سُوْرَةُ الرَّعْدِ
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 33
أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ۗ وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوهُمْ ۚ أَمْ تُنَبِّـُٔونَهُۥ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَم بِظَـٰهِرٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۗ بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مَكْرُهُمْ وَصُدُّوا۟ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Is then He (Allâh) Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides) of every person and knows all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? Yet, they ascribe partners to Allâh. Say: "Name them! Is it that you will inform Him of something He knows not in the earth or is it (just) a show of false words." Nay! To those who disbelieved, their plotting is made fairseeming, and they have been hindered from the Right Path; and whom Allâh sends astray, for him there is no guide.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَمَنْ
afaman
Is then He Who
هُوَ
huwa
(He)
قَآئِمٌ
qāimun
(is) a Maintainer
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
of
كُلِّ
kulli
every
نَفْسٍۭ
nafsin
soul
بِمَا
bimā
for what
كَسَبَتْ ۗ
kasabat
it has earned
وَجَعَلُوا۟
wajaʿalū
Yet they ascribe
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
شُرَكَآءَ
shurakāa
partners
قُلْ
qul
Say
سَمُّوهُمْ ۚ
sammūhum
Name them
أَمْ
am
Or
تُنَبِّـُٔونَهُۥ
tunabbiūnahu
(do) you inform Him
بِمَا
bimā
of what
لَا
lā
not
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
He knows
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
أَم
am
or
بِظَـٰهِرٍۢ
biẓāhirin
of the apparent
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْقَوْلِ ۗ
l-qawli
the words
بَلْ
bal
Nay
زُيِّنَ
zuyyina
(is) made fair-seeming
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieve
مَكْرُهُمْ
makruhum
their plotting
وَصُدُّوا۟
waṣuddū
and they are hindered
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ
l-sabīli
the Path
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يُضْلِلِ
yuḍ'lili
(by) Allah
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah lets go astray
فَمَا
famā
then not
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
مِنْ
min
any
هَادٍۢ
hādin
guide
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah33) ➊ {اَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآىِٕمٌ عَلٰى كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ :} Here again Allah Almighty has mentioned the proof of His oneness and the refutation of shirk. By {’’ قَآىِٕمٌ ‘‘} is meant here the watcher and protector. {’’ اَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآىِٕمٌ عَلٰى كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ‘‘} is the subject, its predicate is omitted and that is {’’ كَمَنْ لَيْسَ كَذٰلِكَ ‘‘}, and this omitted predicate is self-evident from the earlier and later parts of the discourse. That is, is the true deity, who is the watcher and protector of every soul at every moment and in every state, and is fully aware of its every deed, whether good or bad, like your false deities who are completely devoid of this attribute? For this attribute of Allah Almighty, see Surah Al-An'am (59), Hud (6), and Ayat al-Kursi, etc.
➋ {وَ جَعَلُوْا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوْهُمْ:} In the previous sentence, Allah Almighty was mentioned with the pronoun { ’’ هُوَ ‘‘}, here instead of the pronoun, the name of Allah Almighty is mentioned to show the ugliness of their shirk, that how unjust they are that they have made partners of { ’’الله‘‘ }, who can have no partner at all. Say to those who make partners, just tell us the names of these partners, bring them forward. Even if you hypothetically name them, you will name such entities that are merely imaginary, in reality, they have no existence at all, they themselves are dependent on others for their existence and survival, they have no power over their own benefit or harm nor anyone else's, they cannot even create a fly. Then how ignorant and foolish it is to mention their names as partners of Allah.
➌ { اَمْ تُنَبِّـُٔوْنَهٗ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي الْاَرْضِ:} Or do you inform Him of something He does not know in the earth, whereas He knows every inch of the earth, so if these partners existed anywhere, He would surely know them. According to this interpretation, in { ’’ لَا يَعْلَمُ ‘‘ } the pronoun of { ’’هُوَ‘‘ } will be for Allah Almighty, and it is also possible that in {’’ لَا يَعْلَمُ ‘‘} the pronoun is for {’’ مَا‘‘}, and the meaning would be: do you inform Allah Almighty about the deity-ship of these lifeless idols who have no knowledge at all? The author of Ruh al-Ma'ani writes, the purpose here is to negate the existence of any other deities besides Allah Almighty in the heavens and the earth, therefore the restriction of {’’ فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘} is only mentioned because the disbelievers believed that these partners of Allah are on the earth. (Ruh, Ibn Kathir)
➍ {اَمْ بِظَاهِرٍ مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ :} Or is it a superficial utterance, which you are only saying with your mouths, even you do not believe in your hearts that there is any partner of Allah, because if you reflect, human nature also does not accept any partner for Allah.
➎ { بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مَكْرُهُمْ :} By plotting is meant disbelief and fabricating false arguments for it and deceiving people to make them polytheists. "Made attractive"—there are many things that make it attractive, so the passive verb is used, for example: 1. The evil consequences of their bad deeds 2. Carnal desires 3. Satan 4. The seal placed on their hearts by Allah Almighty due to their wickedness, in short, many things became the cause of making their disbelief attractive.
➏ {وَ صُدُّوْا عَنِ السَّبِيْلِ … : ’’ مِنْ هَادٍ ‘‘} That is, Allah Almighty has not written guidance in their fate. Now how can such people come to the straight path?
➋ {وَ جَعَلُوْا لِلّٰهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوْهُمْ:} In the previous sentence, Allah Almighty was mentioned with the pronoun { ’’ هُوَ ‘‘}, here instead of the pronoun, the name of Allah Almighty is mentioned to show the ugliness of their shirk, that how unjust they are that they have made partners of { ’’الله‘‘ }, who can have no partner at all. Say to those who make partners, just tell us the names of these partners, bring them forward. Even if you hypothetically name them, you will name such entities that are merely imaginary, in reality, they have no existence at all, they themselves are dependent on others for their existence and survival, they have no power over their own benefit or harm nor anyone else's, they cannot even create a fly. Then how ignorant and foolish it is to mention their names as partners of Allah.
➌ { اَمْ تُنَبِّـُٔوْنَهٗ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِي الْاَرْضِ:} Or do you inform Him of something He does not know in the earth, whereas He knows every inch of the earth, so if these partners existed anywhere, He would surely know them. According to this interpretation, in { ’’ لَا يَعْلَمُ ‘‘ } the pronoun of { ’’هُوَ‘‘ } will be for Allah Almighty, and it is also possible that in {’’ لَا يَعْلَمُ ‘‘} the pronoun is for {’’ مَا‘‘}, and the meaning would be: do you inform Allah Almighty about the deity-ship of these lifeless idols who have no knowledge at all? The author of Ruh al-Ma'ani writes, the purpose here is to negate the existence of any other deities besides Allah Almighty in the heavens and the earth, therefore the restriction of {’’ فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘} is only mentioned because the disbelievers believed that these partners of Allah are on the earth. (Ruh, Ibn Kathir)
➍ {اَمْ بِظَاهِرٍ مِّنَ الْقَوْلِ :} Or is it a superficial utterance, which you are only saying with your mouths, even you do not believe in your hearts that there is any partner of Allah, because if you reflect, human nature also does not accept any partner for Allah.
➎ { بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مَكْرُهُمْ :} By plotting is meant disbelief and fabricating false arguments for it and deceiving people to make them polytheists. "Made attractive"—there are many things that make it attractive, so the passive verb is used, for example: 1. The evil consequences of their bad deeds 2. Carnal desires 3. Satan 4. The seal placed on their hearts by Allah Almighty due to their wickedness, in short, many things became the cause of making their disbelief attractive.
➏ {وَ صُدُّوْا عَنِ السَّبِيْلِ … : ’’ مِنْ هَادٍ ‘‘} That is, Allah Almighty has not written guidance in their fate. Now how can such people come to the straight path?
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
33. 1. Here its answer is omitted, that is, can the Lord of Honor and those false deities whom they worship, who neither benefit anyone, nor see, nor possess intellect or understanding, be equal?
33. 2. That is, tell us too so that we may recognize them, because they have no reality at all. Therefore, it is further stated: do you inform Allah of things which He does not know in the earth, meaning they do not exist at all. Because if they existed on earth, they would surely be within Allah’s knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Him.
33. 3. Here, "zahir" is in the meaning of "assumption," that is, or these are merely their conjectures. The meaning is that you worship these idols on the assumption that they can benefit or harm, and you have given them names as deities, whereas these are names given by you and your forefathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. This is merely following conjecture and the desires of the soul (an-Najm: 23).
33. 4. By "makr" is meant their false beliefs and actions in which Satan has trapped them; Satan has covered misguidance with a beautiful veil.
33. 5. Just as it is stated elsewhere, (وَمَنْ يُّرِدِ اللّٰهُ فِتْنَتَهٗ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهٗ مِنَ اللّٰهِ شَـيْـــــًٔـا) 5. al-Ma'idah:41). Whomever Allah intends to misguide, then you will have no power for him against Allah, and it is said, (اِنْ تَحْرِصْ عَلٰي هُدٰىهُمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يُّضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ نّٰصِرِيْنَ) 16. an-Nahl:37). If you desire their guidance (remember) Allah does not guide whom He misguides, and they will have no helper.
33. 2. That is, tell us too so that we may recognize them, because they have no reality at all. Therefore, it is further stated: do you inform Allah of things which He does not know in the earth, meaning they do not exist at all. Because if they existed on earth, they would surely be within Allah’s knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Him.
33. 3. Here, "zahir" is in the meaning of "assumption," that is, or these are merely their conjectures. The meaning is that you worship these idols on the assumption that they can benefit or harm, and you have given them names as deities, whereas these are names given by you and your forefathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. This is merely following conjecture and the desires of the soul (an-Najm: 23).
33. 4. By "makr" is meant their false beliefs and actions in which Satan has trapped them; Satan has covered misguidance with a beautiful veil.
33. 5. Just as it is stated elsewhere, (وَمَنْ يُّرِدِ اللّٰهُ فِتْنَتَهٗ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهٗ مِنَ اللّٰهِ شَـيْـــــًٔـا) 5. al-Ma'idah:41). Whomever Allah intends to misguide, then you will have no power for him against Allah, and it is said, (اِنْ تَحْرِصْ عَلٰي هُدٰىهُمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يُّضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ نّٰصِرِيْنَ) 16. an-Nahl:37). If you desire their guidance (remember) Allah does not guide whom He misguides, and they will have no helper.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
33. Is He who watches over every soul and what it earns (will He leave them without punishment?) Yet they set up partners with Allah. Say, “Name them [44]. Or do you inform Him of something on earth that He does not know? Or are you just uttering empty words?” In fact, the schemes [45] of the disbelievers have been made appealing to them, and they have been turned away from the (right) path. And whomever Allah leads astray, there is no guide for him.
[44]
The Attributive Names of False Deities: Any Proof or Experience?
Here, by "name" is meant the attributive names of those partners. As He said: ﴿اَللّٰهُ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ لَهُ الْاَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنيٰ﴾ In this verse as well, "name" refers to attributive names, meaning: just tell us, what feats can your partners accomplish? And what is the proof for this? Is it written anywhere in any revealed book that Allah has granted such and such powers to such and such deity or saint? Or do you want to inform Allah of something whose existence cannot be found anywhere on the entire earth? Allah Almighty mentioned only the earth because the polytheists had made their deities only on this earth for themselves. For example, regarding a certain partner, they had made it famous that he is the granter of treasures, so can they show that this deity actually keeps granting treasures to people? Is there anything on earth that Allah is unaware of? Or do they just say whatever comes to their minds and attribute such things to those partners.
[45]
False Deities and the Deceit of the Disbelievers:
It is not so; rather, the real matter is that some cunning people, in order to establish their own divinity over the masses and to take a share in their earnings, invented some fabricated partners, composed some tales about them, and frightened and threatened people with their supposed powers. Then they made people their devotees and declared themselves as the caretakers, deputies, or representatives of those deities, and thus started serving their own interests. And these polytheistic beliefs became customary and accepted among the ignorant masses generation after generation. Allah Almighty has declared both those who devise such deceit and those who accept it as disbelievers, and these are the very people who have actually been prevented from Allah’s straight path (Tawheed), and have become a hindrance for others as well. And such people, who for their personal interests become obstacles in the way of Allah, Allah never shows them the straight path.
[44]
The Attributive Names of False Deities: Any Proof or Experience?
Here, by "name" is meant the attributive names of those partners. As He said: ﴿اَللّٰهُ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ لَهُ الْاَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنيٰ﴾ In this verse as well, "name" refers to attributive names, meaning: just tell us, what feats can your partners accomplish? And what is the proof for this? Is it written anywhere in any revealed book that Allah has granted such and such powers to such and such deity or saint? Or do you want to inform Allah of something whose existence cannot be found anywhere on the entire earth? Allah Almighty mentioned only the earth because the polytheists had made their deities only on this earth for themselves. For example, regarding a certain partner, they had made it famous that he is the granter of treasures, so can they show that this deity actually keeps granting treasures to people? Is there anything on earth that Allah is unaware of? Or do they just say whatever comes to their minds and attribute such things to those partners.
[45]
False Deities and the Deceit of the Disbelievers:
It is not so; rather, the real matter is that some cunning people, in order to establish their own divinity over the masses and to take a share in their earnings, invented some fabricated partners, composed some tales about them, and frightened and threatened people with their supposed powers. Then they made people their devotees and declared themselves as the caretakers, deputies, or representatives of those deities, and thus started serving their own interests. And these polytheistic beliefs became customary and accepted among the ignorant masses generation after generation. Allah Almighty has declared both those who devise such deceit and those who accept it as disbelievers, and these are the very people who have actually been prevented from Allah’s straight path (Tawheed), and have become a hindrance for others as well. And such people, who for their personal interests become obstacles in the way of Allah, Allah never shows them the straight path.
