سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ

Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 47

The Believers · Meccan · Juz 18 · Page 345

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فَقَالُوٓا۟ أَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا وَقَوْمُهُمَا لَنَا عَـٰبِدُونَ ﴿47﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

They said: "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their people are obedient to us with humility (and we use them to serve us as we like)."

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

فَقَالُوٓا۟ faqālū Then they said
أَنُؤْمِنُ anu'minu Shall we believe
لِبَشَرَيْنِ libasharayni (in) two men
مِثْلِنَا mith'linā like ourselves
وَقَوْمُهُمَا waqawmuhumā while their people
لَنَا lanā for us
عَـٰبِدُونَ ʿābidūna (are) slaves

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 47){ فَقَالُوْۤا اَنُؤْمِنُ لِبَشَرَيْنِ مِثْلِنَا … :} As a result of arrogance and rebellion, they refused to accept the words of Musa and Harun (peace be upon them) by saying: “Should we believe in two men like ourselves, while their people are our slaves and we are superior to them?” The first objection is to the persons of Musa and Harun (peace be upon them), and the second is to their nation. It is astonishing that they saw the messengers as humans like themselves in eating, drinking, and walking, and made it an excuse to deny them, but did not see that they were left speechless before their arguments and miracles, and despite being in the hundreds of thousands, they were unable to kill them. At the very least, they should have thought that there are some humans who are ignorant and devoid of intellect, and there are some humans who possess such knowledge and intellect that it is beyond description. When there can be such a difference in knowledge and intellect, why can there not be a difference in prophethood? And why can Allah not bestow this favor upon any of His servants? See Surah Ibrahim (10, 11).

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.

Here too, for denial, they presented the humanity of Musa and Harun (علیہما السلام) as an argument, and to emphasize this humanity, they said that both of them are individuals from the same nation that is our slave.

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.

They said, "Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, while their people are our slaves [49]?"

[49] That is, the chieftains who denied other prophets would only give one reason for their rejection: that this prophet is just a human like us, and what special quality does he have that we should believe in him? Pharaoh and his chiefs added another reason to this: that the community of these prophets is our slave. Therefore, how can we accept double humiliation by believing in them?

The Meaning of Worship:

Here, from the word ﴿عٰبِدُوْنَ﴾, the meaning of worship becomes clear: worship is not merely ritual devotion, because the Israelites did not perform ritual devotion to the Pharaoh's people. Rather, the word "worship" in its broad sense is used for constant servitude and obedience.
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