سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ
Surah Yusuf (12) — Ayah 38
وَٱتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ ءَابَآءِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"And I have followed the religion of my fathers, - Ibrâhîm (Abraham), Ishâq (Isaac) and Ya‘qûb (Jacob) [عليهم السلام], and never could we attribute any partners whatsoever to Allâh. This is from the Grace of Allâh to us and to mankind, but most men thank not (i.e. they neither believe in Allâh, nor worship Him).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱتَّبَعْتُ
wa-ittabaʿtu
And I follow
مِلَّةَ
millata
(the) religion
ءَابَآءِىٓ
ābāī
(of) my forefathers
إِبْرَٰهِيمَ
ib'rāhīma
Ibrahim
وَإِسْحَـٰقَ
wa-is'ḥāqa
and Isaac
وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ
wayaʿqūba
and Yaqub
مَا
mā
Not
كَانَ
kāna
was
لَنَآ
lanā
for us
أَن
an
that
نُّشْرِكَ
nush'rika
we associate
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
with Allah
مِن
min
any
شَىْءٍۢ ۚ
shayin
thing
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
مِن
min
(is) from
فَضْلِ
faḍli
(the) Grace
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
عَلَيْنَا
ʿalaynā
upon us
وَعَلَى
waʿalā
and upon
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
the mankind
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
but
أَكْثَرَ
akthara
most
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
(of) the men
لَا
lā
(are) not
يَشْكُرُونَ
yashkurūna
grateful
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 38) ➊ {وَ اتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ اٰبَآءِيْۤ …:} Then he introduced himself and his forefathers to them, because the personality of the caller also helps in the acceptance of the message. Thus, he said that I have followed the religion and way of my forefathers, Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Yaqub (peace be upon them), the essence of which is that it is impossible for us in any way to associate anything with Allah, whether it be a man or an angel, a jinn or a ghost, an idol or a grave, a stone or a tree, the moon or the sun, or the stars— in short, we can never make anyone a partner with Allah. The same meaning is emphasized in {’’ مَا كَانَ لَنَاۤ ‘‘} with the negation in { ’’ كَانَ ‘‘ }. Following righteous forefathers is felicity, while imitating misguided forefathers is misguidance, as was said to those prisoners: «{ اِلَّاۤ اَسْمَآءً سَمَّيْتُمُوْهَاۤ اَنْتُمْ وَ اٰبَآؤُكُمْ }» that is, whatever you worship besides Allah are merely names which you and your forefathers have named; following such forefathers is misguidance.
➋ { ذٰلِكَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْنَا …:} That is, granting this understanding of tawheed is one of Allah’s countless favors upon us. {’’وَ عَلَى النَّاسِ‘‘} And it is also a favor upon the people that Allah, through us, arranged for them to understand tawheed, but most people do not value this blessing.
➋ { ذٰلِكَ مِنْ فَضْلِ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْنَا …:} That is, granting this understanding of tawheed is one of Allah’s countless favors upon us. {’’وَ عَلَى النَّاسِ‘‘} And it is also a favor upon the people that Allah, through us, arranged for them to understand tawheed, but most people do not value this blessing.
