سُوْرَةُ الطَّارِقِ

Surah At-Taariq (86) — Ayah 4

The Morning Star · Meccan · Juz 30 · Page 591

إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ ﴿4﴾
There is no human being but has a protector over him (or her) (i.e. angels in charge of each human being guarding him, writing his good and bad deeds)
إِن in Not
كُلُّ kullu (is) every
نَفْسٍۢ nafsin soul
لَّمَّا lammā but
عَلَيْهَا ʿalayhā over it
حَافِظٌۭ ḥāfiẓun (is) a protector

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.

The tafsir of this verse may be read with the following verses.

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.

4. 1. That is, for every soul, angels are appointed by Allah who record all its good or bad deeds. Some say that these are the angels who protect humans.

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.

4. There is no soul but that it has a protector [3] over it.

[3]
The Being Who Protects Every Living Creature:

In these three verses, an oath is taken by the perfect power of Allah Almighty, who protects the inhabitants of the earth from calamities like ﴿شهاب ثاقب﴾, and an oath is taken upon the fact that a guardian is appointed over every human being who protects him in every way. Who is this guardian? It is Allah Almighty Himself, who is taking care of every small and large creature of the heavens and the earth. By His sustaining, everything remains in its place, and He has taken the responsibility to provide every living being with its necessities and to protect it from earthly and heavenly disasters until its appointed time of death. This protection often occurs in such unconscious ways that a person is not even aware of it, and whenever he does become aware, such words spontaneously come from his tongue as, "At this moment, Allah saved me by giving me a hand, otherwise there was no hope of my survival." And such incidents happen to almost every person in his life. The same subject has been stated by Allah Almighty in Surah Ra'd: that over every person, in front and behind, We have appointed angels who, by Allah's command, continue to protect him [13: 11]. It should be clear that whether protection is attributed directly to Allah Almighty or to His angels, it makes no difference.