سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 43
قَالَ سَـَٔاوِىٓ إِلَىٰ جَبَلٍ يَعْصِمُنِى مِنَ ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ ۚ وَحَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا ٱلْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ ﴿43﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(The son) replied: "I will betake myself to some mountain; it will save me from the water." Nûh (Noah) said: "This day there is no saviour from the Decree of Allâh except him on whom He has mercy." And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
سَـَٔاوِىٓ
saāwī
I will betake myself
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
جَبَلٍۢ
jabalin
a mountain
يَعْصِمُنِى
yaʿṣimunī
(that) will save me
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْمَآءِ ۚ
l-māi
the water
قَالَ
qāla
He said
لَا
lā
(There is) no
عَاصِمَ
ʿāṣima
protector
ٱلْيَوْمَ
l-yawma
today
مِنْ
min
from
أَمْرِ
amri
the Command of Allah
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
the Command of Allah
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَن
man
(on) whom
رَّحِمَ ۚ
raḥima
He has mercy
وَحَالَ
waḥāla
And came
بَيْنَهُمَا
baynahumā
(in) between them
ٱلْمَوْجُ
l-mawju
the waves
فَكَانَ
fakāna
so he was
مِنَ
mina
among
ٱلْمُغْرَقِينَ
l-mugh'raqīna
the drowned
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 43) ➊ {قَالَ سَاٰوِيْۤ اِلٰى جَبَلٍ يَّعْصِمُنِيْ مِنَ الْمَآءِ :} It is understood that the view of a polytheist remains limited to apparent means, and even in the most difficult times, he does not turn towards the Creator of those means. “The mountain will save me from the water”—the foolish one is considering a powerless mountain as a savior.
➋ {قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ اَمْرِ اللّٰهِ اِلَّا مَنْ رَّحِمَ :} In the translation that has been written, if some omitted words are included, the meaning becomes correct, that is, “Today there is no savior from Allah’s decree except the one on whom He has mercy (only he will be saved).” Some scholars have said that the pattern of “fa’il” sometimes also comes in the sense of attribution, as in {’’لَابِنٌ‘‘} “laban” (one with milk) and {’’ تَامِرٌ ‘‘} “tamr” (one with dates), similarly here { ’’ عَاصِمَ ‘‘} is used in the sense of attribution, meaning today there is no one possessing salvation except the one on whom He (Allah) has mercy. Our teacher Sheikh Muhammad Abduh, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “Or another translation could be that today there is no savior from Allah’s punishment except the One Who is Merciful (i.e., Allah Himself).” This is one interpretation mentioned by the researchers and this is the strongest, because the form “fa’il” is mostly used for an attribute, and less for attribution. (Ruh al-Ma’ani)
➌ {وَ حَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِيْنَ :} The conversation between Nuh (peace be upon him) and his son was ongoing when a wave of water came between them and he joined his companions who had already been drowned. From this, firstly, the wave’s zeal for faith is evident, as it could not tolerate the polytheist son’s chatter in front of the monotheist father for long; secondly, in the Hereafter, a person will be with those whom he accompanied in the world. {’’ فَغَرِقَ ‘‘} (So he was drowned) and {’’ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِيْنَ ‘‘} (So he became among those who were drowned)—this is the difference between the two, therefore, one should protect their children from bad company as much as possible.
➋ {قَالَ لَا عَاصِمَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ اَمْرِ اللّٰهِ اِلَّا مَنْ رَّحِمَ :} In the translation that has been written, if some omitted words are included, the meaning becomes correct, that is, “Today there is no savior from Allah’s decree except the one on whom He has mercy (only he will be saved).” Some scholars have said that the pattern of “fa’il” sometimes also comes in the sense of attribution, as in {’’لَابِنٌ‘‘} “laban” (one with milk) and {’’ تَامِرٌ ‘‘} “tamr” (one with dates), similarly here { ’’ عَاصِمَ ‘‘} is used in the sense of attribution, meaning today there is no one possessing salvation except the one on whom He (Allah) has mercy. Our teacher Sheikh Muhammad Abduh, may Allah have mercy on him, writes: “Or another translation could be that today there is no savior from Allah’s punishment except the One Who is Merciful (i.e., Allah Himself).” This is one interpretation mentioned by the researchers and this is the strongest, because the form “fa’il” is mostly used for an attribute, and less for attribution. (Ruh al-Ma’ani)
➌ {وَ حَالَ بَيْنَهُمَا الْمَوْجُ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِيْنَ :} The conversation between Nuh (peace be upon him) and his son was ongoing when a wave of water came between them and he joined his companions who had already been drowned. From this, firstly, the wave’s zeal for faith is evident, as it could not tolerate the polytheist son’s chatter in front of the monotheist father for long; secondly, in the Hereafter, a person will be with those whom he accompanied in the world. {’’ فَغَرِقَ ‘‘} (So he was drowned) and {’’ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُغْرَقِيْنَ ‘‘} (So he became among those who were drowned)—this is the difference between the two, therefore, one should protect their children from bad company as much as possible.
