سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 118
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ ۖ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ﴿118﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِن
in
If
تُعَذِّبْهُمْ
tuʿadhib'hum
You punish them
فَإِنَّهُمْ
fa-innahum
then indeed they
عِبَادُكَ ۖ
ʿibāduka
(are) Your slaves
وَإِن
wa-in
and if
تَغْفِرْ
taghfir
You forgive
لَهُمْ
lahum
[for] them
فَإِنَّكَ
fa-innaka
then indeed You
أَنتَ
anta
You
ٱلْعَزِيزُ
l-ʿazīzu
(are) the All-Mighty
ٱلْحَكِيمُ
l-ḥakīmu
the All-Wise
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.
118. 1. That is, the meaning is: O Allah! Their matter is entrusted to Your will, because You are also fa‘ālul-limā yurīd (Doer of whatever You will), You can do whatever You wish, and there is no one to question You (لَا يُسْــَٔـلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْــَٔــلُوْنَ 23) 21:23. Allah will not be questioned about what He does, but people will be questioned about their deeds. Thus, in this verse, there is an expression of the servants’ humility and helplessness before Allah, and also a statement of Allah’s greatness and majesty, and His being absolutely powerful and completely sovereign. And then, in reference to both these things, there is also a plea for forgiveness and mercy. Subhan Allah! What a wondrous and eloquent verse this is. That is why it is mentioned in the hadith that one night, while reciting nawafil, the Prophet ﷺ was so affected by this verse that he kept reciting it repeatedly in every rak‘ah until morning came. (Musnad Ahmad, Volume 5, p. 119)
