سُوْرَةُ يُوْنُسَ
Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 2
أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنْ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنْهُمْ أَنْ أَنذِرِ ٱلنَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ قَالَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسَـٰحِرٌ مُّبِينٌ ﴿2﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Is it a wonder for mankind that We have sent Our Revelation to a man from among themselves (i.e. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) (saying): "Warn mankind (of the coming torment in Hell), and give good news to those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh and in His Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) that they shall have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds?" (But) the disbelievers say: "This is indeed an evident sorcerer (i.e. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Qur’ân)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَكَانَ
akāna
Is it
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for the mankind
عَجَبًا
ʿajaban
a wonder
أَنْ
an
that
أَوْحَيْنَآ
awḥaynā
We revealed
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
رَجُلٍۢ
rajulin
a man
مِّنْهُمْ
min'hum
from (among) them
أَنْ
an
that
أَنذِرِ
andhiri
Warn
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the mankind
وَبَشِّرِ
wabashiri
and give glad tidings
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(to) those who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believe
أَنَّ
anna
that
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
قَدَمَ
qadama
(will be) a respectable position
صِدْقٍ
ṣid'qin
(will be) a respectable position
عِندَ
ʿinda
near
رَبِّهِمْ ۗ
rabbihim
their Lord
قَالَ
qāla
Said
ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
l-kāfirūna
the disbelievers
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
لَسَـٰحِرٌۭ
lasāḥirun
(is) surely a magician
مُّبِينٌ
mubīnun
obvious
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 2) ➊ {اَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا …:} That is, what is so astonishing and surprising about the fact that, to warn mankind of Allah’s punishment and to show them the path of success and prosperity, a Messenger was sent from among themselves as a human being? It would have been surprising if their Lord had made no arrangement for their guidance, or if He had sent a jinn or an angel as a Messenger among them, because an angel or a jinn cannot serve as a model for human beings. See also the exegesis of Surah At-Tawbah (128) and Aal-e-Imran (164).
➋ The meaning of { اَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ …: ’’ قَدَمٌ ‘‘ } is obvious; only that person gets ahead of others whose step surpasses all in the race, so the meaning of { ’’ قَدَمٌ ‘‘} is also taken as “advancement.” Elevation in rank and status is also achieved by getting ahead. {’’ صِدْقٍ ‘‘} (truth) is a verbal noun used for exaggeration in the sense of an active participle, meaning so truthful that he is the embodiment of truth, just as {’’ زَيْدٌ عَدْلٌ‘‘ ’’ أَيْ زَيْدٌ عَادِلٌ ‘‘} means Zaid is the embodiment of justice. Truth applies to both word and deed. {’’ قَدَمَ ‘‘} (described) is annexed to its attribute { ’’ صِدْقٍ ‘‘ }, just as {’’ مَسْجِدُ الْجَامِعِ‘‘}, so the meaning is that for the believers, with Allah there is true advancement and a genuine status. The disbelievers did not advance towards Allah at all; rather, they were so blinded by shirk and disbelief that, despite being witnesses to the Prophet’s forty years of truthfulness and trustworthiness, instead of believing in him, they stubbornly called him a sorcerer. How could such blind and deaf people attain true advancement and genuine status with their Lord? So instead of advancing, they lagged behind to fall into Hell. Since their calling you a sorcerer was utterly baseless, it was not even considered necessary to respond to it.
➌ By calling the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) a sorcerer, it is clear that their minds had accepted that he was not an ordinary man. But look at their wretchedness: despite being well aware of the filthy and evil lives and bad habits of sorcerers, they, out of sheer stubbornness, called the most trustworthy, truthful, chaste, and wise human being a sorcerer.
➋ The meaning of { اَنَّ لَهُمْ قَدَمَ صِدْقٍ …: ’’ قَدَمٌ ‘‘ } is obvious; only that person gets ahead of others whose step surpasses all in the race, so the meaning of { ’’ قَدَمٌ ‘‘} is also taken as “advancement.” Elevation in rank and status is also achieved by getting ahead. {’’ صِدْقٍ ‘‘} (truth) is a verbal noun used for exaggeration in the sense of an active participle, meaning so truthful that he is the embodiment of truth, just as {’’ زَيْدٌ عَدْلٌ‘‘ ’’ أَيْ زَيْدٌ عَادِلٌ ‘‘} means Zaid is the embodiment of justice. Truth applies to both word and deed. {’’ قَدَمَ ‘‘} (described) is annexed to its attribute { ’’ صِدْقٍ ‘‘ }, just as {’’ مَسْجِدُ الْجَامِعِ‘‘}, so the meaning is that for the believers, with Allah there is true advancement and a genuine status. The disbelievers did not advance towards Allah at all; rather, they were so blinded by shirk and disbelief that, despite being witnesses to the Prophet’s forty years of truthfulness and trustworthiness, instead of believing in him, they stubbornly called him a sorcerer. How could such blind and deaf people attain true advancement and genuine status with their Lord? So instead of advancing, they lagged behind to fall into Hell. Since their calling you a sorcerer was utterly baseless, it was not even considered necessary to respond to it.
➌ By calling the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) a sorcerer, it is clear that their minds had accepted that he was not an ordinary man. But look at their wretchedness: despite being well aware of the filthy and evil lives and bad habits of sorcerers, they, out of sheer stubbornness, called the most trustworthy, truthful, chaste, and wise human being a sorcerer.
