you [for the cause of Allah] and those who are patient, and We will test your reports.