Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَاlāNot
يُسْـَٔلُyus'aluHe (can) be questioned
عَمَّاʿammāabout what
يَفْعَلُyafʿaluHe does
وَهُمْwahumbut they
يُسْـَٔلُونَyus'alūnawill be questioned
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.
(Ayah 23){ لَايُسْـَٔلُعَمَّايَفْعَلُ … :} There are two meanings of this attribute of Allah Almighty: one is that He Himself is the Owner and Sovereign of everything; who would dare to ask about any of His actions, "Why did He do this?" because in His own possession, He may do as He wills. If He were to punish all the creatures of the heavens and the earth, even then it would be absolute justice, because He is the Owner and may do as He wishes with what belongs to Him. Just as a person places one of his purchased bricks in the front of a building and another in the stove or furnace, and no one calls him unjust, even though he is not the creator of the brick, only its temporary owner; and if Allah Almighty shows mercy to the creation, then that is His grace. The second meaning is that every action of His is so perfect and correct that there is no flaw or defect in it; whatever He has done and whatever He has said is of the highest excellence and utmost beauty and perfection. Therefore, there is no room for questioning or objecting to any of His actions. The commentator Baqa'i has quoted from an ancient philosopher that someone asked him, "When Allah Almighty has always existed and there was nothing besides Him, why did He create this world?" He replied that the question "why" cannot be asked of Him, because only someone above Him could ask such a question. In contrast, people can be questioned for both reasons, and will be, because they are not owners but slaves, and the owner can and does ask the slave why he did something; and also because there is flaw and defect in all their actions. The mention of questioning on the Day of Judgment is found in several verses; see Surah Al-Hijr (92) and As-Saffat (24).
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.
The exegesis of this verse has been done along with the previous verse.
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.
He cannot be questioned about what He does, but they will surely be questioned [19].
[19] One Who is Questioned Cannot be God:
That is, Allah Almighty is such an absolute and all-powerful sovereign of this universe that whatever He does in this universe, He is not answerable to anyone. Whereas all other creatures besides Him are answerable before Him. And only that Being can be God in whom this attribute is found in the highest degree, meaning He is not answerable to anyone. And the one who can be questioned cannot be God.