سُوْرَةُ الرَّعْدِ
Surah Ar-Ra'd (13) — Ayah 11
لَهُۥ مُعَقِّبَـٰتٌ مِّنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ يَحْفَظُونَهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوٓءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ ﴿11﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allâh. Verily! Allâh will not change the (good) condition of a people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allâh). But when Allâh wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لَهُۥ
lahu
For him
مُعَقِّبَـٰتٌۭ
muʿaqqibātun
(are) successive (Angels)
مِّنۢ
min
from
بَيْنِ
bayni
(before)
يَدَيْهِ
yadayhi
(him)
وَمِنْ
wamin
and from
خَلْفِهِۦ
khalfihi
and behind him
يَحْفَظُونَهُۥ
yaḥfaẓūnahu
who guard him
مِنْ
min
by
أَمْرِ
amri
(the) command
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يُغَيِّرُ
yughayyiru
change
مَا
mā
(the condition)
بِقَوْمٍ
biqawmin
of a people
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
يُغَيِّرُوا۟
yughayyirū
they change
مَا
mā
what
بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ
bi-anfusihim
(is) in themselves
وَإِذَآ
wa-idhā
And when
أَرَادَ
arāda
wills
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
بِقَوْمٍۢ
biqawmin
for a people
سُوٓءًۭا
sūan
misfortune
فَلَا
falā
then (there is) no
مَرَدَّ
maradda
turning away
لَهُۥ ۚ
lahu
of it
وَمَا
wamā
and not
لَهُم
lahum
for them
مِّن
min
from
دُونِهِۦ
dūnihi
besides Him
مِن
min
any
وَالٍ
wālin
protector
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.
(Ayah11) ➊ {لَهٗ مُعَقِّبٰتٌ مِّنْۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ …: ’’ مُعَقِّبٰتٌ ‘‘} (One after another, in succession) — this is a characteristic of the angels. In this verse, Allah has shown a glimpse of the arrangement He has made for the supervision and protection of humans. Allah alone knows how many angels He has appointed over each person, because two angels are assigned to record good and bad deeds, one on the right and one on the left. (Qaf: 17, 18) The number of guardian angels is not mentioned here, who protect a person from every calamity and misfortune from all sides, except for the misfortune that Allah has decreed for him. Regarding another type of angels, Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلاَّ وَقَدْ وُكِّلَ بِهٖ قَرِيْنُهٗ مِنَ الْجِنِّ ، وَ قَرِیْنُہُ مِنَ الْمَلَائِکَۃِ قَالُوْا وَ إِيَّاكَ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ !؟ قَالَ وَإِيَّايَ إِلاَّ أَنَّ اللّٰهَ أَعَانَنِيْ عَلَيْهِ فَأَسْلَمَ فَلاَ يَأْمُرُنِيْ إِلاَّ بِخَيْرٍ ] [مسلم، صفات المنافقین، باب تحریش الشیطان… : ۲۸۱۴ ] “There is none among you except that a companion (qarin) from the jinn has been appointed to be with him, and a companion from the angels as well.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Is there a jinn companion with you as well?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “(Yes) with me as well, but Allah has helped me against him, so he has submitted, and he only commands me to do good.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed that the angels who take turns change shifts at the times of morning and ‘Asr, and those coming and going meet at these two prayers. [ بخاري، مواقیت الصلاۃ، باب فضل صلاۃ العصر : ۵۵۵۔ مسلم : ۶۳۲ ] The purpose of expressing this reality is that a person is always under the protection of Allah, and none of his actions are hidden from Allah.
➋ {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ …: } That is, as long as they do not replace good with evil and obedience with disobedience; however, when they begin to do so, Allah takes away His blessings from them and sends His punishment upon them. This is the same point Allah has mentioned with the example of the people of Pharaoh in Surah Al-Anfal (53, 54). For further examples, see Surah An-Nahl (112) and Saba (15 to 17). Note that here the law of the destruction of nations is being stated, not of individuals. The condition of a nation, whether good or bad, will be determined by whether good people are predominant or bad people. As for individuals, it is not necessary that a person must sin for punishment to descend upon him; rather, an innocent person may be caught up in the punishment for others’ sins, as Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she asked: [ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ! أَنَهْلِكُ وَفِيْنَا الصَّالِحُوْنَ، قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ ] [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قصۃ یأجوج و مأجوج : ۳۳۴۶ ] “O Messenger of Allah! Will we be destroyed even when there are righteous people among us?” He replied, “Yes, when wickedness (sin) becomes widespread.”
➌ {وَ اِذَاۤ اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوْٓءًا …: } No matter how many scientific measures and arrangements for protection we make, or seek refuge with any saint, elder, idol, jinn, or angel, nothing can stand against the will of Allah.
➋ {اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ …: } That is, as long as they do not replace good with evil and obedience with disobedience; however, when they begin to do so, Allah takes away His blessings from them and sends His punishment upon them. This is the same point Allah has mentioned with the example of the people of Pharaoh in Surah Al-Anfal (53, 54). For further examples, see Surah An-Nahl (112) and Saba (15 to 17). Note that here the law of the destruction of nations is being stated, not of individuals. The condition of a nation, whether good or bad, will be determined by whether good people are predominant or bad people. As for individuals, it is not necessary that a person must sin for punishment to descend upon him; rather, an innocent person may be caught up in the punishment for others’ sins, as Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she asked: [ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ! أَنَهْلِكُ وَفِيْنَا الصَّالِحُوْنَ، قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ ] [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قصۃ یأجوج و مأجوج : ۳۳۴۶ ] “O Messenger of Allah! Will we be destroyed even when there are righteous people among us?” He replied, “Yes, when wickedness (sin) becomes widespread.”
➌ {وَ اِذَاۤ اَرَادَ اللّٰهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوْٓءًا …: } No matter how many scientific measures and arrangements for protection we make, or seek refuge with any saint, elder, idol, jinn, or angel, nothing can stand against the will of Allah.
