سُوْرَةُ الْاِخْلَاصِ
Surah Al-Ikhlaas (112) — Ayah 4
وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ ﴿4﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَمْ
walam
And not
يَكُن
yakun
is
لَّهُۥ
lahu
for Him
كُفُوًا
kufuwan
equivalent
أَحَدٌۢ
aḥadun
any [one]
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 4) ➊ {وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهٗ كُفُوًا اَحَدٌ: ’’ كُفُوًا ‘‘} means likeness, pair, or one who is equal. By saying {’’ قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ ‘‘}, the negation of offspring and equal happens automatically, but then they are mentioned separately as well, just as in Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah (98): « مَنْ كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلّٰهِ وَ مَلٰٓىِٕكَتِهٖ وَ رُسُلِهٖ وَ جِبْرِيْلَ وَ مِيْكٰىلَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ » (Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Jibreel and Mikaeel, then verily Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers), even though Jibreel and Mikaeel are included among the angels, they are mentioned separately. The first benefit of this is that by mentioning them again, special attention is drawn to them, and the second is that it brings further clarification and detail. It is possible that by only saying {’’ قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ ‘‘}, a person might not pay attention to both matters, or even if he did, he might not understand them with as much clarity as he does when they are mentioned separately. In the science of rhetoric, this is called "tajreed." (Al-Tasheel)
➋ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) declared this Surah to be one-third of the Qur'an. How is this Surah one-third of the Qur'an? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not explain this himself; the scholars have interpreted it according to their own understanding. Some have taken it to mean reward, some have said that the Qur'an consists of three thirds: one third rulings, the second promises and warnings, and the third names and attributes, and in this Surah, the names and attributes are mentioned. Some have considered knowledge of Allah, knowledge of the Hereafter, and the straight path as the three thirds of the Qur'an, and have made knowledge of Allah the subject of this Surah. Some have considered monotheism, prophethood, and the Hereafter as the three parts, and have declared this Surah to be one-third of the Qur'an because it comprehensively covers monotheism. This difference itself is proof that everyone has thought of something from their own mind; there is no explanation from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), otherwise everyone would have agreed upon it. Therefore, it is better to have faith that this Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur'an and leave it to Allah as to how it is equal to one-third.
➌ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite {’’ قُلْ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْكٰفِرُوْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ ‘‘} in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr. [ دیکھیے مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین، باب استحباب رکعتي سنۃ الفجر… : ۷۲۶ ] Surah « قُلْ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْكٰفِرُوْنَ » is comprehensive of practical monotheism, that I do not worship anyone except Allah, nor will I ever do so, nor is it possible for me to worship anyone else, and Surah « قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ » is comprehensive of theoretical monotheism, that what should be the belief and knowledge regarding Allah. (Zad al-Ma'ad)
➋ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) declared this Surah to be one-third of the Qur'an. How is this Surah one-third of the Qur'an? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not explain this himself; the scholars have interpreted it according to their own understanding. Some have taken it to mean reward, some have said that the Qur'an consists of three thirds: one third rulings, the second promises and warnings, and the third names and attributes, and in this Surah, the names and attributes are mentioned. Some have considered knowledge of Allah, knowledge of the Hereafter, and the straight path as the three thirds of the Qur'an, and have made knowledge of Allah the subject of this Surah. Some have considered monotheism, prophethood, and the Hereafter as the three parts, and have declared this Surah to be one-third of the Qur'an because it comprehensively covers monotheism. This difference itself is proof that everyone has thought of something from their own mind; there is no explanation from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), otherwise everyone would have agreed upon it. Therefore, it is better to have faith that this Surah is equal to one-third of the Qur'an and leave it to Allah as to how it is equal to one-third.
➌ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite {’’ قُلْ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْكٰفِرُوْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ ‘‘} in the Sunnah prayers of Fajr. [ دیکھیے مسلم، صلاۃ المسافرین، باب استحباب رکعتي سنۃ الفجر… : ۷۲۶ ] Surah « قُلْ يٰۤاَيُّهَا الْكٰفِرُوْنَ » is comprehensive of practical monotheism, that I do not worship anyone except Allah, nor will I ever do so, nor is it possible for me to worship anyone else, and Surah « قُلْ هُوَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدٌ » is comprehensive of theoretical monotheism, that what should be the belief and knowledge regarding Allah. (Zad al-Ma'ad)
