سُوْرَةُ الْفِيْلِ
Surah Al-Fil (105) — Ayah 5
فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍۭ ﴿5﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And He made them like (an empty field of) stalks (of which the corn has been eaten up by cattle).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَجَعَلَهُمْ
fajaʿalahum
Then He made them
كَعَصْفٍۢ
kaʿaṣfin
like straw
مَّأْكُولٍۭ
makūlin
eaten up
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 5){فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّاْكُوْلٍ: ’’عَصْفٌ‘‘} The husk that comes off the grains of corn, chaff, chaff. {’’ مَاْكُوْلٍ ‘‘ ’’أَكَلَ يَأْكُلُ أَكْلاً ‘‘} (N) is the passive participle, meaning "eaten," "eaten chaff" refers to animal dung, because animals eat chaff and then produce dung, which, after drying, scatters here and there. The scattering of their limbs due to the punishment of stones has been likened to this. (Tabari) Allah Almighty adopts the highest degree of refinement in the use of words; instead of using the word "dung," He has expressed this meaning with the words "eaten chaff," which also highlights their wretched state. (Qasimi, quoting Shahab) It can also mean that the chaff left after the animals have eaten is trampled under their feet and scattered here and there; they became like that chaff.
