Tafsir of Muhammad 47:9

Surah Muhammad (47): Verse 9

That is because they hated what Allah sent down, so He rendered their deeds worthless.

There are several interpretations regarding what "what Allah sent down" refers to:

The First View: It refers to the Qur'an. The reasoning is that the manner of performing righteous deeds cannot be known by intellect alone; it must be learned through divine law (Shar'a), and the Shar'a is conveyed by the Qur'an. When they turned away (from the Qur'an), they did not know the righteous deeds or how to perform them. Consequently, they performed falsehood (bāṭil), and thus Allah rendered their deeds worthless.

The Second View: It refers to the revelation concerning Tawhid (Monotheism). This is supported by verses such as:

• "When it is said to them, 'Come to what your Lord has sent down,' they say, 'These are but ancient legends.'" (Al-Sāffāt: 36)
• And the verse: "Shall he make the gods [many] one God? Indeed, this is a most singular thing." (Ṣād: 5-7)
• And: "And when Allah, the One, is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink in aversion." (Az-Zumar: 45)

The reasoning here is that Shirk (polytheism) nullifies deeds. Allah states: "If you associate others with Allah, surely your work will be rendered worthless." (Az-Zumar: 65). How could it be otherwise, since the deed of a polytheist is not performed for the sake of Allah? Therefore, the deed has no inherent permanence, nor does it persist through the permanence of the doer, because anything other than the pleasure of Allah is perishable and nullified.

The Third View: It refers to the revelation concerning the Hereafter. Because they hated the truth about the Hereafter, they did not strive for it. Since the worldly life and everything in it ultimately leads to falsehood (bāṭil), Allah rendered their deeds worthless.

Have they not traveled through the earth and observed how was the end of those who were before them? Allah destroyed them completely, and for the disbelievers there will be similar ends.