سُوْرَةُ الْمُزَّمِّلِ
Surah Al-Muzzammil (73) — Ayah 15
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْكُمْ رَسُولًا شَـٰهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ رَسُولًا ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, We have sent to you (O men) a Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) to be a witness over you, as We did send a Messenger [Mûsâ (Moses)] to Fir‘aun (Pharaoh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّآ
innā
Indeed, We
أَرْسَلْنَآ
arsalnā
[We] have sent
إِلَيْكُمْ
ilaykum
to you
رَسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a Messenger
شَـٰهِدًا
shāhidan
(as) a witness
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
كَمَآ
kamā
as
أَرْسَلْنَآ
arsalnā
We sent
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
فِرْعَوْنَ
fir'ʿawna
Firaun
رَسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a Messenger
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.
➊ { اِنَّاۤ اَرْسَلْنَاۤ اِلَيْكُمْ رَسُوْلًا… :} In these verses, Allah Almighty has warned the disbelievers in two ways: first, by reminding them of the story of Pharaoh, that if your rebellion continues like Pharaoh’s, then your end will also be like that of Pharaoh and his armies; second, that even if you escape the punishment of this world, how will you escape the punishment of the Day of Resurrection, which will turn children old?
➋ { شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ:} The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will bear witness that he conveyed the message of Allah Almighty to these people, and also who accepted it and who denied it. Remember that he will bear this witness only regarding those people who were present during your lifetime, as narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّهُ يُجَاءُ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنْ أُمَّتِيْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِهِمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ، فَأَقُوْلُ يَا رَبِّ! أُصَيْحَابِيْ، فَيُقَالُ إِنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِيْ مَا أَحْدَثُوْا بَعْدَكَ فَأَقُوْلُ كَمَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ : « وَ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيْدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ» فَيُقَالُ إِنَّ هٰؤُلاَءِ لَمْ يَزَالُوْا مُرْتَدِّيْنَ عَلٰی أَعْقَابِهِمْ مُنْذُ فَارَقْتَهُمْ ] [بخاري، التفسیر، باب: «وکنت علیھم شھیدا…» : ۴۶۲۵ ] “Some men from my Ummah will be brought and they will be taken to the left side, so I will say: ‘O my Lord! These are my companions.’ It will be said: ‘You do not know what they innovated after you.’ So I will say what the righteous servant (Jesus, peace be upon him) said: « وَ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيْدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ اَنْتَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيْدٌ» [ المائدۃ : ۱۱۷ ] ‘I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness over all things.’ It will be said: Since you parted from them, these people have kept turning back on their heels.” From this it is known that those who use {’’ شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ ‘‘} as evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sees, hears, and knows all the conditions of all people, because without this there can be no testimony, their reasoning is not correct. Moreover, for testimony, it is not necessary to see and hear oneself; rather, if something is known through such a means in which there is no possibility of doubt, then testimony can be given on that as well. For further details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (143).
➌ {’’ شِيْبًا ‘‘ ’’أَشْيَبُ‘‘} is the plural, meaning one with white hair. {’’شَابَ يَشِيْبُ شَيْبًا‘‘} (ض) means to have white hair. {’’ الْوِلْدَانَ ‘‘ ’’وَلِيْدٌ‘‘} is the plural. The meaning is that from the terror of the Day of Resurrection, children will become old. Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَقُوْلُ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَا آدَمُ! يَقُوْلُ لَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ، فَيُنَادٰی بِصَوْتٍ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُخْرِجَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ بَعْثًا إِلَی النَّارِ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ! وَمَا بَعْثُ النَّارِ؟ قَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ، أُرَاهُ قَالَ، تِسْعَمِائَةٍ وَ تِسْعَةً وَ تِسْعِيْنَ فَحِيْنَئِذٍ تَضَعُ الْحَامِلُ حَمْلَهَا وَيَشِيْبُ الْوَلِيْدُ « وَ تَرَى النَّاسَ سُكٰرٰى وَ مَا هُمْ بِسُكٰرٰى وَ لٰكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللّٰهِ شَدِيْدٌ» فَشَقَّ ذٰلِكَ عَلَی النَّاسِ حَتّٰی تَغَيَّرَتْ وُجُوْهُهُمْ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ يَأْجُوْجَ وَمَأْجُوْجَ تِسْعَ مِائَةٍ وَ تِسْعَةً وَ تِسْعِيْنَ، وَمِنْكُمْ وَاحِدٌ، ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ فِي النَّاسِ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِيْ جَنْبِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَبْيَضِ، أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِيْ جَنْبِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ ] [بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «وتری الناس سکٰرٰی» : ۴۷۴۱ ] “Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will say to Adam (peace be upon him) on the Day of Resurrection: ‘O Adam!’ He will say: ‘O our Lord! I am present again and again for Your obedience.’ Then he will be called: ‘Allah commands you to bring out the group for Hell from your progeny.’ He will ask: ‘O my Lord! What is the group for Hell?’ Allah Almighty will say: ‘Out of every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine.’ At that time, the pregnant woman will miscarry and children will become old « وَ تَرَى النَّاسَ سُكٰرٰى وَ مَا هُمْ بِسُكٰرٰى وَ لٰكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللّٰهِ شَدِيْدٌ » [ الحج : ۲ ] ‘and you will see the people as if they are intoxicated, but they are not intoxicated, but the punishment of Allah is severe.’ This was very hard on the people, so much so that the color of their faces changed, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘From Gog and Magog, nine hundred and ninety-nine, and from you, one. Your number compared to the people is like a white hair on the side of a black ox or a black hair on the side of a white ox.’ The mention of children becoming old in the verse and hadith expresses the extreme severity and terror of that day, because ordinarily, a person’s hair does not turn white from ordinary grief. Surely, it will be an extremely extraordinary severity and terror that will even turn the hair of children white.
➍ { السَّمَآءُ مُنْفَطِرٌۢ بِهٖ: ’’باء‘‘ ’’فِيْ‘‘} means 'fī', i.e., that the sky will be rent asunder on that day, or “ba” is causative, meaning because of that day the sky will be rent asunder. The meaning is that from the severity of that day, a great creation like the sky will be torn apart, so what will be the state of other things, and if you remain firm on disbelief, how will you escape from that day? Compared to the sky, you have no status at all.
➋ { شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ:} The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will bear witness that he conveyed the message of Allah Almighty to these people, and also who accepted it and who denied it. Remember that he will bear this witness only regarding those people who were present during your lifetime, as narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّهُ يُجَاءُ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنْ أُمَّتِيْ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِهِمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ، فَأَقُوْلُ يَا رَبِّ! أُصَيْحَابِيْ، فَيُقَالُ إِنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِيْ مَا أَحْدَثُوْا بَعْدَكَ فَأَقُوْلُ كَمَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ : « وَ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيْدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ» فَيُقَالُ إِنَّ هٰؤُلاَءِ لَمْ يَزَالُوْا مُرْتَدِّيْنَ عَلٰی أَعْقَابِهِمْ مُنْذُ فَارَقْتَهُمْ ] [بخاري، التفسیر، باب: «وکنت علیھم شھیدا…» : ۴۶۲۵ ] “Some men from my Ummah will be brought and they will be taken to the left side, so I will say: ‘O my Lord! These are my companions.’ It will be said: ‘You do not know what they innovated after you.’ So I will say what the righteous servant (Jesus, peace be upon him) said: « وَ كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيْدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيْهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِيْ كُنْتَ اَنْتَ الرَّقِيْبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ اَنْتَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيْدٌ» [ المائدۃ : ۱۱۷ ] ‘I was a witness over them as long as I was among them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness over all things.’ It will be said: Since you parted from them, these people have kept turning back on their heels.” From this it is known that those who use {’’ شَاهِدًا عَلَيْكُمْ ‘‘} as evidence that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sees, hears, and knows all the conditions of all people, because without this there can be no testimony, their reasoning is not correct. Moreover, for testimony, it is not necessary to see and hear oneself; rather, if something is known through such a means in which there is no possibility of doubt, then testimony can be given on that as well. For further details, see the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah, verse (143).
➌ {’’ شِيْبًا ‘‘ ’’أَشْيَبُ‘‘} is the plural, meaning one with white hair. {’’شَابَ يَشِيْبُ شَيْبًا‘‘} (ض) means to have white hair. {’’ الْوِلْدَانَ ‘‘ ’’وَلِيْدٌ‘‘} is the plural. The meaning is that from the terror of the Day of Resurrection, children will become old. Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يَقُوْلُ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَا آدَمُ! يَقُوْلُ لَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ، فَيُنَادٰی بِصَوْتٍ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُخْرِجَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ بَعْثًا إِلَی النَّارِ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ! وَمَا بَعْثُ النَّارِ؟ قَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ، أُرَاهُ قَالَ، تِسْعَمِائَةٍ وَ تِسْعَةً وَ تِسْعِيْنَ فَحِيْنَئِذٍ تَضَعُ الْحَامِلُ حَمْلَهَا وَيَشِيْبُ الْوَلِيْدُ « وَ تَرَى النَّاسَ سُكٰرٰى وَ مَا هُمْ بِسُكٰرٰى وَ لٰكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللّٰهِ شَدِيْدٌ» فَشَقَّ ذٰلِكَ عَلَی النَّاسِ حَتّٰی تَغَيَّرَتْ وُجُوْهُهُمْ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ يَأْجُوْجَ وَمَأْجُوْجَ تِسْعَ مِائَةٍ وَ تِسْعَةً وَ تِسْعِيْنَ، وَمِنْكُمْ وَاحِدٌ، ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ فِي النَّاسِ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِيْ جَنْبِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَبْيَضِ، أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِيْ جَنْبِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ ] [بخاري، التفسیر، باب قولہ : «وتری الناس سکٰرٰی» : ۴۷۴۱ ] “Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will say to Adam (peace be upon him) on the Day of Resurrection: ‘O Adam!’ He will say: ‘O our Lord! I am present again and again for Your obedience.’ Then he will be called: ‘Allah commands you to bring out the group for Hell from your progeny.’ He will ask: ‘O my Lord! What is the group for Hell?’ Allah Almighty will say: ‘Out of every thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine.’ At that time, the pregnant woman will miscarry and children will become old « وَ تَرَى النَّاسَ سُكٰرٰى وَ مَا هُمْ بِسُكٰرٰى وَ لٰكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللّٰهِ شَدِيْدٌ » [ الحج : ۲ ] ‘and you will see the people as if they are intoxicated, but they are not intoxicated, but the punishment of Allah is severe.’ This was very hard on the people, so much so that the color of their faces changed, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘From Gog and Magog, nine hundred and ninety-nine, and from you, one. Your number compared to the people is like a white hair on the side of a black ox or a black hair on the side of a white ox.’ The mention of children becoming old in the verse and hadith expresses the extreme severity and terror of that day, because ordinarily, a person’s hair does not turn white from ordinary grief. Surely, it will be an extremely extraordinary severity and terror that will even turn the hair of children white.
➍ { السَّمَآءُ مُنْفَطِرٌۢ بِهٖ: ’’باء‘‘ ’’فِيْ‘‘} means 'fī', i.e., that the sky will be rent asunder on that day, or “ba” is causative, meaning because of that day the sky will be rent asunder. The meaning is that from the severity of that day, a great creation like the sky will be torn apart, so what will be the state of other things, and if you remain firm on disbelief, how will you escape from that day? Compared to the sky, you have no status at all.
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.
2. 1. That is, warn the people of Makkah, if they do not believe.
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.
Indeed, We have sent to you [15] a Messenger as a witness over you, just as We sent a Messenger to Pharaoh.
[15] In the previous verses, the addressee was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Now the address turns towards the disbelievers of Makkah, and they are being told that you have girded yourselves to oppose this Messenger. So, this very Messenger will testify against your every action on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, whatever step you take, take it with caution. Before this, We sent Sayyiduna Musa ؑ as a Messenger. Pharaoh was much more powerful than you, tyrannical, and a ruler over a vast land. But even he did not obey Allah and His Messenger and became arrogant, so We drowned him in the sea and wiped out every trace of him and his people from the face of existence. And you have no standing compared to him. Therefore, your well-being lies in refraining from opposing this Messenger.
[15] In the previous verses, the addressee was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Now the address turns towards the disbelievers of Makkah, and they are being told that you have girded yourselves to oppose this Messenger. So, this very Messenger will testify against your every action on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, whatever step you take, take it with caution. Before this, We sent Sayyiduna Musa ؑ as a Messenger. Pharaoh was much more powerful than you, tyrannical, and a ruler over a vast land. But even he did not obey Allah and His Messenger and became arrogant, so We drowned him in the sea and wiped out every trace of him and his people from the face of existence. And you have no standing compared to him. Therefore, your well-being lies in refraining from opposing this Messenger.
