ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمُ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَآ أَسْخَطَ ٱللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا۟ رِضْوَٰنَهُۥ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ 28
Translations
That is because they followed what angered Allāh and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.
Transliteration
Dhālika bi-annahum ittaba'ū mā askhata Allāha wa karihū ridwānahu fa-ahbata a'mālahumm
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah explains that the disbelievers' deeds are rendered null and void because they followed what displeases Allah and rejected His pleasure and approval. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this refers to those who stubbornly rejected the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and consciously chose paths contrary to Allah's will, thereby nullifying all their actions in the sight of Allah. The verse emphasizes that intention and alignment with divine pleasure are essential for deeds to be accepted; deeds performed in opposition to Allah's guidance have no value regardless of their outward form.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Muhammad, a Medinan chapter that addresses the characteristics and fate of those who reject faith after hearing the clear message. The broader context discusses the hypocrisy and obstinacy of those who reject the Prophet's message despite its clarity, and this particular verse explains the spiritual consequence of their deliberate opposition to Allah's will.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Actions are but by intentions, and every person shall have only what he intended' (Sahih Bukhari 1). Additionally, the hadith 'Whoever performs a deed not in accordance with our matter, it shall be rejected' (Sahih Muslim) relates to the principle that deeds must align with Allah's pleasure to be accepted.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no matter how many good deeds one performs outwardly, they are worthless if one's heart rejects Allah's guidance and pursues paths that displease Him; sincere alignment with Allah's will and approval should be the foundation of all our actions.