47- Surat Muhammad

47- Surat Muhammad

38 Verses  Maddani (revealed in Medina)

A'auzu Bellahi mena alshytani alrajeem

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan

Bismi Ellahi Alrhmani Alraheem

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

                                        

Allazina kafaruo wa sadduo an sabeli ellahi adalla a'malahum (1).

Those who disbelieve and prevented from the way of Allah, He will waste their deeds. 

Wa allazina amanuo wa ameluo alsalehati wa amanuo bema nuzzela ala Muhammadin wa huwa alhaqquo men Rabbehim kaffara anhum sayyi-atehim wa aslaha balahum (2).

And those who believe and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down upon Muhammad, and it is the truth from their Lord, He will expiate from them their evil deeds, and set their affairs straight. 

Zaleka be-anna allazina kafaruo ettaba-uo albatela wa anna allazina amanuo ettaba-uo alhaqqa men rabbehim ka-zaleka yadribuo Allahu lelnasi amthalahum (3).

That is because the disbelievers followed falsehood, and that the believers followed the truth from their Lord, thus Allah cites to the people their examples.

Fa-iza laqetumuo allazina kafaruo fa-darba alreqabi hatta iza athkhantumuhum fa-shudduo alwathaqa fa-emma mannan ba'duo wa emma feda'an hatta tada'a alharbuo awzaraha zaleka wa laww yasha-uo Allahu lantasara menhum wa lakin le-yabluwa ba'dakum beba'din wa allazina quteluo fee sabeeli ellahi fa-lan youdella a'malahum (4).

So when you meet those who disbelieve, then strike the necks until when you have subdued them, then bind firmly the bond, then either a favor afterwards, or a ransom until the war lays down its burdens, that, and if Allah wills He could have retribution from them, but to test some of you with others, and those who are killed in the way of Allah, He will not waste their deeds. 

Sa-yahdeehim wa youslehuo balahum (5).

He will guide them and set their affairs straight. 

Wa youdkheluhumuo aljannata arrafaha lahum (6).

And He will admit them into Paradise, He had made it known to them.

Ya-ayyuha allazina amanuo in tansuruo Allaha yansurkum wa youthabbet aqdamakum (7).

O you who believe! If you support Allah, He will support you, and stabilize your feet.

Wa allazina kafaruo fata'san lahum wa adalla a'malahum (8).

And those who disbelieve, a misery for them, and He will waste their deeds.

Zaleka be-annahum karehuo ma anzala Allahu fa-ahbata a'malahum (9).

That is because they hated what Allah has sent down, so He nullified their deeds.

Afa-lam yaseeruo fee alardi fa-yanzuruo kaiyfa kana aqebatuo allazina men qablehim dammara Allahu alaiyhim wa lel-kafereena amthaluha (10).

Have they not traveled in the land and see how was the end of those before them, Allah destroyed them and for the disbelievers its likeness.

Zaleka be-anna Allaha mawla allazina amanuo wa anna alkafereena la mawla lahum (11).

That is because Allah is the Protector of those who believe and that the disbelievers, there is no protector for them.

Inna Allaha youdkheluo allazina amanuo wa ameluo alsalehati jannatin tajree men tahteha alanharuo wa allazina kafaruo yatamatta-uona wa ya'kuluna kama ta'kuluo alan'amo wa alnaruo mathwan lahum (12).

Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do good deeds into gardens beneath which rivers flow, and those who disbelieved enjoy and eat as the cattle eat, and the fire will be an abode for them.

Waka-ayyin men qaryatin heiya ashadduo quwwatan men qaryateka allati akhrajatka ahlaknahum fala nasera lahum (13).

And how many of a town that is more powerful than Your town that expelled You, We have destroyed them, so no helper for them.

Afa-man kana ala bayyinatin men rabbehi ka-man zuyyina lahuo su-uo amalehi wa-ttaba-uo ahwa'hum (14).

Then is he who is on a clear proof from his Lord like the one to whom his evil deeds had been adorned, and they followed their whims.

Mathaluo aljannati allati wu-eda almuttaquona feeha anharun men ma-in ghaiyri asenin wa anharun men labanin lam yataghayyar ta'muhuo wa anharun men khamrin lazzatin lel-sharebeena wa anharun men asalin musaffan wa lahum feeha men kulli althamarati wa maghferatun men Rabbehim ka-man huwa khaledun fee elnari wa suquo ma'an hameeman fa-qatta'a am'ahum (15).

A description of Paradise which the righteous were promised, therein, rivers of pure water, and rivers of milk the taste of which does not change, and rivers of wine, delight for the drinkers, and rivers of purified honey, and for them therein of all fruits and forgiveness from their Lord, are they like he who will abide in the fire, and they will be given to drink a boiling water, so it cuts their intestines.

Wa menhum man yastame-uo elaiyka hatta iza kharajuo men endeka qaluo lel-lazina auto alelma maza qala anefan, aulaeka allazina taba'a Allahu ala qulubehim wattaba-uo ahwa-ahum (16).

And among them, there are some who listen to You, until when they depart from You, they say to those who were given the knowledge "what did He say just now'', those are the ones of whom Allah has sealed upon their hearts, and they followed their whims.

Wa allazina ehtadaww zadahum hudan wa atahum taqwahum (17).

And those who adopted guidance, He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.

Fa-hal yanzuruona ella alsa'ata an ta'teiyahum baghtatan fa-qad ja'a ashratuha fa-anna lahum iza ja'at-hum zekrahum (18).

Then do they wait nothing but the Hour, that it should come to them suddenly, but indeed, there have come its signs, then how their reminder will be when it has come to them.

Fa'lam annahuo la elaha ella Allahu wa-stghfir le-zanbeka wa lel-mu'meneena wa almu'menati wa Allahu ya'lamuo mutaqallabakum wa mathwakum (19).

So know that there is no God but Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin, and for the believing men and the believing women, and Allah knows your movement and your resting places.

Wa yaquluo allazina amanuo lawla nuzzelat suratun fa-iza aunzelat suratun muhkamatun wa zukera feeha alqetaluo ra'ayta allazina fee qulubehim maradun yanzuruona elaiyka nazara almaghsheyyi alaiyhi mena almawti fa-awla lahum (20).

And those who believe say why not a Surah has been revealed, but when a precise Surah is revealed, and the fighting is mentioned in it, you see those in whose hearts is a disease, looking at you a look of one fainting from the death, therefore woe for them.

Ta-atun wa qawlun ma'rufun fa iza azama alamruo fa-laww sadaquo Allaha la-kana khaiyran lahum (21).

Obedience and a good saying, and when the matter is determined, if they had been true to Allah, surely, it would have been better for them.

Fa-hal asaiytum in tawallaytum an tufseduo fee elardi wa tuqatte-uo arhamakum (22).

So if you turned away, you will cause corruption on the earth, and sever your womb relations

Aulaeka allazina la'anahumuo Allahu fa-asammahum wa a'ama absarahum (23).

Those are the ones whom Allah has cursed, then He deafened them, and He blinded their eyes.

Afala yatadabbaruona alqurana am ala qulubin aqfaluha (24).

Then, do they not ponder the Quran, or there are locks upon the hearts.

Inna allazina ertadduo ala adbarehim men ba'adi ma tabayyana lahumuo alhuda alshaiytanuo sawwala lahum wa amla lahum (25).

Indeed, those who turned on their backs after the guidance has appeared clearly to them, Satan has tempted them and prolonged hope for them.

Zaleka be-annahum qaluo lel-lazina karehuo ma nazzala Allahu sanute-ukum fee ba'adi alamri wa Allahu ya'lamuo esrarahum (26).

That they said to those who hated what Allah has sent down, we will obey you in some of the matter, and Allah knows their secrets.

Fa-kaiyfa iza tawaffat-humu almalaekatuo yadrebuona wujuhahum wa adbarahum (27).

Then how when the Angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs.

Zaleka be-annahumuo ettaba-uo ma askhata Allaha wa karehuo redwanahuo fa-ahbata a'malahum (28).

That is because they followed what angered Allah, and hated His pleasure, so He nullified their deeds.

Am haseba allazina fee qulubehim maradun an lan youkhreja Allahu adghanahum (29).

Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allah will not bring out their grudges.

Wa laww nasha-uo la-araiynakahum fala-araftahum be-seemahum wala-ta'refannahum fee lahni alqawli wa Allahu ya'lamuo a'malakum (30).

And if We wills, We could show them to You, so you would recognize them by their marks, and surely You will know them by the tone of the speech, and Allah knows your deeds.

Wala-nabluwannakum hatta na'lama almujahedeena menkum wa alsabereena wa nabluwa akhbarakum (31).

And surely We will test you until We knows those who strive among you and the patient and We will test your affairs.

Inna allazina kafaruo wa-ssaduo an sabeeli ellahi wa-shaqquo alrasula men ba'di ma tabayyana lahumuo alhuda lan yadurruo Allaha shaiy-an wasa-youhbetuo a'malahum (32).

Indeed, those who disbelieved and prevented from the way of Allah, and opposed the Messenger after that the guidance has become clear to them, they will not harm Allah anything, so He will nullified their deeds.

Ya-ayyuha allazina amanuo atee-uo Allaha wa ate-uo alrasula wa la tuobteluo a'malakum (33).

O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and do not nullify your deeds.

Inna allazina kafaruo wa-ssaduo an sabeeli ellahi thumma matuo wa hum kuffarun fa-lan yaghfera Allahu lahum (34).

Indeed, those who disbelieve and prevented from the way of Allah, then died while they are disbelievers, Allah will never forgive them.

Fala tahenuo wa tad-uo ela alsalmi wa antumuo ala'lawna wa Allahu ma'akum wa lan yaterakum a'malakum (35).

So do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior, and Allah is with you, and He will not deprive you of your deeds.

Innama alhayatuo aldunya la-ebun wa lahwun wa in tu'menuo wa tattaquo you'tekum aujurakum wa la yas'alkum amwalakum (36).

The worldly life is only a play and amusement, and if you believe and fear, He will give you your rewards, and He will not ask you your wealth.

Inn yas'alkumuha fa-youhfekum tabkhaluo wa youkhrej adghanakum (37).

If He were to ask you for it, and to press you, you would be stingy and He will bring out your grudges.

Ha-antum ha-aulaee tud'awna le-tunfequo fee sabeeli ellahi fa-menkum man yabkhaluo wa man yabkhal fa-innama yabkhaluo an nafsehi wa Allahu alghaniyyuo wa antumuo alfuqarauo wa in tatawallaww yastabdil qawman ghaiyrakum thumma la yakunuo amthalakum (38).

Here you are, those who are called to spend in the way of Allah, but some of you are stingy, and whoever is stingy, then He only is stingy to himself, and Allah is Free of need, while you are the needy, and If you turn away, He will replace you with a people other than you, then they will not be the likes of you.

Simplified interpretation:

 Surat Muhammad carries a comparison between the companions of Paradise, and the companions of Hellfire in terms of their deeds in the worldly life and the recompense that awaits them in the Hereafter, and it carries Allah's command of fighting in His cause and how to deal with the captives, and the merit of martyrdom in the way of Allah. Then Allah shows the condition of the hypocrites when a Surah is revealed ordering them to fight in His cause, and He has likened them to the disbelievers because they followed their path so they will all have the same fate in the Hereafter, and then Allah urges the believers to fight and spend in His way where the worldly life is nothing but a play and amusement. 

 Allah says in the first three verses "Those who disbelieve and prevented from the way of Allah, He will waste their deeds, and those who believe and do righteous deeds and believe in what has been sent down upon Muhammad, and it is the truth from their Lord, He will expiate from them their evil deeds, and set their affairs straight, that is because the disbelievers followed falsehood, and that the believers followed the truth from their Lord, thus Allah cites to the people their examples", that is, Allah described the pagans of Quraish who disbelieved in Allah, and prevented others from Allah's religion, where as mentioned in Surat Alfath Aya (26) they had made in their hearts fanaticism to the gods they worshiped, and it was the fanaticism of ignorance era that prevented them from acknowledging the oneness of Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, so Allah will cause their deeds to be lost, and will not make any reward for it. But as for the emigrants and Alansar who believed in Allah, who done righteous deeds by obeying Allah's commands and avoiding His prohibitions, and who believed in the Holy Quran that was revealed to Muhammad where it is the truth from their Lord, Allah has forgiven their sins, and has improved their conditions. Every party deserved the reward it received, because the disbelievers followed the path of falsehood which is the path of Satan whereas the believers followed the path of the truth from their Lord, and Allah cites the examples of the believers and the disbelievers and their fate to be a lesson for those who give reason.  

 Then Allah addresses the believers in the next four verses (4-7) "So when you meet those who disbelieve, then strike the necks until when you have subdued them, then bind firmly the bond, then either a favor afterwards, or a ransom until the war lays down its burdens, that, and if Allah wills He could have retribution from them, but to test some of you with others, and those who are killed in the way of Allah, He will not waste their deeds, He will guide them and set their affairs straight, and He will admit them into Paradise, He had made it known to them, O you who believe! If you support Allah, He will support you, and stabilize your feet", that is, Allah guides the believers how to deal with the polytheists in times of war and says, when you encounter them in war, Strike their necks with swords until when you have defeated them, and they became either dead or captured, then tie the captured in the bonds lest they kill you or flee from you, then after the end of the battle, you have the choice in their matter, if you wish, Bless them by releasing the captives for free, or Take a ransom from them, and Allah has made permissible for them to free the captives for free or to accept the ransom from them after He has blamed the Muslims for taking the ransom from the captives on the day of the Battle of Badr as mentioned in Aya (67) of Surat Alanfal. And Allah's Messenger had exchanged the captives of the disbelievers for the captives from among the believers, where as narrated by Imran Bin Husain: "The Prophet ransomed two Muslim men for a man from the polytheists". Then Allah confirms that if He wills, He would have taken vengeance upon the polytheists with punishment from Him, but He has legislated Jihad (fighting in the way of Allah) to test the believers so that Allah may know those who strive in His cause and who are patient, as will come later in Aya (31).

 Then Allah confirms that He will not waste the deeds of the martyrs who were killed in His way as He did with the deeds of the polytheists, and He will guide them to paradise, set their affairs straight, and admit them to Paradise that He had made it known to them, where they will be guided to their dwellings in Paradise as if they had known it before as narrated By Abu Sa'id Alkhudri that Allah's Messenger said: "When the believers pass safely over Hell, they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hell and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the worldly life, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted into Paradise. By Him in whose hands the life of Muhammad is, everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than He recognizes his dwelling in the worldly life. Allah addresses the believers again and says if they support Him and His religion against the polytheists, and strive in His cause, He will support them, will grant them victory upon them, and will stabilize their feet in the battle field where He is the supporter of His religion and His faithful servants.

 On the contrary of the believers whom Allah helps and stabilizes their feet, there is a bad consequence awaits the disbelievers where Allah says in the next three verses (8-10) "And those who disbelieve, a misery for them, and He will waste their deeds, that is because they hated what Allah has sent down, so He nullified their deeds, have they not traveled in the land and see how was the end of those before them, Allah destroyed them and for the disbelievers its likeness", that is, Allah threatens the disbelievers with destruction and misery, and He will waste their deeds for they hated the Holy Quran that was revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) and their deeds were in the path of Satan, so as a result Allah nullified their deeds that they had done because their worship of Idols did not benefit them in the worldly or in the hereafter. Then Allah marvels at the fact that they traveled across the land, and saw the torment that Allah had inflicted upon the previous nations which denied Allah and His Messengers, and how that torment was not a reason to abandon disbelief lest what happened to their ancestors afflict them, so Allah threatens them with the same consequence of those before them.

 Allah says in the next two verses (11,12) "That is because Allah is the Protector of those who believe and that the disbelievers, there is no protector for them, indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do good deeds into gardens beneath which rivers flow, and those who disbelieved enjoy and eat as the cattle eat, and the fire will be an abode for them", that is, the disbelievers deserved the torment of those before them because they will not find a protector besides Allah, whereas Allah is the Protector of those who believed and did righteous deeds, and He will admit them into Paradise beneath which rivers flow, and the Hellfire will be the abode of the disbelievers for they enjoy and eat as livestock eat without guidance, and as narrated by Nafi' that Ibn Umar said: ''I heard Allah's Messenger saying, a believer eats in one intestine, and a disbeliever eats in seven intestine", that is, The believers is satisfied with little food, but the disbeliever eats a lot like the cattle whose main concern is food.     

 Allah addresses His Messenger in the next verse (13) and says "And how many of a town that is more powerful than Your town that expelled You, We have destroyed them, so no helper for them", that is, Allah threatens the people of Mecca who expelled Allah's Messenger from Mecca, where He confirms that He had destroyed many towns that are more stronger in might than Quraish, and they did not find any protector besides Allah, but Allah says to His Messenger in Aya (33) of Surat Alanfal "But Allah would not punish them while you are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness", so they had given safety from Allah's punishment for the presence of Allah's Messenger among them, even after His emigration to Madinah, Allah would not punish them where there are believing men and believing women among them who conceal their faith as mentioned in Surat Alfath Aya (25).

 Allah gives a comparison between the path of the believers and that of the disbelievers in the worldly life, and a comparison of the reward of each of them in the Hereafter in the next two verses (14,15), where He says "Then is he who is on a clear proof from his Lord like the one to whom his evil deeds had been adorned, and they followed their whims, a description of Paradise which the righteous were promised, therein, rivers of pure water, and rivers of milk the taste of which does not change, and rivers of wine, delight for the drinkers, and rivers of purified honey, and for them therein of all fruits and forgiveness from their Lord, are they like he who will abide in the fire, and they will be given to drink a boiling water, so it cuts their intestines", that is, the path of the righteous who are on a clear proof and certainty, and who did what Allah has commanded and avoided what He has prohibited, not like of the disbelievers who followed the way of Satan and followed their desires which made them see their evil and ugly deeds as good deeds, therefore, their fate in the hereafter will not be the same for the righteous will be in Paradise of eternal bliss which contains four rivers: the first from pure water whose taste and smell does not change, the second is from milk of extremely whiteness and purity, and its taste does not change as does the milk we know, the third is from wine of good taste and smell, and does not cause intoxication as mentioned in Surat Alwaqi'ah Aya (19), so that it is a delight for the drinkers, and the fourth is from purified honey of good colour, taste and smell. The righteous also have therein all kinds of fruits, in addition to forgiveness from Allah, so they are not like the companions of Hellfire who will abide therein, and they will be given to drink very hot water which cuts their intestines and bowels into pieces.

 Allah continues to give us a comparison between the path of the believers and that of the disbelievers in the next two verses (16,17) and says "And among them, there are some who listen to You, until when they depart from You, they say to those who were given the knowledge "what did He say just now'', those are the ones of whom Allah has sealed upon their hearts, and they followed their whims, and those who adopted guidance, He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness", where the hypocrites used to attend the gathering of Allah's Messenger, but they do not understand what He is saying, and after they left Him, they asked His companions who were given knowledge and understanding of the Holy Quran "what did He say just now'', as a kind of mockery of what Allah's Messenger is saying, therefore, Allah has set a seal upon their hearts so they did not accept guidance and followed their desires, so they entered among the disbelievers who followed their desires as mentioned above. As for the believers who seek and accept guidance and the truth from their Lord, Allah increases them in guidance and insight and establishes it in their hearts, and He will inspire them their piety so they will follow what he commands and leave what He prohibits.  

 Then Allah says in the next two verses (18,19) "Then do they wait nothing but the Hour, that it should come to them suddenly, but indeed, there have come its signs, then how their reminder will be when it has come to them, so know that there is no God but Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin, and for the believing men and the believing women, and Allah knows your movement and your resting places", that is, Allah threatens the disbelievers and the polytheists who denied Allah and His messenger with the Hour that will come to them suddenly and they do not perceive. Although its signs have already come to them, including the mission of Allah's Messenger as He said in narration of Ans "I and the last Hour have been sent like this, and He joined the forefinger with the middle finger", and the splitting of the moon as mentioned in Surat Alqamar Aya (1) "The Hour has come near, and the moon has split", but they insisted on disbelief and stubbornness, so how will the reminder benefit them when the Hour comes?. Then Allah commanded His Messenger to remain steadfast on monotheism and acknowledgement that there is no God but Allah, and to seek forgiveness for His sins and for the believing men and believing women, so He responded to Allah's command and used to seek forgiveness for Himself and the believers where as narrated by Abu Hurayrah regarding this Aya that Allah's Messenger said: Indeed, I ask Allah for forgiveness seventy time a day, and in another narration one hundred. And as narrated by Asem from Abdullah Bin Sarjis: "I saw Allah's Messenger and ate with Him bread and meat, or He said Tharid, Asem asked Abdullah: Did Allah's Messenger seek forgiveness for you?, Abdullah said, yes and for you, and he then recited "ask forgiveness for your sin, and for the believing men and the believing women", then Allah assures that nothing is hidden from Him about the movements and the resting places of His creation even before its existence.

 Allah says in the next two verses (20,21) "And those who believe say why not a Surah has been revealed, but when a precise Surah is revealed, and the fighting is mentioned in it, you see those in whose hearts is a disease, looking at you a look of one fainting from the death, therefore woe for them, obedience and a good saying, and when the matter is determined, if they had been true to Allah, surely, it would have been better for them", that is, sincere believers wish for the revelation of a Surah that acknowledges Jihad (Fighting in the way of Allah) because they know the greatness of its bounty, but when the Surah is revealed, the hypocrites who have doubt and hypocrisy in their hearts were struck with panic, and they looked to Allah's Messenger the look of the unconscious because they fear death, so Allah threatened them with punishment. If they obeyed Allah and said a good saying when the Surah was revealed, and if they support Allah and His religion when the time of fighting comes, it will be better for them in the worldly life and in the hereafter.

 Allah addresses the hypocrites in the next two verses (22,23) and says "So if you turned away, you will cause corruption on the earth, and sever your womb relations, those are the ones whom Allah has cursed, then He deafened them, and He blinded their eyes", that is, Allah informs them that if they turned away, and did not respond to Allah's command they will return to the ignorance era they were in, and they will shed the blood and cut their ties of kinship, and this is a declaration from Allah that we should preserve the ties of kinship, where as narrated by Abu Hurayrah: "The Prophet said: Allah created His creation, and when He had finished it, the womb, got up and caught hold of Allah whereupon Allah said: What is the matter?, on that, it said: I seek refuge with You from those who sever the ties of kith and kin, on that Allah said: Will you be satisfied if I bestow My favor on him who keeps your ties, and withhold My favors from him who severs your ties?, on that it said: yes O My Lord!, then Allah said: that is for you", and Allah's Messenger said in narration of Jubair Bin Mut'im from His father: "the severer of the tie of kinship would not get into Paradise". Therefore, those who turned away, caused corruption on the earth, and severed their ties of kinship, are the ones whom Allah has cursed and expelled them from His mercy, and made them deaf and blinded, so they did not listen to guidance, they did not accept the truth, and they did not give reason. 

 Allah says in the next three verses (24-26) "Then, do they not ponder the Quran, or there are locks upon the hearts, indeed, those who turned on their backs after the guidance has appeared clearly to them, Satan has tempted them and prolonged hope for them, that they said to those who hated what Allah has sent down, we will obey you in some of the matter, and Allah knows their secrets", that is, is it that the hypocrites do not understand the Holy Quran and do not ponder the arguments that Allah revealed therein, or their hearts are locked so the faith and guidance do not reach it. The hypocrites refused to fight in the cause of Allah and turned on their backs after the guidance has appeared clearly to them, and they only followed the command of Satan who enticed and deceived them by making them loyal to the people of the scripture and the infidels who hated what Allah has revealed, and pretending to be obedient and loyal to the believers, but Allah knows their secrets, and this actually happened when Allah told us about their promise to the Jews of victory in Aya (11) of Surat Alhashr. 

 Allah likens the hypocrites to the infidels the next two verses (27,28) and says "Then how when the Angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs, that is because they followed what angered Allah, and hated His pleasure, so He nullified their deeds", that is, Allah threatens the hypocrites that the Angels will strike their faces and their backs when they take their souls at the time of death just as they do to the disbelievers as mentioned in Aya (50) of Surat Alanfal "And if you could see when the Angels take in death those who disbelieved, striking their faces and their backs, and Taste the punishment of the burning fire". They deserved that torment at death because they followed what angered Allah and hated His pleasure by their refusal to fight in His cause and their loyalty to the infidels so Allah nullified their deeds as He did with deeds of the infidels as mentioned above in Aya (9).

 Allah says in the next two verses (29,30) "Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allah will not bring out their grudges, and if We wills, We could show them to You, so you would recognize them by their marks, and surely You will know them by the tone of the speech, and Allah knows your deeds", that is, do the hypocrites think that Allah will not reveal what in their hearts of enmity and hatred of Islam, but Allah shows their signs and exposed them in Surat Altawbah, so Allah addresses His Messenger and said If He wish He will show the hypocrites to Him by the apparent signs of hypocrisy in the content of their words and the apparent meaning of their actions, and Allah made some of them known to Him, and described them as the disobedient people when they remained behind Allah's Messenger and abandoned Jihad in the way of Allah in the Battle of Tabuk as mentioned in Ayat (94-96) of Surat Altawbah, then Allah assures that nothing of their deeds is hidden from Him whether secretly or openly, whether it is hypocrisy or truthful. 

 Allah says in the next two verses (31,32) "And surely We will test you until We knows those who strive among you and the patient and We will test your affairs, indeed, those who disbelieved and prevented from the way of Allah, and opposed the Messenger after that the guidance has become clear to them, they will not harm Allah anything, so He will nullified their deeds", that is, Allah will test the believers by the command of fighting in His cause, so that He will distinguish those who strive in His way and those who are patient in fighting His enemy from the people of hypocrisy, and He will test their affairs to distinguish the truthful ones from the liars. Then Allah confirms again that the hypocrites who disbelieved in Allah, prevented others from the way of Allah, and opposed Allah's Messenger after the guidance became clear to them and after they knew that He is the Messenger of Allah with clear proofs and arguments, will not harm Allah anything, but they will harm themselves where Allah will nullify their deeds, and it will be of no use in the worldly life and the Hereafter.  

 Allah says in the next three verses (33-35) "O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and do not nullify your deeds, indeed, those who disbelieve and prevented from the way of Allah, then died while they are disbelievers, Allah will never forgive them, so do not weaken and call for peace while you are superior, and Allah is with you, and He will not deprive you of your deeds", that is, Allah made clear to the believers the conditions of the disbelievers and the hypocrites as mentioned above, so He commanded them to obey Him and His Messenger and not to nullify their deeds by disobedience and apostasy from His religion, for those who disbelieved and prevented others from the way of Allah, then died while they are disbelievers, Allah will never forgive them and will enter them into Hellfire, then Allah forbade the believers from being weak when fighting their enemies and calling for truce and reconciliation because they are the supreme and the conquerors of them, where there is good tidings that Allah will give them victory over their enemies where He is with them, and He will not frustrate their deeds, rather He will give them its reward in full and they will not be deprived of it in anything. 

 Then Allah says in the next two verses (36,37) "The worldly life is only a play and amusement, and if you believe and fear, He will give you your rewards, and He will not ask you your wealth, If He were to ask you for it, and to press you, you would be stingy and He will bring out your grudges", that is, Allah has made clear to the believers that the worldly life is only a play and amusement, and they will have nothing of it except what is in the way of Allah, so if they believe in Allah and fear Him by performing His obligations and avoiding His prohibitions, He will give them their reward in full, and He did not ask them their wealth because He has a need for it but If He were to ask them for it, and insist on asking, they will be miserly while He want to bring out their grudges, purify them, and reward them for it.

 Allah addresses the believers in the last verse (38) and says "Here you are, those who are called to spend in the way of Allah, but some of you are stingy, and whoever is stingy, then He only is stingy to himself, and Allah is Free of need, while you are the needy, and If you turn away, He will replace you with a people other than you, then they will not be the likes of you", that is, Allah urges the believers to spend in His cause, whether on Jihad (Fighting in His cause) or otherwise, but some of them are stingy, and whoever is stingy, but he is stingy to himself where he prevents himself from being rewarded, and Allah is free of need to their wealth while they are the needy, then Allah threatens them that if they turn away from His obedience, He will replace them with people other than them, and they will not be the likes of them, rather they will be more obedient to Him.

No one Knows its interpretation except Allah