سُوْرَةُ سَبَاٍ
Surah Saba (34) — Ayah 18
وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ ٱلْقُرَى ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَـٰهِرَةً وَقَدَّرْنَا فِيهَا ٱلسَّيْرَ ۖ سِيرُوا۟ فِيهَا لَيَالِىَ وَأَيَّامًا ءَامِنِينَ ﴿18﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We placed, between them and the towns which We had blessed, towns easy to be seen, and We made the stages (of journey) between them easy (saying): "Travel in them safely both by night and day."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
And We made
بَيْنَهُمْ
baynahum
between them
وَبَيْنَ
wabayna
and between
ٱلْقُرَى
l-qurā
the towns
ٱلَّتِى
allatī
which
بَـٰرَكْنَا
bāraknā
We had blessed
فِيهَا
fīhā
in it
قُرًۭى
quran
towns
ظَـٰهِرَةًۭ
ẓāhiratan
visible
وَقَدَّرْنَا
waqaddarnā
And We determined
فِيهَا
fīhā
between them
ٱلسَّيْرَ ۖ
l-sayra
the journey
سِيرُوا۟
sīrū
Travel
فِيهَا
fīhā
between them
لَيَالِىَ
layāliya
(by) night
وَأَيَّامًا
wa-ayyāman
and (by) day
ءَامِنِينَ
āminīna
safely
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.
18. 1. By the blessed towns are meant the towns of Syria, that is, We had settled towns along the road between the land of Saba (Yemen) and Syria. Some have taken the meaning of ظاھرۃ as متواصلۃ, meaning connected and continuous. The commentators have stated the number of these towns as 4,700. This was their trade route which was continuously inhabited, due to which, firstly, there was no need to carry provisions for eating, drinking, and take a midday naping, and secondly, the fear of looting and bloodshed that arises due to desolation did not exist.
18. 2. That is, the distance from one settlement to another was fixed and known, and according to that, they could easily complete their journey. For example, if they started their journey in the morning, by noon they would reach a settlement or village. There, they would eat, drink, and take a midday nap, and then resume their journey, reaching another settlement by night.
18. 3. This describes being safe from all kinds of dangers and being free from the hardship of carrying provisions, that at whatever hour of the day or night you wish to travel, do so—there is no fear for life or property, nor is there any need to carry travel provisions for the journey.
18. 2. That is, the distance from one settlement to another was fixed and known, and according to that, they could easily complete their journey. For example, if they started their journey in the morning, by noon they would reach a settlement or village. There, they would eat, drink, and take a midday nap, and then resume their journey, reaching another settlement by night.
18. 3. This describes being safe from all kinds of dangers and being free from the hardship of carrying provisions, that at whatever hour of the day or night you wish to travel, do so—there is no fear for life or property, nor is there any need to carry travel provisions for the journey.
