سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 110
قُلِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ أَوِ ٱدْعُوا۟ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا۟ فَلَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَلَا تَجْهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَٱبْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ سَبِيلًا ﴿110﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم): "Invoke Allâh or invoke the Most Gracious (Allâh), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names. And offer your Salât (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱدْعُوا۟
id'ʿū
Invoke
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
أَوِ
awi
or
ٱدْعُوا۟
id'ʿū
invoke
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ ۖ
l-raḥmāna
the Most Gracious
أَيًّۭا
ayyan
By whatever (name)
مَّا
mā
By whatever (name)
تَدْعُوا۟
tadʿū
you invoke
فَلَهُ
falahu
to Him (belongs)
ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ
l-asmāu
the Most Beautiful Names
ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ
l-ḥus'nā
the Most Beautiful Names
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَجْهَرْ
tajhar
be loud
بِصَلَاتِكَ
biṣalātika
in your prayers
وَلَا
walā
and not
تُخَافِتْ
tukhāfit
be silent
بِهَا
bihā
therein
وَٱبْتَغِ
wa-ib'taghi
but seek
بَيْنَ
bayna
between
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
that
سَبِيلًۭا
sabīlan
a way
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.
110. 1 Just as mentioned earlier, the attributive name of Allah, 'Rahman' or 'Rahim', was unfamiliar to the polytheists of Makkah, and in some narrations it is mentioned that when some polytheists heard the blessed tongue of the Prophet ﷺ utter the words Rahman and Rahim, they said that he tells us to call upon only one Allah, but he himself is calling upon two deities. Upon this, this verse was revealed (Ibn Kathir).
110. 2 Regarding its context of revelation, Hazrat Ibn Abbas states that in Makkah, the Messenger of Allah used to live in concealment, and when he led his companions in prayer, he would raise his voice somewhat. The polytheists, upon hearing the Quran, would abuse the Quran and Allah. Allah Almighty said, do not raise your voice so high that the polytheists hear and speak ill of the Quran, nor lower your voice so much that even the companions cannot hear. There is an incident of the Prophet ﷺ himself that one night the Prophet passed by Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, who was praying in a low voice. Then he happened to see Hazrat Umar, who was praying in a loud voice. He asked both of them, so Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq replied, the One with whom I was engaged in supplication was hearing my voice. Hazrat Umar replied, my intention was to wake up the sleepers and drive away Satan. The Prophet ﷺ said to Siddiq Akbar, raise your voice a little, and to Hazrat Umar, lower your voice a little. Hazrat Aisha states that this verse was revealed regarding supplication (Bukhari and Muslim, referenced in Fath al-Qadeer).
110. 2 Regarding its context of revelation, Hazrat Ibn Abbas states that in Makkah, the Messenger of Allah used to live in concealment, and when he led his companions in prayer, he would raise his voice somewhat. The polytheists, upon hearing the Quran, would abuse the Quran and Allah. Allah Almighty said, do not raise your voice so high that the polytheists hear and speak ill of the Quran, nor lower your voice so much that even the companions cannot hear. There is an incident of the Prophet ﷺ himself that one night the Prophet passed by Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, who was praying in a low voice. Then he happened to see Hazrat Umar, who was praying in a loud voice. He asked both of them, so Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq replied, the One with whom I was engaged in supplication was hearing my voice. Hazrat Umar replied, my intention was to wake up the sleepers and drive away Satan. The Prophet ﷺ said to Siddiq Akbar, raise your voice a little, and to Hazrat Umar, lower your voice a little. Hazrat Aisha states that this verse was revealed regarding supplication (Bukhari and Muslim, referenced in Fath al-Qadeer).
