Tafseer of Muhammad · Muhammad · 47:14
So is he who is on clear evidence from his Lord like him to whom the evil of his work has been made attractive and they follow their [own] desires?
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The exposition of the interpretation of His word, exalted is He: «أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ كَمَنْ زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ» (Is then he who stands upon a clear proof from his Lord like one for whom the evil of his deeds has been made fair-seeming, and they followed their desires?) (14)
The Exalted says, praised be His mention: «أَفَمَنْ كَانَ» (Is then he who) stood upon a convincing proof, a ground of evidence, and a clear declaration «مِنْ» (concerning) the matter of «رَبِّهِ» (his Lord) and the knowledge of His oneness, so that he worships Him with insight, knowing that he has a Lord who recompenses him for his obedience to Him with Paradise, and for his evil and his disobedience toward Him with the Hellfire, «كَمَنْ زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ» (like one for whom the evil of his deeds has been made fair-seeming) — He says: like one for whom Satan has made fair-seeming the reprehensible and evil of his deeds, so that he made it appear beautiful to him, and so he persists in performing it — «وَاتَّبَعُوا أَهْوَاءَهُمْ» (and they followed their desires) — He says: and they followed that to which their souls called them, of disobedience toward Allah and the worship of idols, without having with them, for what they perform of that, any convincing proof or ground of evidence. And it has been said that the one intended by His word «أَفَمَنْ كَانَ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ» (he who stands upon a clear proof from his Lord) is our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him ﷺ, and that those intended by His word «كَمَنْ زُيِّنَ لَهُ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ» (one for whom the evil of his deeds has been made fair-seeming) are the polytheists.
