سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 17
لَوْ أَرَدْنَآ أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّٱتَّخَذْنَـٰهُ مِن لَّدُنَّآ إِن كُنَّا فَـٰعِلِينَ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Had We intended to take a pastime (i.e. a wife or a son), We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do (that).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَوْ
law
If
أَرَدْنَآ
aradnā
We intended
أَن
an
that
نَّتَّخِذَ
nattakhidha
We take
لَهْوًۭا
lahwan
a pastime
لَّٱتَّخَذْنَـٰهُ
la-ittakhadhnāhu
surely We (could have) taken it
مِن
min
from
لَّدُنَّآ
ladunnā
Us
إِن
in
if
كُنَّا
kunnā
We were
فَـٰعِلِينَ
fāʿilīna
doers
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. That is, We would have made some things for play from Our own selves and would have fulfilled Our own desire. What was the need to create such a vast universe and then to create living and conscious beings?
17. 2. "If We were to do so" — according to the Arabic style, this is more correct than the translation "We are not to do so." (Fath al-Qadeer).
17. 2. "If We were to do so" — according to the Arabic style, this is more correct than the translation "We are not to do so." (Fath al-Qadeer).
