And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allāh to you?" And when they deviated, Allāh caused their hearts to deviate. And Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allāh to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Aḥmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."
It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allāh dislike it.
10
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yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū hal adullukum ʿalā tijāratin tunjīkum min ʿadhābin alīmin
O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment?
[It is that] you believe in Allāh and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allāh with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you only knew.
He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.
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wa-ukh'rā tuḥibbūnahā naṣrun mina l-lahi wafatḥun qarībun wabashiri l-mu'minīna
And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love - victory from Allāh and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers.
O you who have believed, be supporters of Allāh, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my supporters for Allāh?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allāh." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.
Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth exalts Allāh,1 and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Surah As-Saf opens with a cosmic declaration — everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah. This is a recurring Quranic theme, and every time it appears, it resets your perspective. Before any commands or stories come, you're reminded of the sheer scale of Allah's sovereignty. He is Al-Aziz, the All-Mighty, meaning nothing can overpower Him, and Al-Hakim, the All-Wise, meaning nothing He does is arbitrary. It's like a deep breath before the surah gets into some very direct, even uncomfortable, truths about human behavior.
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?
This might be one of the most direct call-outs in the entire Quran. Allah is asking the believers: why do you say things you don't actually do? It's addressed to the faithful, not to disbelievers — which makes it sting even more. This isn't about outsiders; it's about the gap between your words and your actions. Whether it's promising to stand firm in faith, committing to good deeds, or pledging to sacrifice for the cause — if you said it but didn't follow through, this ayah is speaking to you. The simplicity of the question makes it devastating. No complex theology here, just a mirror held up to your integrity.
Greatly hateful in the sight of Allāh is that you say what you do not do.
Allah doubles down on the previous verse by saying it is greatly detestable to Him that you say what you don't do. The Arabic word "maqt" — translated as hatred or detestation — is extremely strong. This isn't mild disapproval; this is one of the things Allah finds most repulsive in a person. Think about that. In a religion that condemns shirk, theft, and murder, hypocrisy of speech is called out with language this severe. It tells you how seriously Islam takes personal integrity. Your word should mean something. If you can't back it up, don't say it.
Indeed, Allāh loves those who fight in His cause in a row as though they are a [single] structure joined firmly.
After calling out inconsistency, Allah now describes what He actually loves — people who stand together in His cause like a single solid structure. The image is architectural: bricks mortared together, each one supporting the others, no gaps or weak points. This isn't about individual heroism; it's about collective strength and unity. Every person in the row matters. Whether this applies to a literal battlefield or the broader struggle of living faithfully in a challenging world, the principle is the same — Allah values coordinated, committed action over scattered, half-hearted efforts. You're not just a lone brick; you're part of a wall.
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you harm me while you certainly know that I am the messenger of Allāh to you?" And when they deviated, Allāh caused their hearts to deviate. And Allāh does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
Now the Quran reaches into history to illustrate what happens when people say one thing and do another. Musa's own people kept hurting and frustrating him despite knowing full well he was Allah's Messenger. They'd promise to follow, then break their word. They'd witness miracles, then complain. And the consequence was devastating — when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate further. That's a terrifying spiritual principle: persistent disobedience doesn't just stall your growth, it actively warps your heart until you can't even recognize the straight path anymore. Allah doesn't guide people who are defiantly disobedient — not because He can't, but because they've chosen to seal themselves off.
And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allāh to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Aḥmad."1 But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."2
This ayah records one of the most significant statements attributed to Isa ibn Maryam — Jesus, son of Mary. He came confirming the Torah that preceded him and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after him named Ahmad, which is another name for Prophet Muhammad. This verse is central to the Islamic understanding of prophetic continuity — each messenger affirming those before him and pointing to those after. Yet even when that promised messenger came with clear proofs, people dismissed it as obvious magic or sorcery. The pattern is painfully consistent across history: humanity asks for guidance, guidance arrives, and then humanity finds reasons to reject it. It's a warning against the arrogance of assuming you'd recognize truth if it stood right in front of you.
And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allāh untruth while he is being invited to Islām. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
Who could be more wrong than someone who invents lies about Allah while being actively invited to Islam — to submission to the truth? The verse highlights the absurdity of the situation: the door is wide open, the invitation is clear, and instead of walking through it, you fabricate falsehoods about the One extending the invitation. Allah doesn't guide wrongdoers like these, not as a punishment from spite, but as a natural consequence of their own choices. When you're busy building walls of lies, you can't simultaneously walk through the door of truth.
They want to extinguish the light of Allāh with their mouths, but Allāh will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it.
They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths — what a vivid image. Imagine someone trying to blow out the sun. It's absurd, and that's exactly the point. Throughout history, every attempt to suppress divine truth has eventually failed. Empires rose against it, propagandists worked overtime, and yet the message persisted and spread. Allah will perfect His light no matter how much the disbelievers despise it. There's deep reassurance here for believers who feel overwhelmed by the opposition — the light you carry isn't yours to protect alone. Allah Himself guarantees its completion.
It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although those who associate others with Allāh dislike it.
This verse declares the divine mission statement: Allah sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all other ways of life. That's an enormous claim, and it's meant to instill both confidence and responsibility in the believers. The religion of truth isn't meant to be hidden away or practiced quietly in a corner — it's meant to be a beacon. And this will happen even though the polytheists dislike it. The verse doesn't promise it'll be easy or popular, just that it will happen. History has shown remarkable fulfillment of this — Islam spread from a small community in Madinah to a global civilization within a single century.
O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment?
Allah shifts to the language of commerce here — shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? This is brilliant rhetorical strategy. The Arabs of that time were traders, and everyone understands the appeal of a good deal. But this isn't just any transaction; it's the ultimate one, with stakes that make every worldly business deal look trivial. The use of "painful punishment" creates urgency — this isn't a casual offer you can get back to later. By framing salvation as a transaction, Allah is meeting people where they are, using language that clicks immediately.
[It is that] you believe in Allāh and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allāh with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you only knew.
Here are the terms of that transaction: believe in Allah and His Messenger, and strive in the way of Allah with your wealth and your lives. Notice both are mentioned — your money and your life. Faith isn't just spiritual; it has material and physical dimensions. You put your resources where your beliefs are. The verse ends with "that is better for you, if you only knew" — suggesting that most people don't actually realize how good this deal is. We chase after worldly gains that depreciate and disappear, while the return on this investment is literally eternal. The "if you only knew" has a gentle, almost wistful quality — like a parent watching a child choose a toy over a treasure.
He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.
And here's what you get in return: forgiveness of your sins and admission into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, with beautiful dwellings in Gardens of Eternity. That's the payoff — not a percentage gain, not a quarterly return, but permanent, unimaginable paradise. The phrase "pleasant dwellings" adds a personal, almost cozy touch to the grandeur — it's not just a spectacular paradise, it's a home. And then it's called "the great success," which in Arabic — al-fawz al-azeem — carries the sense of the ultimate triumph, the victory that makes every other achievement pale in comparison. Every sacrifice you made, every dollar you gave, every hardship you endured — it all culminates here.
And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love - victory from Allāh and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers.
But wait, there's more — and Allah knows you'll love this part. Beyond the afterlife reward, there's also help from Allah and a victory that's near, meaning in this world. Believers aren't just promised paradise someday; they're promised divine support in the here and now. The word "near" — qarib — suggests it's closer than you think. This is the bonus on top of the deal: you get both the eternal gardens and worldly triumph. The verse ends with "give glad tidings to the believers," turning every Muslim into a bearer of good news. Your faith isn't a burden — it's the best news anyone could ever share.
O you who have believed, be supporters of Allāh, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my supporters for Allāh?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of Allāh." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.
The surah closes by calling believers to be "helpers of Allah" — ansar Allah — just as Isa asked his disciples, "Who will be my helpers for Allah's cause?" and the disciples stepped up. That moment of volunteering, of saying "we're in," is what's being asked of every believer in every era. Then the verse gives a historical reality check: among the Children of Israel, one group believed and another disbelieved. But Allah supported the believers against their enemies, and they became dominant. The lesson is clear — when you commit to being a helper of Allah's cause, He commits to making you prevail. It's the perfect closing for a surah that began by calling out empty words: don't just talk about faith, be the ones who show up for it.