سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 141
ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَرَبَّصُونَ بِكُمْ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ فَتْحٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ نَكُن مَّعَكُمْ وَإِن كَانَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ نَصِيبٌ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ نَسْتَحْوِذْ عَلَيْكُمْ وَنَمْنَعْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ فَٱللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ وَلَن يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا ﴿141﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those (hypocrites) who wait and watch about you; if you gain a victory from Allâh, they say: "Were we not with you?" But if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): "Did we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you from the believers?" Allâh will judge between you (all) on the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allâh grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
يَتَرَبَّصُونَ
yatarabbaṣūna
are waiting
بِكُمْ
bikum
for you
فَإِن
fa-in
Then if
كَانَ
kāna
was
لَكُمْ
lakum
for you
فَتْحٌۭ
fatḥun
a victory
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
they say
أَلَمْ
alam
Were not
نَكُن
nakun
we
مَّعَكُمْ
maʿakum
with you
وَإِن
wa-in
But if
كَانَ
kāna
(there) was
لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
lil'kāfirīna
for the disbelievers
نَصِيبٌۭ
naṣībun
a chance
قَالُوٓا۟
qālū
they said
أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
نَسْتَحْوِذْ
nastaḥwidh
we have advantage
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
over you
وَنَمْنَعْكُم
wanamnaʿkum
and we protected you
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۚ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
فَٱللَّهُ
fal-lahu
And Allah
يَحْكُمُ
yaḥkumu
will judge
بَيْنَكُمْ
baynakum
between you
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on the) Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ
l-qiyāmati
(of) the Resurrection
وَلَن
walan
and never
يَجْعَلَ
yajʿala
will make
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
lil'kāfirīna
for the disbelievers
عَلَى
ʿalā
over
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
سَبِيلًا
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.
141. 1 That is, we were about to overpower you, but considering you as our ally, we let you go, and by abandoning the Muslims, we saved you from the hands of the Muslims. The meaning is that you gained dominance as a result of our double-faced policy, which we adopted by outwardly joining the Muslims. But secretly, we did not fall short in causing them harm until you overpowered them. This is the statement of the hypocrites which they said to the disbelievers.
141. 1 That is, in the world, you achieved some temporary success through deception and fraud. But on the Day of Resurrection, Allah’s decision will be based on those inner feelings and states which you kept hidden in your hearts, because Allah knows well the secrets of the hearts. And then, the punishment He will give for that will make it clear that adopting hypocrisy in the world was a most ruinous bargain, for which the eternal punishment of Hell will have to be endured.
141. 2 That is, He will not grant dominance. Its various meanings have been stated: (1) The dominance of the people of Islam will be on the Day of Resurrection. (2) In terms of argument and evidence, the disbelievers cannot overpower the Muslims. (3) The dominance of the disbelievers will never be such that the wealth and glory of the Muslims will be completely wiped out and erased from the map of the world like a wrong letter. This meaning is also supported by an authentic hadith. (4) As long as the Muslims remain adherent to their religion, displeased with falsehood, and prevent evil, the disbelievers will not be able to overpower them. Imam Ibn al-Arabi says, 'This is the best meaning because Allah’s statement is (وَمَا اَصَابَکُمْ مُّصِیبَۃٍ فَبَمَا کَسَبَتْ اَیْدِیْکُمْ) 42:30 Whatever misfortune befalls you is because of what your own hands have earned (Fath al-Qadeer).' Thus, it is as if it is the result of the Muslims’ own shortcomings.
141. 1 That is, in the world, you achieved some temporary success through deception and fraud. But on the Day of Resurrection, Allah’s decision will be based on those inner feelings and states which you kept hidden in your hearts, because Allah knows well the secrets of the hearts. And then, the punishment He will give for that will make it clear that adopting hypocrisy in the world was a most ruinous bargain, for which the eternal punishment of Hell will have to be endured.
141. 2 That is, He will not grant dominance. Its various meanings have been stated: (1) The dominance of the people of Islam will be on the Day of Resurrection. (2) In terms of argument and evidence, the disbelievers cannot overpower the Muslims. (3) The dominance of the disbelievers will never be such that the wealth and glory of the Muslims will be completely wiped out and erased from the map of the world like a wrong letter. This meaning is also supported by an authentic hadith. (4) As long as the Muslims remain adherent to their religion, displeased with falsehood, and prevent evil, the disbelievers will not be able to overpower them. Imam Ibn al-Arabi says, 'This is the best meaning because Allah’s statement is (وَمَا اَصَابَکُمْ مُّصِیبَۃٍ فَبَمَا کَسَبَتْ اَیْدِیْکُمْ) 42:30 Whatever misfortune befalls you is because of what your own hands have earned (Fath al-Qadeer).' Thus, it is as if it is the result of the Muslims’ own shortcomings.
