سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 26
قَالَ فَإِنَّهَا مُحَرَّمَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً ۛ يَتِيهُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ ﴿26﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(Allâh) said: "Therefore it (this holy land) is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So be not sorrowful over the people who are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious and disobedient to Allâh)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
(Allah) said
فَإِنَّهَا
fa-innahā
Then indeed it
مُحَرَّمَةٌ
muḥarramatun
(will be) forbidden
عَلَيْهِمْ ۛ
ʿalayhim
to them
أَرْبَعِينَ
arbaʿīna
(for) forty
سَنَةًۭ ۛ
sanatan
years
يَتِيهُونَ
yatīhūna
they will wander
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ
l-arḍi
the earth
فَلَا
falā
So (do) not
تَأْسَ
tasa
grieve
عَلَى
ʿalā
over
ٱلْقَوْمِ
l-qawmi
the people
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. This is called the Plain of Tih, in which this nation wandered for forty years due to their disobedience and aversion to jihad. In this plain, despite everything, manna and quails were sent down upon them, but they became weary of it and said to their prophet that eating the same food every day has made us fed up. Pray to your Lord to produce for us various kinds of vegetables and lentils. Here, clouds also provided them shade, and when Musa (عليه السلام) struck the rock with his staff, twelve springs gushed forth for the twelve tribes, and other such favors continued to be bestowed. After forty years, circumstances were again created so that they entered Bayt al-Maqdis.
26. 2. When a prophet sees that despite his invitation and preaching, his people are not ready to adopt the straight path—which contains for them the happiness and goodness of both religion and the world—then naturally he feels deep sorrow and heartfelt grief. This was also the state of the Prophet, which Allah Almighty has mentioned in several places in the Quran. But in this verse, addressing Musa (عليه السلام), it is being said that when you have fulfilled the duty of preaching, conveyed the divine message to the people, and brought your nation to the threshold of a great success, but now, due to their cowardice and arrogance, they are not ready to accept your word, then you have discharged your duty and now there is no need for you to grieve over them. In such situations, grief is a natural thing. But the purpose of this consolation is that after preaching and invitation, you are now free of responsibility before Allah.
26. 2. When a prophet sees that despite his invitation and preaching, his people are not ready to adopt the straight path—which contains for them the happiness and goodness of both religion and the world—then naturally he feels deep sorrow and heartfelt grief. This was also the state of the Prophet, which Allah Almighty has mentioned in several places in the Quran. But in this verse, addressing Musa (عليه السلام), it is being said that when you have fulfilled the duty of preaching, conveyed the divine message to the people, and brought your nation to the threshold of a great success, but now, due to their cowardice and arrogance, they are not ready to accept your word, then you have discharged your duty and now there is no need for you to grieve over them. In such situations, grief is a natural thing. But the purpose of this consolation is that after preaching and invitation, you are now free of responsibility before Allah.
