سُوْرَةُ الرَّعْدِ
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 33
أَفَمَنْ هُوَ قَآئِمٌ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ ۗ وَجَعَلُوا۟ لِلَّهِ شُرَكَآءَ قُلْ سَمُّوهُمْ ۚ أَمْ تُنَبِّـُٔونَهُۥ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَم بِظَـٰهِرٍ مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ ۗ بَلْ زُيِّنَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مَكْرُهُمْ وَصُدُّوا۟ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Is then He (Allâh) Who takes charge (guards, maintains, provides) of every person and knows all that he has earned (like any other deities who know nothing)? Yet, they ascribe partners to Allâh. Say: "Name them! Is it that you will inform Him of something He knows not in the earth or is it (just) a show of false words." Nay! To those who disbelieved, their plotting is made fairseeming, and they have been hindered from the Right Path; and whom Allâh sends astray, for him there is no guide.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَفَمَنْ
afaman
Is then He Who
هُوَ
huwa
(He)
قَآئِمٌ
qāimun
(is) a Maintainer
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
of
كُلِّ
kulli
every
نَفْسٍۭ
nafsin
soul
بِمَا
bimā
for what
كَسَبَتْ ۗ
kasabat
it has earned
وَجَعَلُوا۟
wajaʿalū
Yet they ascribe
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
شُرَكَآءَ
shurakāa
partners
قُلْ
qul
Say
سَمُّوهُمْ ۚ
sammūhum
Name them
أَمْ
am
Or
تُنَبِّـُٔونَهُۥ
tunabbiūnahu
(do) you inform Him
بِمَا
bimā
of what
لَا
lā
not
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
He knows
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
أَم
am
or
بِظَـٰهِرٍۢ
biẓāhirin
of the apparent
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْقَوْلِ ۗ
l-qawli
the words
بَلْ
bal
Nay
زُيِّنَ
zuyyina
(is) made fair-seeming
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieve
مَكْرُهُمْ
makruhum
their plotting
وَصُدُّوا۟
waṣuddū
and they are hindered
عَنِ
ʿani
from
ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۗ
l-sabīli
the Path
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يُضْلِلِ
yuḍ'lili
(by) Allah
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah lets go astray
فَمَا
famā
then not
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
مِنْ
min
any
هَادٍۢ
hādin
guide
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.
33. 1. Here its answer is omitted, that is, can the Lord of Honor and those false deities whom they worship, who neither benefit anyone, nor see, nor possess intellect or understanding, be equal?
33. 2. That is, tell us too so that we may recognize them, because they have no reality at all. Therefore, it is further stated: do you inform Allah of things which He does not know in the earth, meaning they do not exist at all. Because if they existed on earth, they would surely be within Allah’s knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Him.
33. 3. Here, "zahir" is in the meaning of "assumption," that is, or these are merely their conjectures. The meaning is that you worship these idols on the assumption that they can benefit or harm, and you have given them names as deities, whereas these are names given by you and your forefathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. This is merely following conjecture and the desires of the soul (an-Najm: 23).
33. 4. By "makr" is meant their false beliefs and actions in which Satan has trapped them; Satan has covered misguidance with a beautiful veil.
33. 5. Just as it is stated elsewhere, (وَمَنْ يُّرِدِ اللّٰهُ فِتْنَتَهٗ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهٗ مِنَ اللّٰهِ شَـيْـــــًٔـا) 5. al-Ma'idah:41). Whomever Allah intends to misguide, then you will have no power for him against Allah, and it is said, (اِنْ تَحْرِصْ عَلٰي هُدٰىهُمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يُّضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ نّٰصِرِيْنَ) 16. an-Nahl:37). If you desire their guidance (remember) Allah does not guide whom He misguides, and they will have no helper.
33. 2. That is, tell us too so that we may recognize them, because they have no reality at all. Therefore, it is further stated: do you inform Allah of things which He does not know in the earth, meaning they do not exist at all. Because if they existed on earth, they would surely be within Allah’s knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Him.
33. 3. Here, "zahir" is in the meaning of "assumption," that is, or these are merely their conjectures. The meaning is that you worship these idols on the assumption that they can benefit or harm, and you have given them names as deities, whereas these are names given by you and your forefathers, for which Allah has sent down no authority. This is merely following conjecture and the desires of the soul (an-Najm: 23).
33. 4. By "makr" is meant their false beliefs and actions in which Satan has trapped them; Satan has covered misguidance with a beautiful veil.
33. 5. Just as it is stated elsewhere, (وَمَنْ يُّرِدِ اللّٰهُ فِتْنَتَهٗ فَلَنْ تَمْلِكَ لَهٗ مِنَ اللّٰهِ شَـيْـــــًٔـا) 5. al-Ma'idah:41). Whomever Allah intends to misguide, then you will have no power for him against Allah, and it is said, (اِنْ تَحْرِصْ عَلٰي هُدٰىهُمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِيْ مَنْ يُّضِلُّ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِّنْ نّٰصِرِيْنَ) 16. an-Nahl:37). If you desire their guidance (remember) Allah does not guide whom He misguides, and they will have no helper.
