سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 26
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ ﴿26﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, Allâh is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allâh intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(is) not
يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ
yastaḥyī
ashamed
أَن
an
to
يَضْرِبَ
yaḍriba
set forth
مَثَلًۭا
mathalan
an example
مَّا
mā
(like) even
بَعُوضَةًۭ
baʿūḍatan
(of) a mosquito
فَمَا
famā
and (even) something
فَوْقَهَا ۚ
fawqahā
above it
فَأَمَّا
fa-ammā
Then as for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
فَيَعْلَمُونَ
fayaʿlamūna
[thus] they will know
أَنَّهُ
annahu
that it
ٱلْحَقُّ
l-ḥaqu
(is) the truth
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ
rabbihim
their Lord
وَأَمَّا
wa-ammā
And as for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
فَيَقُولُونَ
fayaqūlūna
[thus] they will say
مَاذَآ
mādhā
what
أَرَادَ
arāda
(did) intend
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بِهَـٰذَا
bihādhā
by this
مَثَلًۭا ۘ
mathalan
example
يُضِلُّ
yuḍillu
He lets go astray
بِهِۦ
bihi
by it
كَثِيرًۭا
kathīran
many
وَيَهْدِى
wayahdī
and He guides
بِهِۦ
bihi
by it
كَثِيرًۭا ۚ
kathīran
many
وَمَا
wamā
And not
يُضِلُّ
yuḍillu
He lets go astray
بِهِۦٓ
bihi
by it
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
l-fāsiqīna
the defiantly disobedient
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.
26. 1 When Allah proved the miraculous nature of the Quran through arguments, the disbelievers objected in another way, saying that if this were divine speech, then such a great being would not include examples of trivial things in His revelation. In response, Allah said that there is no harm in clarifying matters and presenting parables for the sake of perfect wisdom, and thus there is no modesty or reservation in this. The meaning of فَوْقَھَا can also be "greater than this." In that case, the meaning would be a mosquito or something greater than it. The word فَوْقَھَا accommodates both interpretations.
26. 2 The examples given by Allah increase the faith of the believers and increase the disbelief of the disbelievers, and all of this happens under Allah's law of power and will, as the Quran says (نُوَلِّهٖ مَا تَوَلّٰى) 4:115 "Whichever way one turns, We turn him to that way." Fisq means to depart from obedience to Allah, which can be committed temporarily and momentarily even by a believer. But in this verse, fisq means complete departure from obedience, i.e., disbelief. As is clear from the next verse, in which the qualities of disbelievers are mentioned in contrast to the qualities of believers.
26. 2 The examples given by Allah increase the faith of the believers and increase the disbelief of the disbelievers, and all of this happens under Allah's law of power and will, as the Quran says (نُوَلِّهٖ مَا تَوَلّٰى) 4:115 "Whichever way one turns, We turn him to that way." Fisq means to depart from obedience to Allah, which can be committed temporarily and momentarily even by a believer. But in this verse, fisq means complete departure from obedience, i.e., disbelief. As is clear from the next verse, in which the qualities of disbelievers are mentioned in contrast to the qualities of believers.
