سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 19
قُلْ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهَـٰدَةً ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ شَهِيدٌۢ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَأُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هَـٰذَا ٱلْقُرْءَانُ لِأُنذِرَكُم بِهِۦ وَمَنۢ بَلَغَ ۚ أَئِنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةً أُخْرَىٰ ۚ قُل لَّآ أَشْهَدُ ۚ قُلْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ وَإِنَّنِى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ﴿19﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "What thing is the most great in witness?" Say: "Allâh (the Most Great!) is Witness between me and you; this Qur’ân has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Can you verily bear witness that besides Allâh there are other âlihah (gods)?" Say "I bear no (such) witness!" Say: "But in truth He (Allâh) is the only one Ilâh (God). And truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
أَىُّ
ayyu
What
شَىْءٍ
shayin
thing
أَكْبَرُ
akbaru
(is) greatest
شَهَـٰدَةًۭ ۖ
shahādatan
(as) a testimony
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱللَّهُ ۖ
l-lahu
Allah
شَهِيدٌۢ
shahīdun
(is) Witness
بَيْنِى
baynī
between me
وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۚ
wabaynakum
and between you
وَأُوحِىَ
waūḥiya
and has been revealed
إِلَىَّ
ilayya
to me
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
ٱلْقُرْءَانُ
l-qur'ānu
[the] Quran
لِأُنذِرَكُم
li-undhirakum
that I may warn you
بِهِۦ
bihi
with it
وَمَنۢ
waman
and whoever
بَلَغَ ۚ
balagha
it reaches
أَئِنَّكُمْ
a-innakum
Do you truly
لَتَشْهَدُونَ
latashhadūna
testify
أَنَّ
anna
that
مَعَ
maʿa
with
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
ءَالِهَةً
ālihatan
(there are) gods
أُخْرَىٰ ۚ
ukh'rā
other
قُل
qul
Say
لَّآ
lā
Not
أَشْهَدُ ۚ
ashhadu
(do) I testify
قُلْ
qul
Say
إِنَّمَا
innamā
Only
هُوَ
huwa
He
إِلَـٰهٌۭ
ilāhun
(is) God
وَٰحِدٌۭ
wāḥidun
One
وَإِنَّنِى
wa-innanī
and indeed, I am
بَرِىٓءٌۭ
barīon
free
مِّمَّا
mimmā
of what
تُشْرِكُونَ
tush'rikūna
you associate (with Him)
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 19)➊ {قُلْ اَيُّ شَيْءٍ اَكْبَرُ شَهَادَةً … :} After the disbelievers of Makkah, when the majority of Jews and Christians also denied you, the disbelievers began to say, "Tell us, now who bears witness to your prophethood?" So Allah commanded you to say to these disbelievers, "Which being is greater than Allah?" When there is none, then tell me, who will be the greatest witness? You yourself make it clear before them that it is only Allah, and Allah's testimony is that He has sent down the Qur'an upon me, which is a living miracle until the Day of Resurrection, for no one has ever been able to bring a surah like any of its surahs, nor will anyone ever be able to. This Qur'an, by virtue of being a miracle, is a clear proof of my being a true Prophet. In view of this, it is said: «وَ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيَّ هٰذَا الْقُرْاٰنُ » "And this Qur'an has been revealed to me." (Razi) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes that here "testimony" means "oath," i.e., I swear by Allah, what greater oath can there be than this? (Muwadhih) In this verse, it is being established for Allah that He is {’’ شَيْءٍ ‘‘}, that He is an existent, ever-living being, not merely an imaginary or conceptual being.
➋ {لِاُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهٖ وَ مَنْ بَلَغَ:} That is, this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you with it, and also whomever it reaches. By this is meant all Arabs and non-Arabs, jinn and mankind, who will come until the Day of Resurrection, and the purpose is that my prophethood is universal and for all times until the Day of Resurrection. Accordingly, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) invited Rome, Persia, Abyssinia, and many countries to the religion of Islam, and commanded every individual of his ummah: [ بَلِّغُوْا عَنِّيْ وَلَوْ آيَةً] "Convey from me, even if it is one verse (matter)." [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب ما ذکر عن بنی إسرائیل : ۳۴۶۱، عن عبد اللہ بن عمرو رضی اللہ عنہما ] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let every person who hears my words convey them to one who is not present." [ بخاری، الحج، باب الخطبۃ أیام منًی : ۱۷۴۱ ] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah keep fresh the face of every servant who remembers my words and conveys them to others." [ ترمذی، العلم، باب ما جاء فی الحث علی تبلیغ السماع : ۲۶۵۶ تا ۲۶۵۸ ] From these hadiths and verses, it is known that the rulings of the Qur'an and hadith are for all people and for all times until the Day of Resurrection; there can be no change in them. It is obligatory upon the people of every era to convey them to the people of the next era. To restrict the rulings of the Qur'an only to the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and to change the rulings of the Qur'an and hadith under the pretext of changing circumstances, is an attempt to evade the rulings of the Qur'an and is a clear distortion, because of which the Jews were declared accursed.
➌ {اَىِٕنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُوْنَ …:} That is, despite the clear and decisive arguments for monotheism mentioned in the Qur'an, do you bear witness that there are other deities with Allah? Say: "Say whatever you wish, I can never bear this testimony." Say: "The only deity is Allah; I do not accept anyone else as a deity, and I clearly declare that I am free from all those beings whom you associate as partners." If "ma" is masdariyyah, then the meaning will be: I am free from your polytheism, which you commit.
➋ {لِاُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهٖ وَ مَنْ بَلَغَ:} That is, this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you with it, and also whomever it reaches. By this is meant all Arabs and non-Arabs, jinn and mankind, who will come until the Day of Resurrection, and the purpose is that my prophethood is universal and for all times until the Day of Resurrection. Accordingly, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) invited Rome, Persia, Abyssinia, and many countries to the religion of Islam, and commanded every individual of his ummah: [ بَلِّغُوْا عَنِّيْ وَلَوْ آيَةً] "Convey from me, even if it is one verse (matter)." [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب ما ذکر عن بنی إسرائیل : ۳۴۶۱، عن عبد اللہ بن عمرو رضی اللہ عنہما ] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let every person who hears my words convey them to one who is not present." [ بخاری، الحج، باب الخطبۃ أیام منًی : ۱۷۴۱ ] And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah keep fresh the face of every servant who remembers my words and conveys them to others." [ ترمذی، العلم، باب ما جاء فی الحث علی تبلیغ السماع : ۲۶۵۶ تا ۲۶۵۸ ] From these hadiths and verses, it is known that the rulings of the Qur'an and hadith are for all people and for all times until the Day of Resurrection; there can be no change in them. It is obligatory upon the people of every era to convey them to the people of the next era. To restrict the rulings of the Qur'an only to the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and to change the rulings of the Qur'an and hadith under the pretext of changing circumstances, is an attempt to evade the rulings of the Qur'an and is a clear distortion, because of which the Jews were declared accursed.
➌ {اَىِٕنَّكُمْ لَتَشْهَدُوْنَ …:} That is, despite the clear and decisive arguments for monotheism mentioned in the Qur'an, do you bear witness that there are other deities with Allah? Say: "Say whatever you wish, I can never bear this testimony." Say: "The only deity is Allah; I do not accept anyone else as a deity, and I clearly declare that I am free from all those beings whom you associate as partners." If "ma" is masdariyyah, then the meaning will be: I am free from your polytheism, which you commit.
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.
19. 1. That is, Allah Himself is the greatest witness to His Oneness and Lordship; there is no witness greater than Him.
19. 2. Rabi' bin Anas says: Now, whoever the Quran reaches, if he is a true follower of the Messenger, then it is his responsibility to call people towards Allah in the same way as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ invited people, and to warn as he ﷺ warned (Ibn Kathir).
19. 2. Rabi' bin Anas says: Now, whoever the Quran reaches, if he is a true follower of the Messenger, then it is his responsibility to call people towards Allah in the same way as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ invited people, and to warn as he ﷺ warned (Ibn Kathir).
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.
19. Say, "Whose testimony is greatest?" Say, "Allah's. He is a witness between me and you. And this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you with it, and whomever it reaches. Do you truly testify that there are other gods with Allah?" Say, "I do not testify (to that)." He is only One God, and I am completely free from the shirk you commit.
[20]
How is Allah’s Testimony the Greatest of All?
There are two types of testimony: one is to present an eyewitness account before a judge or authority, which is called "WITNESS" in English. The second is testimony based on absolute certainty, which is called "EVIDENCE" in English. We Muslims, based on our absolute certainty, testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. So this testimony is not an eyewitness testimony. Nor are we direct or eye-witnesses, for we have neither seen Allah nor the Messenger ﷺ; rather, we give this testimony based on our absolute certainty or faith. And Allah’s testimony is the truest of all in this regard because it encompasses both aspects of testimony: since He is present and observing everywhere, in this sense it is an eyewitness testimony; then, He is the Creator, Owner, and Sustainer of every single thing in the universe, so no one can have such absolute certainty or true knowledge as He does.
[21]
The Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ is Until the Day of Judgment and for Everyone:
After the disbelievers of Makkah, when the majority of Jews and Christians also denied you, the disbelievers began to say, "Now tell us, who will testify to your prophethood?" Then this verse was revealed. That is, Allah is a witness between me and you that I am indeed His Messenger, and whatever I say, I say by His command. And He is also a witness that this Quran has been revealed to me by Him, and the purpose of appointing me as a Messenger and revealing the Quran is so that I may warn you people in time of the punishment of the Hereafter, and through this Quran, warn all those to whom this message reaches. From this verse, it is established that the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah is for all the nations of the world and until the Day of Judgment, and it is also understood that it is the duty of the Muslim Ummah to convey the message of the Quran to every corner of the world.
[22] That is, testimony cannot be given merely on conjecture, assumption, or estimation unless there is absolute certainty or true knowledge about it, or it can be proven by clear evidence. So, O polytheists of Makkah! Tell me, can you give such testimony regarding your deities? And even if you do give such testimony, at least I am not prepared to give such testimony.
[20]
How is Allah’s Testimony the Greatest of All?
There are two types of testimony: one is to present an eyewitness account before a judge or authority, which is called "WITNESS" in English. The second is testimony based on absolute certainty, which is called "EVIDENCE" in English. We Muslims, based on our absolute certainty, testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. So this testimony is not an eyewitness testimony. Nor are we direct or eye-witnesses, for we have neither seen Allah nor the Messenger ﷺ; rather, we give this testimony based on our absolute certainty or faith. And Allah’s testimony is the truest of all in this regard because it encompasses both aspects of testimony: since He is present and observing everywhere, in this sense it is an eyewitness testimony; then, He is the Creator, Owner, and Sustainer of every single thing in the universe, so no one can have such absolute certainty or true knowledge as He does.
[21]
The Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ is Until the Day of Judgment and for Everyone:
After the disbelievers of Makkah, when the majority of Jews and Christians also denied you, the disbelievers began to say, "Now tell us, who will testify to your prophethood?" Then this verse was revealed. That is, Allah is a witness between me and you that I am indeed His Messenger, and whatever I say, I say by His command. And He is also a witness that this Quran has been revealed to me by Him, and the purpose of appointing me as a Messenger and revealing the Quran is so that I may warn you people in time of the punishment of the Hereafter, and through this Quran, warn all those to whom this message reaches. From this verse, it is established that the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah is for all the nations of the world and until the Day of Judgment, and it is also understood that it is the duty of the Muslim Ummah to convey the message of the Quran to every corner of the world.
[22] That is, testimony cannot be given merely on conjecture, assumption, or estimation unless there is absolute certainty or true knowledge about it, or it can be proven by clear evidence. So, O polytheists of Makkah! Tell me, can you give such testimony regarding your deities? And even if you do give such testimony, at least I am not prepared to give such testimony.
