سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 54
إِن نَّقُولُ إِلَّا ٱعْتَرَىٰكَ بَعْضُ ءَالِهَتِنَا بِسُوٓءٍ ۗ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أُشْهِدُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱشْهَدُوٓا۟ أَنِّى بَرِىٓءٌ مِّمَّا تُشْرِكُونَ ﴿54﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"All that we say is that some of our gods (false deities) have seized you with evil (madness)." He said: "I call Allâh to witness and bear you witness that I am free from that which you ascribe as partners in worship,
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِن
in
Not
نَّقُولُ
naqūlu
we say
إِلَّا
illā
except (that)
ٱعْتَرَىٰكَ
iʿ'tarāka
have seized you
بَعْضُ
baʿḍu
some
ءَالِهَتِنَا
ālihatinā
(of) our gods
بِسُوٓءٍۢ ۗ
bisūin
with evil
قَالَ
qāla
He said
إِنِّىٓ
innī
Indeed, I
أُشْهِدُ
ush'hidu
[I] call Allah to witness
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
[I] call Allah to witness
وَٱشْهَدُوٓا۟
wa-ish'hadū
and (you) bear witness
أَنِّى
annī
that I am
بَرِىٓءٌۭ
barīon
innocent
مِّمَّا
mimmā
of what
تُشْرِكُونَ
tush'rikūna
you associate
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 55,54) ➊ { اِنْ نَّقُوْلُ اِلَّا اعْتَرٰىكَ بَعْضُ اٰلِهَتِنَا بِسُوْٓءٍ: } This is the fourth thing they said to Hud (peace be upon him) in addition to denying him, for further insult and mockery. {’’عَرَا يَعْرُوْ ‘‘} and {’’اِعْتَرٰي يَعْتَرِيْ‘‘} to befall, to reach, when used transitively with "ba", means to cause to reach, that is, one of our deities has caused you some calamity, which is why you are speaking such incoherent things. If all of them had struck you, who knows what would have become of you. Alas! This very concept of being struck by a saint has now entered among Muslims as well, whereas Muslims should believe that no living or dead being besides Allah can harm or benefit anyone.
➋ { قَالَ اِنِّيْۤ اُشْهِدُ اللّٰهَ … :} That is, I have no connection with these idols of yours and with any deity besides Allah; rather, I constantly deny them and declare my disassociation from them.
➌ {فَكِيْدُوْنِيْ جَمِيْعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنْظِرُوْنِ :} That is, as for what you say, that I have been struck by one of your deities, then instead of just one, if you and all your deities together can harm me in any way, then go ahead and do so, and do not give me any respite. Otherwise, know that you and your deities are both false.
The words of Hud (peace be upon him) are, in addition to answering the other foolish statements of his people, also a response to their claim that he did not bring any clear proof, that is, a miracle. What is a miracle or a sign? In reality, the essence of every miracle is the challenge that comes from the one who possesses the miracle. For example, the she-camel of Salih (peace be upon him), the miracle of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) when the fire became coolness for him. But is this not also a miracle, that a single person is challenging an entire nation, saying that I do not consider you or your gods to be anything? All of you together, do whatever harm you can to me, and he is challenging a nation that was extremely harsh and unfamiliar with mercy, about whom it is said: «{وَ اِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِيْنَ }» [ الشعراء:۱۳۰] "And when you seize, you seize as tyrants." Allah Himself said that they were so powerful that no nation like them was created after them. He said: «{ الَّتِيْ لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ }» [ الفجر : ۸] "The like of whom had never been created in the cities." When they were destroyed by the storm: «{ كَاَنَّهُمْ اَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ }» [ الحاقۃ : ۷ ] "As if they were trunks of fallen palm trees." A single person is challenging an entire nation that is thirsty for his blood, whose deities and entire nation he has declared ignorant, and has said, all of you together, do whatever you can against me, and the whole nation makes threats, but could do nothing to him. If this is not an open miracle, then what is?
➋ { قَالَ اِنِّيْۤ اُشْهِدُ اللّٰهَ … :} That is, I have no connection with these idols of yours and with any deity besides Allah; rather, I constantly deny them and declare my disassociation from them.
➌ {فَكِيْدُوْنِيْ جَمِيْعًا ثُمَّ لَا تُنْظِرُوْنِ :} That is, as for what you say, that I have been struck by one of your deities, then instead of just one, if you and all your deities together can harm me in any way, then go ahead and do so, and do not give me any respite. Otherwise, know that you and your deities are both false.
The words of Hud (peace be upon him) are, in addition to answering the other foolish statements of his people, also a response to their claim that he did not bring any clear proof, that is, a miracle. What is a miracle or a sign? In reality, the essence of every miracle is the challenge that comes from the one who possesses the miracle. For example, the she-camel of Salih (peace be upon him), the miracle of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) when the fire became coolness for him. But is this not also a miracle, that a single person is challenging an entire nation, saying that I do not consider you or your gods to be anything? All of you together, do whatever harm you can to me, and he is challenging a nation that was extremely harsh and unfamiliar with mercy, about whom it is said: «{وَ اِذَا بَطَشْتُمْ بَطَشْتُمْ جَبَّارِيْنَ }» [ الشعراء:۱۳۰] "And when you seize, you seize as tyrants." Allah Himself said that they were so powerful that no nation like them was created after them. He said: «{ الَّتِيْ لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ }» [ الفجر : ۸] "The like of whom had never been created in the cities." When they were destroyed by the storm: «{ كَاَنَّهُمْ اَعْجَازُ نَخْلٍ خَاوِيَةٍ }» [ الحاقۃ : ۷ ] "As if they were trunks of fallen palm trees." A single person is challenging an entire nation that is thirsty for his blood, whose deities and entire nation he has declared ignorant, and has said, all of you together, do whatever you can against me, and the whole nation makes threats, but could do nothing to him. If this is not an open miracle, then what is?
