سُوْرَةُ هُوْدٍ
Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 88
قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كُنتُ عَلَىٰ بَيِّنَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّى وَرَزَقَنِى مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَىٰ مَآ أَنْهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ ۚ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا ٱلْإِصْلَـٰحَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ ﴿88﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "O my people! Tell me if I have a clear evidence from my Lord and He has given me a good sustenance from Himself (shall I corrupt it by mixing it with the unlawfully earned money). I wish not, in contradiction to you, to do that which I forbid you. I only desire reform to the best of my power. And my guidance cannot come except from Allâh, in Him I trust and unto Him I repent.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰقَوْمِ
yāqawmi
O my people
أَرَءَيْتُمْ
ara-aytum
Do you see
إِن
in
if
كُنتُ
kuntu
I am
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
بَيِّنَةٍۢ
bayyinatin
a clear evidence
مِّن
min
from
رَّبِّى
rabbī
my Lord
وَرَزَقَنِى
warazaqanī
and He has provided me
مِنْهُ
min'hu
from Himself
رِزْقًا
riz'qan
a good provision
حَسَنًۭا ۚ
ḥasanan
a good provision
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أُرِيدُ
urīdu
I intend
أَنْ
an
that
أُخَالِفَكُمْ
ukhālifakum
I differ from you
إِلَىٰ
ilā
in
مَآ
mā
what
أَنْهَىٰكُمْ
anhākum
I forbid you
عَنْهُ ۚ
ʿanhu
from it
إِنْ
in
Not
أُرِيدُ
urīdu
I intend
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلْإِصْلَـٰحَ
l-iṣ'lāḥa
the reform
مَا
mā
as much as I am able
ٱسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ
is'taṭaʿtu
as much as I am able
وَمَا
wamā
And not
تَوْفِيقِىٓ
tawfīqī
(is) my success
إِلَّا
illā
except
بِٱللَّهِ ۚ
bil-lahi
with Allah
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
Upon Him
تَوَكَّلْتُ
tawakkaltu
I trust
وَإِلَيْهِ
wa-ilayhi
and to Him
أُنِيبُ
unību
I turn
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 88) ➊ {قَالَ يٰقَوْمِ اَرَءَيْتُمْ اِنْ كُنْتُ …:’’ بَيِّنَةٍ ‘‘} The evidence by which truth and falsehood become clear and distinct. {’’ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا ‘‘} This word has been used for three things: the prophethood granted by Allah, lawful sustenance, and a clean, pure life. Here, the answer to {’’ اَرَءَيْتُمْ ‘‘} is omitted, meaning: O my people! Tell me, if I am established upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me good sustenance, should I abandon it and start consuming the unlawful like you, and stop enjoining good and forbidding evil? From {’’ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا ‘‘} it is understood that Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him), along with the gift of prophethood, was also a wealthy man through lawful sustenance.
➋ { وَ مَاۤ اُرِيْدُ اَنْ اُخَالِفَكُمْ … :} That is, when I forbid you from associating partners with Allah and from giving short measure and weight, my purpose is by no means to exhort you to refrain from these things while I myself continue to commit them; rather, whatever I say to you, I first act upon it myself. This has always been the way of all the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the righteous predecessors. The outcome for those who do the opposite is mentioned in the hadith as follows: Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يُجَاءُ بِالرَّجُلِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُلْقَی فِي النَّارِ فَتَنْدَلِقُ أَقْتَابُهٗ فِي النَّارِ، فَيَدُوْرُ كَمَا يَدُوْرُ الْحِمَارُ بِرَحَاهٗ فَيَجْتَمِعُ أَهْلُ النَّارِ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُوْلُوْنَ يَا فُلَانُ! مَا شَأْنُكَ ؟ أَلَيْسَ كُنْتَ تَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَتَنْهَانَا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ؟ قَالَ كُنْتُ آمُرُكُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَلاَ آتِيْهِ، وَأَنْهَاكُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَآتِيْهِ ] [ بخاری، بدء الخلق، باب صفۃ النار و أنھا مخلوقۃ : ۳۲۶۷ ] “A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown into the Fire. His intestines will come out quickly, and he will circle around them as a donkey circles around a millstone. The people of Hell will gather around him and say, ‘O so-and-so! What is your matter? Did you not used to enjoin us to do good and forbid us from evil?’ He will say, ‘I used to enjoin you to do good but did not do it myself, and I used to forbid you from evil but committed it myself.’”
➌ { اِنْ اُرِيْدُ اِلَّا الْاِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ :} So that you may benefit in this world and the Hereafter. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “This is the trait of Allah’s righteous people, that they do not take offense at provocation and continue to advise as much as they are able.”
➍ { وَ مَا تَوْفِيْقِيْۤ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ :} That is, whatever advice I am giving you today or wish to give, its continuation and success depend solely on Allah.
➋ { وَ مَاۤ اُرِيْدُ اَنْ اُخَالِفَكُمْ … :} That is, when I forbid you from associating partners with Allah and from giving short measure and weight, my purpose is by no means to exhort you to refrain from these things while I myself continue to commit them; rather, whatever I say to you, I first act upon it myself. This has always been the way of all the Prophets (peace be upon them) and the righteous predecessors. The outcome for those who do the opposite is mentioned in the hadith as follows: Usamah bin Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يُجَاءُ بِالرَّجُلِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَيُلْقَی فِي النَّارِ فَتَنْدَلِقُ أَقْتَابُهٗ فِي النَّارِ، فَيَدُوْرُ كَمَا يَدُوْرُ الْحِمَارُ بِرَحَاهٗ فَيَجْتَمِعُ أَهْلُ النَّارِ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُوْلُوْنَ يَا فُلَانُ! مَا شَأْنُكَ ؟ أَلَيْسَ كُنْتَ تَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَتَنْهَانَا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ؟ قَالَ كُنْتُ آمُرُكُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوْفِ وَلاَ آتِيْهِ، وَأَنْهَاكُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَآتِيْهِ ] [ بخاری، بدء الخلق، باب صفۃ النار و أنھا مخلوقۃ : ۳۲۶۷ ] “A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown into the Fire. His intestines will come out quickly, and he will circle around them as a donkey circles around a millstone. The people of Hell will gather around him and say, ‘O so-and-so! What is your matter? Did you not used to enjoin us to do good and forbid us from evil?’ He will say, ‘I used to enjoin you to do good but did not do it myself, and I used to forbid you from evil but committed it myself.’”
➌ { اِنْ اُرِيْدُ اِلَّا الْاِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ :} So that you may benefit in this world and the Hereafter. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “This is the trait of Allah’s righteous people, that they do not take offense at provocation and continue to advise as much as they are able.”
➍ { وَ مَا تَوْفِيْقِيْۤ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ :} That is, whatever advice I am giving you today or wish to give, its continuation and success depend solely on Allah.
