Day 289 · Surah Muhammad Verses 1-19

Muhammad 1–19

Two ways of life are sharply contrasted: falsehood erases good deeds, truth erases mistakes, then the rules of warfare are explained, Paradise is described with its rivers, and the hearts of hypocrites are sealed.

The good deeds of the disbelievers who turn people away from the path of Allah are erased, while the mistakes of the believers who do good are erased and their condition is improved.
Fighting in the way of Allah is legislated to test faith, and captives may be freed or ransomed; those who fall in it have their deeds rewarded and are entered into Paradise.
Former nations stronger than the Quraysh have been destroyed, so their fate is commanded to be studied.
Paradise is described as containing rivers of water, milk whose taste does not change, delicious wine, and pure honey, while the inhabitants of the Fire are given boiling water to drink that cuts through their insides.
The hearts of hypocrites are sealed so they do not understand Islam, while those who take the Qur'an as guidance are increased in guidance and God-consciousness.

Verses 1-11 of Surah Muhammad explain three things:

The character is very contrasting between disbelievers and believers. Disbelievers always prevent people from the path of Allah. Allah erases all their good deeds. As for the believers who do good deeds and believe in the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as a guide for the right life, Allah will erase all their mistakes and improve their condition. This sharp contrast is because the disbelievers follow a path of falsehood, while the believers follow the right path (Islam) that comes from Allah, the Lord and Creator of humanity.
Fighting in the way of Allah (Jihad Fi Sabilillah) is an Islamic teaching. In warfare, Allah permits killing and capturing disbelievers. Regarding captives, they may be freed or ransomed. Allah legislated fighting to test the faith of the believers. Those who die in Jihad Fi Sabilillah, Allah rewards all their deeds, guides them, improves their condition, and enters them into Paradise. Jihad aims only to establish Islam. Therefore Allah made it a condition for receiving His help.
The disbelievers are certainly wretched and Allah erases all their good deeds because they hate the Qur'an. Allah commands us to study the tragic fate of former nations, because all disbelievers meet the same fate. Allah is only the helper of the believers, while the disbelievers have no helper.

Verses 12-19 explain three main things:

Allah ensures that the abode of believing believers is Paradise. As for the disbelievers, it is the Fire, because they enjoy the life of this world like animals. Many disbelievers before the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have been destroyed by Allah, yet they were stronger than the Quraysh who drove away the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The fate of a believer who takes the Qur'an as a guide for life is not the same as the disbeliever and hypocrite. They see sin and evil as beautiful and follow their desires. The God-conscious believers will attain Paradise. In it are rivers of water, rivers of milk whose taste will not change, rivers of wine that are delicious to drink, and rivers of pure honey, and they receive all kinds of fruits and forgiveness from Allah. The disbelievers and hypocrites abide in the Fire and are given boiling water to drink that cuts through their insides.
The hypocrites cannot understand Islam because Allah seals their hearts and they follow their desires. As for those who take the Qur'an as a guide for life, Allah will increase them in guidance and bestow God-consciousness upon them. The hypocrites only await the Hour, yet the signs of the Hour are already present. Know that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah. Ask His forgiveness, for Allah is All-Knowing of our deeds.

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