سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 148
سَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ ذَاقُوا۟ بَأْسَنَا ۗ قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَآ ۖ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَخْرُصُونَ ﴿148﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those who took partners (in worship) with Allâh will say: "If Allâh had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him, nor would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything (against His Will)." Likewise belied those who were before them, (they argued falsely with Allâh’s Messengers), till they tasted Our Wrath. Say: "Have you any knowledge (proof) that you can produce before us? Verily, you follow nothing but guess and you do nothing but lie."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
سَيَقُولُ
sayaqūlu
Will say
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
أَشْرَكُوا۟
ashrakū
associate partners (with Allah)
لَوْ
law
If
شَآءَ
shāa
Had willed
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
مَآ
mā
not
أَشْرَكْنَا
ashraknā
we (would) have associated partners (with Allah)
وَلَآ
walā
and not
ءَابَآؤُنَا
ābāunā
our forefathers
وَلَا
walā
and not
حَرَّمْنَا
ḥarramnā
we (would) have forbidden
مِن
min
[of]
شَىْءٍۢ ۚ
shayin
anything
كَذَٰلِكَ
kadhālika
Likewise
كَذَّبَ
kadhaba
denied
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
مِن
min
(were from)
قَبْلِهِمْ
qablihim
before them
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
ذَاقُوا۟
dhāqū
they tasted
بَأْسَنَا ۗ
basanā
Our wrath
قُلْ
qul
Say
هَلْ
hal
Is
عِندَكُم
ʿindakum
with you
مِّنْ
min
[of]
عِلْمٍۢ
ʿil'min
any knowledge
فَتُخْرِجُوهُ
fatukh'rijūhu
then produce it
لَنَآ ۖ
lanā
for us
إِن
in
Not
تَتَّبِعُونَ
tattabiʿūna
you follow
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلظَّنَّ
l-ẓana
the assumption
وَإِنْ
wa-in
and not
أَنتُمْ
antum
you (do)
إِلَّا
illā
but
تَخْرُصُونَ
takhruṣūna
guess
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 148) ➊ { سَيَقُوْلُ الَّذِيْنَ اَشْرَكُوْا …… :} That is, when they do not find any evidence for their polytheism and criminal conduct, they resort to fate and say that it is Allah’s own will and intention for us to commit shirk and to declare certain things forbidden, because if Allah had not willed, we could not have done these things. This is proof, they claim, that whatever we are doing is pleasing to Allah, therefore it is correct and true. The meaning is that they present Allah’s will, pleasure, and intention as evidence for the correctness and truth of their polytheism and of declaring some lawful things forbidden. As if, according to them, Allah’s will and intention mean that Allah is pleased with these actions, likes them, and they are correct, whereas these two things are not necessarily linked. Allah said: «اِنْ تَكْفُرُوْا فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنْكُمْ وَ لَا يَرْضٰى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَوَ اِنْ تَشْكُرُوْا يَرْضَهُ لَكُمْ » [ الزمر: ۷ ] “If you are ungrateful, surely Allah is independent of you, and He does not like ingratitude for His servants, and if you are grateful, He likes it for you.” That is, disbelief and ingratitude cannot happen without Allah’s will, but He is neither pleased with them nor does He like them. Will and intention, and pleasure and love, are not necessarily linked. Whatever is happening in the world is under Allah’s will and intention, but He is not pleased with everything. Pleasure is the name of following His Shariah, and will and intention are His creative decree, that is, His system of running the universe. What He wants in terms of creation, no one knows nor can know, but what He likes in terms of law, He sent messengers to explain, and everyone can know it. Therefore, we are bound to act upon the Shariah.
➋ {كَذٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ:} That is, in reality, to say this and to take Allah’s decree and will as proof of His pleasure is to deny Allah and His messengers. The people before them also used this excuse as a basis to deny the messengers.
➌ { حَتّٰى ذَاقُوْا بَاْسَنَا:} That is, their excuse is absolutely wrong and baseless. If it were correct, then why did Allah send down His punishment on the people before them for their crimes and denial? (Ibn Kathir)
➍ {قُلْ هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ …… : } That is, the excuse you are presenting is not based on any rational or scholarly foundation. If you have any knowledge, then bring it and present it. Have you ever, for the sake of acquiring anything in the world, abandoned striving by making fate an excuse, or has Allah ever told you beforehand that He will do such and such in the future? When you do not even know what is in fate, then this excuse or doubt is merely your own conjecture, and you are only making accusations against Allah based on guesswork, whereas in the real world, conjecture and suspicion have no value. See Surah Najm (23 and 28).
➋ {كَذٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ:} That is, in reality, to say this and to take Allah’s decree and will as proof of His pleasure is to deny Allah and His messengers. The people before them also used this excuse as a basis to deny the messengers.
➌ { حَتّٰى ذَاقُوْا بَاْسَنَا:} That is, their excuse is absolutely wrong and baseless. If it were correct, then why did Allah send down His punishment on the people before them for their crimes and denial? (Ibn Kathir)
➍ {قُلْ هَلْ عِنْدَكُمْ مِّنْ عِلْمٍ …… : } That is, the excuse you are presenting is not based on any rational or scholarly foundation. If you have any knowledge, then bring it and present it. Have you ever, for the sake of acquiring anything in the world, abandoned striving by making fate an excuse, or has Allah ever told you beforehand that He will do such and such in the future? When you do not even know what is in fate, then this excuse or doubt is merely your own conjecture, and you are only making accusations against Allah based on guesswork, whereas in the real world, conjecture and suspicion have no value. See Surah Najm (23 and 28).
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.
148. 1. This is the same misconception that arises from considering the Divine Will (Mashiyyat) and Divine Pleasure (Rida) to be synonymous. However, these are different from each other. This has already been explained earlier.
148. 2. Allah Almighty removed this misconception in such a way: if this shirk was an expression of Allah’s pleasure, then why did punishment come upon them? The punishment from Allah is proof that Divine Will is one thing and Divine Pleasure is another.
148. 3. That is, if you have any evidence for your claim, then present it. But where do they have any evidence? There, only conjectures and assumptions exist.
148. 2. Allah Almighty removed this misconception in such a way: if this shirk was an expression of Allah’s pleasure, then why did punishment come upon them? The punishment from Allah is proof that Divine Will is one thing and Divine Pleasure is another.
148. 3. That is, if you have any evidence for your claim, then present it. But where do they have any evidence? There, only conjectures and assumptions exist.
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.
148. The polytheists will say, "If Allah had willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have committed shirk [160], nor would we have made anything unlawful." Likewise, those before them denied until they tasted Our punishment. Say, "Do you have any knowledge that you can present to us? [161] You follow nothing but conjecture, and you do nothing but guess."
[160]
The Difference Between Divine Will and Divine Pleasure:
It is human nature that instead of admitting his shortcomings and faults, he tries to put the blame on someone else and absolve himself, or he seeks some other reason by which no blame comes upon him. And this is not just the case with the Jews, but people before them also used to give the same answer, as is mentioned further in this verse, and people will continue to give such answers in the future as well. And for this purpose, the best excuse is the Divine Will, although the knowledge of Divine Will is not possible for anyone except Allah. It is possible that in the Divine Will, it is decreed that these polytheists, by getting entangled in polytheism and following their forefathers, become deserving of punishment in this world and in the Hereafter as well. Those who use Divine Will as a shield for their own defense usually forget that there is a great difference between Allah’s Will and Allah’s Pleasure. For example, Allah’s Pleasure is that all people become obedient to Him and no one chooses the path of disbelief, polytheism, or oppression and excess, but His Will is that people be tested in this world. That is why Allah has granted man the power of discernment and the power of will and choice, and then made clear to him the paths of Islam and disbelief and polytheism, and of good and evil. Then, whoever, by his own will and choice, becomes obedient to Allah, he will receive a good reward, and whoever chooses the path of disbelief and polytheism, he will receive its punishment. Then, the battle between truth and falsehood among these two groups is also by Divine Will; someone accepting guidance is both Divine Will and Divine Pleasure. And choosing disbelief and polytheism is indeed by Divine Will, but it is never by Divine Pleasure.
Those Who Use Divine Will as an Excuse:
The interesting thing is that man remembers the matter of Divine Will only when he is violating the rights of Allah. But when his own rights are being violated, he never accepts the excuse of Divine Will. For example, if someone’s house is robbed or looted, he will never say that since it was the Divine Will, what fault is there of the thief or robber? Therefore, nothing should be said to him. At that time, he remembers the choice that the criminal exercised while committing the crime, so he considers the criminal guilty and himself oppressed. Whereas, according to the same principle of Divine Will, he should not even consider himself oppressed, because it was the Divine Will.
The Excuse of Divine Will Is Not Valid When the Crime Is One’s Own:
The example of using Divine Will as an excuse is also evident from this incident: Once, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to the house of Sayyiduna Ali ؓ and sat between Sayyiduna Ali ؓ and Sayyidah Fatimah ؓ and began to converse. During this conversation, the Prophet ﷺ asked Sayyiduna Ali ؓ, “Do you get up for the Tahajjud prayer?” Sayyiduna Ali ؓ replied, “O Messenger of Allah! Our souls are in Allah’s control. If He returns them, we will pray.” Upon this answer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up. He was striking his thighs with his hands and reciting this verse: ﴿وَكَانَ الْاِنْسَانُ اَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا﴾ meaning, man is most contentious in most of his statements. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير] Consider this: when Sayyiduna Ali ؓ took recourse to Divine Will, the Prophet ﷺ did not declare his statement wrong. Rather, his regret was that man has been given the power to act; why did he forget that?
[161] That is, do they have any evidence from the Divine Book for their polytheistic customs and traditions, which have been mentioned in the previous verses? And it is obvious that when there is no scholarly evidence, then only conjecture and assumption remain.
[160]
The Difference Between Divine Will and Divine Pleasure:
It is human nature that instead of admitting his shortcomings and faults, he tries to put the blame on someone else and absolve himself, or he seeks some other reason by which no blame comes upon him. And this is not just the case with the Jews, but people before them also used to give the same answer, as is mentioned further in this verse, and people will continue to give such answers in the future as well. And for this purpose, the best excuse is the Divine Will, although the knowledge of Divine Will is not possible for anyone except Allah. It is possible that in the Divine Will, it is decreed that these polytheists, by getting entangled in polytheism and following their forefathers, become deserving of punishment in this world and in the Hereafter as well. Those who use Divine Will as a shield for their own defense usually forget that there is a great difference between Allah’s Will and Allah’s Pleasure. For example, Allah’s Pleasure is that all people become obedient to Him and no one chooses the path of disbelief, polytheism, or oppression and excess, but His Will is that people be tested in this world. That is why Allah has granted man the power of discernment and the power of will and choice, and then made clear to him the paths of Islam and disbelief and polytheism, and of good and evil. Then, whoever, by his own will and choice, becomes obedient to Allah, he will receive a good reward, and whoever chooses the path of disbelief and polytheism, he will receive its punishment. Then, the battle between truth and falsehood among these two groups is also by Divine Will; someone accepting guidance is both Divine Will and Divine Pleasure. And choosing disbelief and polytheism is indeed by Divine Will, but it is never by Divine Pleasure.
Those Who Use Divine Will as an Excuse:
The interesting thing is that man remembers the matter of Divine Will only when he is violating the rights of Allah. But when his own rights are being violated, he never accepts the excuse of Divine Will. For example, if someone’s house is robbed or looted, he will never say that since it was the Divine Will, what fault is there of the thief or robber? Therefore, nothing should be said to him. At that time, he remembers the choice that the criminal exercised while committing the crime, so he considers the criminal guilty and himself oppressed. Whereas, according to the same principle of Divine Will, he should not even consider himself oppressed, because it was the Divine Will.
The Excuse of Divine Will Is Not Valid When the Crime Is One’s Own:
The example of using Divine Will as an excuse is also evident from this incident: Once, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to the house of Sayyiduna Ali ؓ and sat between Sayyiduna Ali ؓ and Sayyidah Fatimah ؓ and began to converse. During this conversation, the Prophet ﷺ asked Sayyiduna Ali ؓ, “Do you get up for the Tahajjud prayer?” Sayyiduna Ali ؓ replied, “O Messenger of Allah! Our souls are in Allah’s control. If He returns them, we will pray.” Upon this answer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up. He was striking his thighs with his hands and reciting this verse: ﴿وَكَانَ الْاِنْسَانُ اَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا﴾ meaning, man is most contentious in most of his statements. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير] Consider this: when Sayyiduna Ali ؓ took recourse to Divine Will, the Prophet ﷺ did not declare his statement wrong. Rather, his regret was that man has been given the power to act; why did he forget that?
[161] That is, do they have any evidence from the Divine Book for their polytheistic customs and traditions, which have been mentioned in the previous verses? And it is obvious that when there is no scholarly evidence, then only conjecture and assumption remain.
