Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And that thought of yours which you thought about your Lord, has brought you to destruction; and you have become (this Day) of those utterly lost!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَذَٰلِكُمْwadhālikumAnd that
ظَنُّكُمُẓannukumu(was) your assumption
ٱلَّذِىalladhīwhich
ظَنَنتُمẓanantumyou assumed
بِرَبِّكُمْbirabbikumabout your Lord
أَرْدَىٰكُمْardākumIt has ruined you
فَأَصْبَحْتُمfa-aṣbaḥtumand you have become
مِّنَminaof
ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَl-khāsirīnathe losers
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.
Because {وَذٰلِكُمْظَنُّكُمُالَّذِيْظَنَنْتُمْبِرَبِّكُمْ …:’’ ذٰلِكُمْ ‘‘} is definite, the translation is “this was your assumption” for {’’ ظَنُّكُمْ ‘‘}. {’’أَرْدٰييُرْدِيْ‘‘} (Form IV) means to destroy. That is, this very false assumption and wrong belief of yours—that Allah does not know many of your deeds—destroyed you, because it made you bold in disobeying Him, and you became among the losers.
Remember that one of the greatest causes of misguidance is not reflecting properly and merely following assumptions. The root misguidance of the polytheists was also this, as He said: « اِنْيَّتَّبِعُوْنَاِلَّاالظَّنَّ»[ الأنعام : ۱۱۶ ] “They follow nothing but assumption.” And He said: « يَظُنُّوْنَبِاللّٰهِغَيْرَالْحَقِّظَنَّالْجَاهِلِيَّةِ »[ آل عمران : ۱۵۴ ] “They were assuming about Allah the unjust assumption of ignorance.”
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.
23. 1. That is, your corrupt belief and false assumption that Allah does not know many of our deeds has led you to destruction, because due to this you became bold and fearless in committing every kind of sin. There is a narration regarding its reason for revelation: Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud ؓ says that near the Ka'bah, two Qurayshis and one Thaqafi, or two Thaqafis and one Qurayshi, gathered together. One of them, who was stout-bodied and of little understanding, said, "Do you think Allah hears our conversations?" The second said, "He hears our loud conversations but does not hear our secret ones." Another said, "If He hears our loud conversations, then He certainly hears our secret ones as well." Upon this, Allah Almighty revealed the verse: وما كنتم تستترون (__QUR_N__), (Sahih Bukhari, Tafsir Surah Hamim As-Sajdah).
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.
23. And this assumption that you held about your Lord has ruined you [28], and so you have become among the losers.
[28] Allah Will Deal With the Servant According to the Assumption He Holds About Him:
Your knowledge about Allah remained so weak and doubtful that you never even tried to refrain from sins, and even more than that, you neither believed in the Day of Resurrection nor were you afraid of being held accountable before Allah. As a result, you became emboldened in committing sins and spent your entire life in sin. This very uncertainty about your Lord became the cause of your destruction. From this, it becomes clear that the kind of recognition a person has regarding his Lord, his entire life is molded in that manner and form. If the recognition of Allah is correct, then his entire conduct will remain correct and its results will also be correct, and if the recognition itself is doubtful or incorrect, then its worldly or Hereafter results will also be the same. Thus, the following Hadith Qudsi clarifies this reality: Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that Allah Almighty says: «أنا عند ظن عبدي بي»[بخاري۔ كتاب التوحيد۔ باب قوله تعالىٰ __QUR_0__] That is, as My servant thinks of Me, so shall his affair with Me be, and I will treat him according to his assumption. This is further clarified by the following hadith: Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ says that the Prophet ﷺ said: There was a man among the Children of Israel who had never done any good deed in his life. At the time of his death, he made a will that his body be burnt, half of his ashes be thrown into the river and half scattered in the air. By Allah! If He seizes me, He will punish me with a punishment that has never been given to anyone else in all the worlds. Allah commanded the river and the air, and all his parts were gathered together. Then He presented him before Himself and asked: Why did you do such a thing? He replied: "O Allah, You know that I did this out of fear of You." Then Allah forgave him. [بخاري۔ كتاب التوحيد۔ باب قوله تعالىٰ __QUR_1__]