سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 7
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۗ وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿7﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
And He
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
(is) the One Who
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
created
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضَ
wal-arḍa
and the earth
فِى
fī
in
سِتَّةِ
sittati
six
أَيَّامٍۢ
ayyāmin
epochs
وَكَانَ
wakāna
and His throne was
عَرْشُهُۥ
ʿarshuhu
and His throne was
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱلْمَآءِ
l-māi
the water
لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ
liyabluwakum
that He might test [you]
أَيُّكُمْ
ayyukum
which of you
أَحْسَنُ
aḥsanu
(is) best
عَمَلًۭا ۗ
ʿamalan
(in) deed
وَلَئِن
wala-in
But if
قُلْتَ
qul'ta
you say
إِنَّكُم
innakum
Indeed, you
مَّبْعُوثُونَ
mabʿūthūna
(will be) resurrected
مِنۢ
min
after
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
ٱلْمَوْتِ
l-mawti
[the] death
لَيَقُولَنَّ
layaqūlanna
surely would say
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوٓا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
إِنْ
in
This is not
هَـٰذَآ
hādhā
This is not
إِلَّا
illā
but
سِحْرٌۭ
siḥ'run
a magic
مُّبِينٌۭ
mubīnun
clear
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.
7. 1 This very thing has also been mentioned in Sahih ahadith. Thus, in one hadith it is stated that 'Allah Almighty wrote the destinies of the creatures fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth.' At that time, His Throne was upon water. Sahih Muslim
7. 2 That is, these heavens and the earth have not been created in vain or without purpose, rather the objective is the trial of humans (and jinn), to see who performs good deeds. Note: Allah Almighty has not said here who does more deeds, but rather who does better deeds. This is because a good deed is one that is done solely for the pleasure of Allah, and secondly, that it is in accordance with the Sunnah. If even one of these two conditions is missing, then it will not be considered a good deed, no matter how abundant it may be; it will have no value in the sight of Allah.
7. 2 That is, these heavens and the earth have not been created in vain or without purpose, rather the objective is the trial of humans (and jinn), to see who performs good deeds. Note: Allah Almighty has not said here who does more deeds, but rather who does better deeds. This is because a good deed is one that is done solely for the pleasure of Allah, and secondly, that it is in accordance with the Sunnah. If even one of these two conditions is missing, then it will not be considered a good deed, no matter how abundant it may be; it will have no value in the sight of Allah.
