Tafseer of Muhammad · Muhammad · 47:3
That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood, and those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus does Allah present to the people their comparisons.
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 discourse on the explanation of His exalted statement: ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اتَّبَعُوا الْبَاطِلَ وَأَنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبَعُوا الْحَقَّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ أَمْثَالَهُمْ (47:3) ("That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood, and because those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus does Allah set forth for mankind their parables.")
He, exalted is His remembrance, says: this which We have done with these two groups — Our frustrating of the deeds of the disbelievers, and Our blotting out [of the sins] of those who believed and performed righteous works — is a recompense from Our side to each group of them according to its deed. As for the disbelievers: We made their deeds vain and rendered them without rightness or guidance, because they followed Satan and obeyed him, and he is falsehood.
As Zakariyyā ibn Yaḥyā ibn Abī Zāʾida and ʿAbbās ibn Muḥammad related to me, both saying: Ḥajjāj ibn Muḥammad related to us, saying: Ibn Jurayj said: Khālid informed me that he heard Mujāhid say ( ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا اتَّبَعُوا الْبَاطِلَ — "That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood"), he said: falsehood is Satan. As for the believers: We blotted out for them their evil deeds and set their condition in order for them, because they followed the truth that came to them from their Lord — and that is Muḥammad, Allah's blessing and peace be upon him ﷺ, and what he brought to them from his Lord of light and proof. ( كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ أَمْثَالَهُمْ — "Thus does Allah set forth for mankind their parables"). The Almighty and Exalted says: just as I have expounded to you, O people, My manner of dealing with the group of disbelief and the group of belief, thus do We set forth for mankind the parables, and make the similitudes vivid for them, so that We attach to each people the parables that befit it.
