Surah Muhammad 47:33

Nullifying the Disbelievers' Deeds and the Command to chase Them

Allah then informs about those who disbelieve, obstruct others from the path of Allah, oppose the Messenger and contend with him, and revert from the faith after guidance has become clear to them. He indicates that those people can never harm Allah in the least, and rather they only harm themselves and become losers on the Day of Resurrection. He will nullify their deeds. Allah will not reward them even the weight of a mosquito (i.e., the smallest thing) for any good that they did before their apostasy, but would instead totally invalidate and destroy it. Their apostasy wipes away their good deeds entirely, just as the good deeds would normally wipe away the evil deeds. Imam Ahmad Ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi reported in Kitab As-Salah (the Book of Prayer) that Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "The Prophet's Companions used to think that no sin would harm a person who says `La ilaha illallah,' just as no good deed would benefit a person who joins partners with Allah. So Allah revealed,

أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَلاَ تُبْطِلُواْ أَعْمَـلَكُمْ

(Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds.) This made them fear that some sins could nullify their deeds." It has also been reported from Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, "We, the Companions of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, used to think that good deeds would all be accepted, until Allah revealed,

أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ الرَّسُولَ وَلاَ تُبْطِلُواْ أَعْمَـلَكُمْ

(Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and do not invalidate your deeds. ) So we asked each other: `What is it that can nullify our deeds' So we said, `The major sins, great offenses that require admission into the Fire and immoral sins.' But then Allah revealed,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ

(Verily, Allah does not forgive joining partners with Him in worship, but He forgives except that to whom He wills.) (4:48) After this was revealed, we ceased saying that. We thereafter continued to fear for those who committed great sins and immoral sins and to have hope for those who did not." Then, Allah commands His believing servants to obey Him and His Messenger , which would result in their happiness in this worldly life and the Hereafter. He also prohibits them from apostasy, because that would result in the nullification of their deeds. Thus He says,

وَلاَ تُبْطِلُواْ أَعْمَـلَكُمْ

(and do not invalidate your deeds.) meaning, by apostasy. Thus, Allah says after this,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ مَاتُواْ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ فَلَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ

(Verily, those who disbelieved and obstructed others from the path of Allah and then died as disbelievers -- never will Allah forgive them.) This is similar to His saying,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُ

(Verily, Allah does not forgive joining partners with Him in worship, but He forgives except that to whom He wills.) (4:48) Allah then addresses His believing servants by saying,

فَلاَ تَهِنُواْ

(So do not lose heart) meaning, do not be weak concerning the enemies.

وَتَدْعُواْ إِلَى السَّلْمِ

(and beg for peace) meaning, compromise, peace, and ending the fighting between you and the disbelievers while you are in a position of power, both in great numbers and preparations. Thus, Allah says,

فَلاَ تَهِنُواْ وَتَدْعُواْ إِلَى السَّلْمِ وَأَنتُمُ الاٌّعْلَوْنَ

(So do not lose heart and beg for peace while you are superior.) meaning, in the condition of your superiority over your enemy. If, on the other hand, the disbelievers are considered more powerful and numerous than the Muslims, then the Imam (general commander) may decide to hold a treaty if he judges that it entails a benefit for the Muslims. This is like what Allah's Messenger ﷺ did when the disbelievers obstructed him from entering Makkah and offered him treaty in which all fighting would stop between them for ten years. Consequently, he agreed to that. Allah then says:

وَاللَّهُ مَعَكُمْ

(And Allah is with you) This contains the good news of victory and triumph over the enemies.

وَلَن يَتِرَكُمْ أَعْمَـلَكُمْ

(and He will never deprive you of (the reward of) your deeds.) meaning, Allah will never invalidate your deeds, nullify them, or deprive you of them, but rather He will give you your rewards complete, without any reduction." And Allah knows best.

Dalam ayat ini, Allah meminta orang-orang yang beriman agar taat kepada-Nya dan kepada Rasul-Nya serta tidak menghiraukan sikap dan tindakan orang-orang kafir. Mereka hendaknya beriman, mengakui keesaan dan kekuasaan Allah yang memiliki sifat-sifat yang sempurna, menaati perintah-Nya, melaksanakan ajaran-Nya, dan tidak melanggar perintah-Nya yang menyebabkan hilangnya pahala amal yang mereka kerjakan.

Menurut Abu al-'Aliyah, "Semula para sahabat berpendapat bahwa tidak ada satu dosa pun yang dapat merusak ikrar seseorang bahwa "tidak ada Tuhan selain Allah", sebagaimana tidak ada manfaat sesuatu amal yang didasarkan kepada syirik sampai ayat ini turun. Setelah turunnya ayat ini, para sahabat merasa khawatir, kalau-kalau amal-amal mereka akan batal karena suatu perbuatan dosa."

Ibnu 'Umar berkata, "Kami semua sahabat Rasulullah saw berpendapat bahwa perbuatan baik akan diterima Allah sampai turunnya ayat ini. Setelah ayat ini turun, kami bertanya, 'Apa sajakah yang membatalkan pahala amal-amal kami? Maka Rasulullah menjawab, 'Dosa besar, perbuatan jahat, dan perbuatan keji. Setelah itu apabila salah seorang kami berbuat dosa (zina) yang disebutkan itu, kami berkata, 'Sesungguhnya telah terhapus pahala amalnya, sampai turun ayat yang artinya, 'Sesungguhnya Allah tidak mengampuni dosa orang yang mempersekutukan-Nya, tetapi mengampuni selain dari itu bagi siapa yang dikehendaki-Nya. Setelah itu kami tidak membicarakan tentang hal itu lagi."

Ada ahli tafsir yang berpendapat bahwa yang dimaksud dengan taat kepada Allah ialah mengamalkan isi Al-Qur'an. Sedangkan yang dimaksud dengan taat kepada Rasul ialah mengikuti dan melaksanakan semua perintah dan larangan yang terkandung dalam hadis-hadis beliau.