Surah Muhammad (47) — Ayah 19

(Ayah 19) ➊ { فَاعْلَمْ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ:} This "fa" is called "fasihah" (expressive), meaning that it expresses the condition that is understood from the previous discourse. This verse is connected to all the previous verses of the surah, meaning that when you have come to know the state of the disbelievers and the believers, and also that goodness and success depend on monotheism and obedience, and evil and failure depend on polytheism and disobedience, then also know that none is worthy of worship except Allah. (Abu al-Su'ud) Abu al-‘Aliyah and Ibn ‘Uyaynah said that its connection is with the previous verse, meaning that when the Hour comes to them, then know that there is no place to flee or seek refuge from its establishment except with Allah (because He alone is the true deity). (Baghawi)

➋ Here is a question: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) already knew this reality that none is worthy of worship except Allah, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ أَتْقَاكُمْ وَ أَعْلَمَكُمْ بِاللّٰهِ أَنَا ] [ بخاري، الإیمان، باب قول النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم : ’’ أنا أعلمکم باللّٰہ …‘‘ : ۲۰ ] "Indeed, I am the one among you who fears Allah the most and knows Allah the most." Then what is the meaning of saying, "Know that none is worthy of worship except Allah"? The scholars have given several answers to this, and all are correct. One is that although the apparent addressee of {’’ فَاعْلَمْ ‘‘} is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the address is to every individual of the Ummah. The evidence is in the last words of the verse, in which all are explicitly addressed: «وَ اللّٰهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَ مَثْوٰىكُمْ » "And Allah knows your movement and your resting." As stated at the beginning of Surah At-Talaq: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَطَلِّقُوْهُنَّ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ وَ اَحْصُوا الْعِدَّةَ وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ رَبَّكُمْ لَا تُخْرِجُوْهُنَّ مِنْۢ بُيُوْتِهِنَّ وَ لَا يَخْرُجْنَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْ يَّاْتِيْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ مُّبَيِّنَةٍ » [ الطلاق : ۱ ] "O Prophet! When you divorce women, divorce them at their prescribed period and count the period, and fear Allah your Lord. Do not expel them from their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear immorality."

The second answer is that the meaning of {’’ فَاعْلَمْ ‘‘} is to remain firm and steadfast upon the knowledge of {’’ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ ‘‘}, as He said: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اٰمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِهٖ وَ الْكِتٰبِ الَّذِيْ نَزَّلَ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِهٖ وَ الْكِتٰبِ الَّذِيْۤ اَنْزَلَ مِنْ قَبْلُ » [النساء: ۱۳۶] "O you who have believed! Believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book which He has sent down upon His Messenger and the Book which He sent down before." Most commentators have stated this as the meaning of {’’ فَاعْلَمْ ‘‘} here. The third answer is that the beginning of knowledge of any reality is its recognition, that the heart knows it, then comes the stage of certainty, and the completion of this knowledge is by acting according to its requirements. The meaning is: attain the recognition and certainty of {’’لا الٰه الا الله‘‘} and act upon its requirements. It is evident that there are countless levels of knowledge and certainty, and in terms of action, the levels are also innumerable. The saying of Ibrahim (peace be upon him): « وَ لٰكِنْ لِّيَطْمَىِٕنَّ قَلْبِيْ » [البقرۃ: ۲۶۰] (But so that my heart may be satisfied) is evidence of this. That is why Allah Almighty commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): « وَ قُلْ رَّبِّ زِدْنِيْ عِلْمًا » [طٰہٰ : ۱۱۴ ] "And say: My Lord, increase me in knowledge." And how beautifully someone has said:

Whenever I say I am a Muslim, I tremble,
Because I know the difficulties of La ilaha (none is worthy of worship except Allah).

The verse of Surah An-Nisa (136): « يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اٰمِنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رَسُوْلِهٖ » has also been interpreted to mean: act according to the requirements of your faith. In summary, at every moment, strive to increase in the recognition, certainty, and action upon {’’لا الٰه الا الله‘‘}. The fourth is to always remember and keep in view this reality that none is worthy of worship except Allah, as if {’’اِعْلَمْ‘‘} means {’’ اُذْكُرْ‘‘}.

➌ This verse proves the virtue of knowledge, because acquiring knowledge is necessary before every statement and action, as He said: «اِعْلَمُوْۤا اَنَّمَا الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَّ لَهْوٌ » [ الحدید : ۲۰ ] "Know that the life of this world is nothing but play." After that, He said: « سَابِقُوْۤا اِلٰى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَآءِ وَ الْاَرْضِ » [ الحدید : ۲۱ ] "Race towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth." And Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sahih Bukhari: {’’بَابُ الْعِلْمِ قَبْلَ الْقَوْلِ وَالْعَمَلِ لِقَوْلِ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰي : « فَاعْلَمْ اَنَّهٗ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ» فَبَدَأَ بِالْعِلْمِ‘‘} [ بخاري، العلم، قبل ح : ۶۸ ] "Knowledge precedes speech and action, because Allah Almighty said (in Surah Muhammad): 'So know that none is worthy of worship except Allah.' In this verse, Allah mentioned knowledge first."

➍ {وَ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنْۢبِكَ :} In many places in the Noble Qur'an, Allah Almighty has commanded seeking forgiveness. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) always acted upon this command of Allah Almighty and emphasized it to the Ummah as well. Thus, two hadiths related to this are mentioned here. Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ خَطِيْئَتِيْ وَجَهْلِيْ وَ إِسْرَافِيْ فِيْ أَمْرِيْ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّيْ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ جِدِّيْ وَهَزْلِيْ وَخَطَئِيْ وَعَمْدِيْ وَكُلُّ ذٰلِكَ عِنْدِيْ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّيْ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ وَأَنْتَ عَلٰی كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ ] [ مسلم، الذکر و الدعاء، باب في الأدعیۃ : ۲۷۱۹ ] "O Allah! Forgive my mistakes, my ignorance, my excesses in my affairs, and all those sins which You know better than I do. O Allah! Forgive my seriousness, my joking, my mistakes done unintentionally and intentionally, and all these are with me. O Allah! Forgive all my sins that I have committed before and after, those I did secretly and openly, and those which You know better than I do. You are the One Who brings forward and the One Who delays, and You are powerful over everything." Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: [ وَاللّٰهِ! إِنِّيْ لَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ وَ أَتُوْبُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِيْنَ مَرَّةً ] [ بخاري، الدعوات، باب استغفار النبي صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم في الیوم واللیلۃ:۶۳۰۷ ] "By Allah! I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy (70) times a day."

➎ { وَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتِ:} This command is for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as well as for all members of the Ummah, that they should seek forgiveness for all believing men and women besides themselves. From this, it is known that it is obligatory upon the believers to seek forgiveness for their believing brothers. This was also the practice of the great Prophets (peace be upon them) before, as Nuh (peace be upon him) prayed: «رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَ لِوَالِدَيَّ وَ لِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنٰتِ وَ لَا تَزِدِ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ اِلَّا تَبَارًا » [ نوح : ۲۸ ] "O my Lord! Forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house as a believer, and the believing men and believing women, and do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction." And Ibrahim (peace be upon him) prayed: «رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَ لِوَالِدَيَّ وَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْحِسَابُ » [ إبراہیم : ۴۱ ] "Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day the account is established."

➏ When Allah Almighty Himself commanded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and all the believers to seek forgiveness for the believing men and women, this is proof that He will also accept it. It is evident that every believer, whether male or female, alive or deceased, is included in these supplications for forgiveness which have been made for the believers from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to the last person of the Ummah, and whoever is included in the supplications for forgiveness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and countless accepted servants of Allah Almighty, there is no reason to despair of his forgiveness. Therefore, it is not correct to say about any believer that he is destined for Hell, or that Allah Almighty will not forgive him, no matter how great a sinner he may be. The condition is that he possesses the wealth of faith and is not tainted by the impurity of polytheism.

➐ { وَ اللّٰهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَ مَثْوٰىكُمْ: ’’ مُتَقَلَّبٌ‘‘} and {’’مَثْوٰي‘‘ ’’ تَقَلَّبَ يَتَقَلَّبُ‘‘} (Tafa‘‘ul) and {’’ ثَوَي يَثْوِيْ‘‘} (Daraba) can be both a verbal noun (masdar mimi) and a locative noun (zarf makan). In the first case, the meaning is your movement and your resting, and in the second case, the meaning is the place of your movement and the place of your resting. The meaning is that Allah Almighty knows well your movements and your resting, and the places of your movement and your resting. In this is a warning for the disbelievers and the disobedient, and glad tidings for the obedient servants of Allah, that Allah Almighty is aware of your every lawful or unlawful movement and stillness, and being aware means that He will reward the obedient and punish the disobedient.

19. 1. That is, remain firm and steadfast on this belief because this very monotheism and obedience to Allah is the foundation of goodness, and deviation from it, that is, polytheism and disobedience, is the foundation of evil.

19. 2. In this, the Prophet ﷺ has been commanded to seek forgiveness, both for himself and for the believers. Seeking forgiveness holds great importance and virtue. It has been greatly emphasized in the hadith as well. In one hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: یَا اّیُّھَا النَّاسُ ! تُوْبُوْا اِلٰی رَبِّکُمْ فَاِنِّی اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰہَ وَ اَتُوْبُ اِلَیہِ فِی الیَوْمِ اَکْثَرَ مِنْ سَبْعِیْنَ مَرَّۃً (Sahih Bukhari) O people! Repent to your Lord, for I too seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day. I turn in repentance and seek forgiveness in the presence of Allah.

19. 3. That is, whatever you do and wherever you go during the day, and wherever you rest and settle at night, Allah knows. The meaning is that no activity of day or night is hidden from Allah.

So know that there is no deity except Allah, and ask forgiveness [22] for your own sins and for the believing men and women. And Allah knows your movements and your final [23] resting place.

[22] No matter what level of faith a believer has, he should continue to confess his weakness and shortcomings before Allah. Shortcoming means that we have not been able to fully fulfill the right of worship and obedience to Allah as was due upon us. And such confession has always been made by all the Prophets as well. Although it is impossible for the Prophets to commit sins, especially intentional sins. In accordance with this command of Allah, you ﷺ used to seek forgiveness more than a hundred times in a day. And all Muslims also repeatedly seek forgiveness during and after their prayers. In this verse, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has been commanded to seek forgiveness for himself and for all believing men and women, because your supplication is much more accepted in the court of Allah compared to others.

[23] That is, Allah Almighty knows very well the movements and activities of each one of you, whether he is a believer or a disbeliever, and in which way they are being spent. Then He also knows where each person will die and be buried, and another meaning of ﴿مَثْوٰكُمْ﴾ could be that after death, the place in Paradise or Hell that each of you will be given—Allah knows that very well too.