47. Surah Muhammad [38 verses]

Medina 95

[[THIS IS undoubtedly one of the earliest revelations.- perhaps the earliest - of the Medina period; as pointed out in note 1 1 below, verse 13 may have been revealed during the Prophet's hijrah. The view of Ad-Dahhak and Sa'id ibn Jubayr (cited by Zamakhshari) that it is a Meccan surah lacks both internal and external evidence, and cannot be accepted. The title is based on the mention of the name of the Prophet Muhammad in verse 2; but since the surah deals prominently with various aspects of fighting (qital) in God's cause, it was often designated by the Prophet's Companions and their immediate successors as Surat al-Qital. ]]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

فَلَا تَهِنُوا وَتَدْعُوا إِلَى السَّلْمِ...

47:35. Be not weary and faint-hearted crying for peace.

وَأَنتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ وَاللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ وَلَن يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ ﴿٣٥﴾

When ye should be Uppermost: for Allah is with you, and will never put you in loss for your (good) deeds.

C4859. To those who are trying to root out evil, and have authority to do so, the question is not of peace or conflict, but of whether Good or Evil is to prevail. They must remember that Good must ultimately prevail, and Allah's help is with those who, as far as men can, are trying to further the universal Plan.

Cf. n. 4847 to verse 22 above.

Asad’s Version:

47:35 AND SO, [when you fight in a just cause,] do not lose heart and [never] beg for peace: for, seeing that God is with you, you are bound to rise high [in the end]; 40 and never will He let your [good] deeds go to waste.

Yuksel’s version

47:35 Therefore, do not be weak in calling for peace. You are on a higher moral ground, and God is with you. He will not waste your efforts.

[[Asad’s note - 40 I.e., even if the fortunes of war go against them, the consciousness of having fought in the cause, of truth and justice is bound to enhance the inner strength of the believers and, thus, to become a source of their future greatness: cf. 3:139. ]]