سُوْرَةُ فُصِّلَتۡ

Surah Fussilat (41) — Ayah 14

Explained in detail · Meccan · Juz 24 · Page 478

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إِذْ جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلرُّسُلُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَأَنزَلَ مَلَـٰٓئِكَةً فَإِنَّا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ كَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿14﴾

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

When the Messengers came to them, from before them and behind them (saying): "Worship none but Allâh", they said: "If our Lord had so willed, He would surely have sent down the angels. So indeed we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent."

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

إِذْ idh When
جَآءَتْهُمُ jāathumu came to them
ٱلرُّسُلُ l-rusulu the Messengers
مِنۢ min from before them
بَيْنِ bayni from before them
أَيْدِيهِمْ aydīhim from before them
وَمِنْ wamin and from
خَلْفِهِمْ khalfihim behind them
أَلَّا allā (saying) "Do not
تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ taʿbudū worship
إِلَّا illā except
ٱللَّهَ ۖ l-laha Allah
قَالُوا۟ qālū They said
لَوْ law If
شَآءَ shāa (had) willed
رَبُّنَا rabbunā our Lord
لَأَنزَلَ la-anzala surely, He (would have) sent down
مَلَـٰٓئِكَةًۭ malāikatan Angels
فَإِنَّا fa-innā So indeed, we
بِمَآ bimā in what
أُرْسِلْتُم ur'sil'tum you have been sent
بِهِۦ bihi with
كَـٰفِرُونَ kāfirūna (are) disbelievers

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 14) ➊ { اِذْ جَآءَتْهُمُ الرُّسُلُ مِنْۢ بَيْنِ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ:} The plural word is used for the two messengers sent to both nations, Hud and Salih (peace be upon them), or it means that along with each of the two prophets, the believing people who conveyed the message of truth are also included, who came from every direction and in every way to deliver Allah’s message to them. “From before and behind” means to explain from every side and in every way, just as Iblis had said: « ثُمَّ لَاٰتِيَنَّهُمْ مِّنْۢ بَيْنِ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَ عَنْ اَيْمَانِهِمْ وَ عَنْ شَمَآىِٕلِهِمْ وَ لَا تَجِدُ اَكْثَرَهُمْ شٰكِرِيْنَ» [ الأعراف : ۱۷ ] “Then I will surely come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them grateful.”
➋ { اَلَّا تَعْبُدُوْۤا اِلَّا اللّٰهَ: ’’ أَلَّا ‘‘ ’’أَنْ لَا ‘‘} In this, {’’أَنْ‘‘} is explanatory, meaning the call of all messengers was that you should not worship anyone except Allah.
➌ { قَالُوْا لَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّنَا لَاَنْزَلَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَةً …:} For its explanation, see Surah Ibrahim (9, 10) and Surah Bani Isra’il (94, 95).

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.

14. 1. That is, since you are humans like us, therefore we cannot accept you as a prophet. If Allah wanted to send a prophet, He would have sent angels, not humans.

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.

14. When messengers came to them from before them and from behind them [16], saying, "Worship none but Allah," they said, "If our Lord had willed, He would have sent down angels. So we surely deny what you have been sent with [17]."

[16] This verse has several meanings. One is that messengers kept coming to them. The second is that the messengers who came to them tried to explain to them from every angle. And the third is that messengers came to their own region as well as to the surrounding regions, and their teachings had reached them.
[17] That is, "You are just human beings. How can we accept you as Allah’s messengers? If an angel had come to us as a messenger, then it would have been something." Every nation that denies the truth has had this objection, and the reality of this objection is nothing more than “a bad habit has many excuses.” The answers to this objection are mentioned repeatedly in the Quran.
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