سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 17
أَفَمَن كَانَ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ وَيَتْلُوهُ شَاهِدٌ مِّنْهُ وَمِن قَبْلِهِۦ كِتَـٰبُ مُوسَىٰٓ إِمَامًا وَرَحْمَةً ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْأَحْزَابِ فَٱلنَّارُ مَوْعِدُهُۥ ۚ فَلَا تَكُ فِى مِرْيَةٍ مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Can they (Muslims) who rely on a clear proof (the Qur’ân) from their Lord, and whom a witness [Jibril (Gabriel عليه السلام)] from Him recites (follows) it (can they be equal with the disbelievers); and before it, came the Book of Mûsâ (Moses), a guidance and a mercy, they believe therein, but those of the sects (Jews, Christians and all the other non-Muslim nations) that reject it (the Qur’ân), the Fire will be their promised meeting-place. So be not in doubt about it (i.e. those who denied Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم and also denied all that which he brought from Allâh. Surely, they will enter Hell). Verily, it is the truth from your Lord, but most of the mankind believe not.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَمَن
afaman
Then is he who
كَانَ
kāna
is
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
بَيِّنَةٍۢ
bayyinatin
a clear proof
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّهِۦ
rabbihi
his Lord
وَيَتْلُوهُ
wayatlūhu
and recites it
شَاهِدٌۭ
shāhidun
a witness
مِّنْهُ
min'hu
from Him
وَمِن
wamin
and before it
قَبْلِهِۦ
qablihi
and before it
كِتَـٰبُ
kitābu
(was) a Book
مُوسَىٰٓ
mūsā
(of) Musa
إِمَامًۭا
imāman
(as) a guide
وَرَحْمَةً ۚ
waraḥmatan
and (as) mercy
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those
يُؤْمِنُونَ
yu'minūna
believe
بِهِۦ ۚ
bihi
in it
وَمَن
waman
But whoever
يَكْفُرْ
yakfur
disbelieves
بِهِۦ
bihi
in it
مِنَ
mina
among
ٱلْأَحْزَابِ
l-aḥzābi
the sects
فَٱلنَّارُ
fal-nāru
then the Fire
مَوْعِدُهُۥ ۚ
mawʿiduhu
(will be) his promised (meeting) place
فَلَا
falā
So (do) not
تَكُ
taku
be
فِى
fī
in
مِرْيَةٍۢ
mir'yatin
doubt
مِّنْهُ ۚ
min'hu
about it
إِنَّهُ
innahu
Indeed, it
ٱلْحَقُّ
l-ḥaqu
(is) the truth
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّكَ
rabbika
your Lord
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
most
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the people
لَا
lā
(do) not
يُؤْمِنُونَ
yu'minūna
believe
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.
17. 1 The mention here is of the people of nature and the people of faith in contrast to the deniers and disbelievers. By 'proof from your Lord' is meant that nature upon which Allah has created human beings, and that is the acknowledgment of the One Allah and worship of Him alone, just as the Prophet's ﷺ statement is: "Every child is born upon the nature, then his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian" (Sahih Bukhari). The meaning of یتلوہ is 'following it', that is, along with it there is also a witness from Allah. The witness refers to the Quran, or Muhammad ﷺ, who invite towards and point out this sound nature. And before this, the book of Musa (Moses) عليه السلام, the Torah, which is also a leader and a cause of mercy, that is, the book of Musa عليه السلام also guides towards believing in the Quran. The meaning is that there is one person who is a denier and disbeliever, and in contrast, there is another person who is established upon the proof from Allah, upon whom there is a witness (the Quran or the Prophet of Islam), and likewise, in the previously revealed book, the Torah, leadership has also been arranged for him. And he brings faith. Can these two persons be equal? Because one is a believer and the other is a disbeliever. One is equipped with all kinds of proofs and the other is completely empty.
17. 2 That is, those in whom the aforementioned qualities are found, they will believe in the Noble Quran and the Prophet.
17. 3 By all sects is meant the religions found on the face of the earth: Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Magians, and polytheists and disbelievers, etc. Whoever does not believe in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his abode is Hell. This is the same subject that is stated in the hadith: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, any Jew or Christian of this Ummah who hears about my Prophethood and then does not believe in me, he will enter Hell" (Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter: The Obligation of Belief in the Prophethood of Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for All People). This subject has already passed in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 62 (خٰلِدِيْنَ فِيْهَا ۚ لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا ھُمْ يُنْظَرُوْنَ 162۔) and Surah An-Nisa, verses 150, 152 (اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَكْفُرُوْنَ باللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ وَيُرِيْدُوْنَ اَنْ يُّفَرِّقُوْا بَيْنَ اللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَّنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ ۙ وَّيُرِيْدُوْنَ اَنْ يَّتَّخِذُوْا بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ سَبِيْلًا 150ۙ اُولٰۗىِٕكَ هُمُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ حَقًّا ۚ وَاَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ عَذَابًا مُّهِيْنًا 151 وَالَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا باللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوْا بَيْنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ اُولٰۗىِٕكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيْهِمْ اُجُوْرَهُمْ ۭوَكَان اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرًا رَّحِيْمًا 152) (4:150-152).
17. 4 This is the same subject that has been mentioned at various places in the Noble Quran (وَمَآ اَکْثَرُالنَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصَتْ بِمُؤ مِنِیْنَ) (Surah Yusuf, 13) (وَمَآ اَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِيْنَ 13۔) (12:13): "Despite your desire, most people will not believe." Iblis made his assumption come true; except for a group of believers, all became his followers.
17. 2 That is, those in whom the aforementioned qualities are found, they will believe in the Noble Quran and the Prophet.
17. 3 By all sects is meant the religions found on the face of the earth: Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Magians, and polytheists and disbelievers, etc. Whoever does not believe in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his abode is Hell. This is the same subject that is stated in the hadith: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, any Jew or Christian of this Ummah who hears about my Prophethood and then does not believe in me, he will enter Hell" (Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, Chapter: The Obligation of Belief in the Prophethood of Our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for All People). This subject has already passed in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 62 (خٰلِدِيْنَ فِيْهَا ۚ لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَلَا ھُمْ يُنْظَرُوْنَ 162۔) and Surah An-Nisa, verses 150, 152 (اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَكْفُرُوْنَ باللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ وَيُرِيْدُوْنَ اَنْ يُّفَرِّقُوْا بَيْنَ اللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ نُؤْمِنُ بِبَعْضٍ وَّنَكْفُرُ بِبَعْضٍ ۙ وَّيُرِيْدُوْنَ اَنْ يَّتَّخِذُوْا بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ سَبِيْلًا 150ۙ اُولٰۗىِٕكَ هُمُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ حَقًّا ۚ وَاَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكٰفِرِيْنَ عَذَابًا مُّهِيْنًا 151 وَالَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا باللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ وَلَمْ يُفَرِّقُوْا بَيْنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ اُولٰۗىِٕكَ سَوْفَ يُؤْتِيْهِمْ اُجُوْرَهُمْ ۭوَكَان اللّٰهُ غَفُوْرًا رَّحِيْمًا 152) (4:150-152).
17. 4 This is the same subject that has been mentioned at various places in the Noble Quran (وَمَآ اَکْثَرُالنَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصَتْ بِمُؤ مِنِیْنَ) (Surah Yusuf, 13) (وَمَآ اَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِيْنَ 13۔) (12:13): "Despite your desire, most people will not believe." Iblis made his assumption come true; except for a group of believers, all became his followers.
