سُوْرَةُ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ
Surah Ibrahim (14) — Ayah 1
الٓر ۚ كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ لِتُخْرِجَ ٱلنَّاسَ مِنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Alif-Lâm-Râ. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’ân, and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings]. (This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness (of disbelief and polytheism) into light (of belief in the Oneness of Allâh and Islâmic Monotheism) by their Lord’s Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
الٓر ۚ
alif-lam-ra
Alif Laam Ra
كِتَـٰبٌ
kitābun
A Book
أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ
anzalnāhu
which We have revealed
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
to you
لِتُخْرِجَ
litukh'rija
so that you may bring out
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
the mankind
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ
l-ẓulumāti
the darkness[es]
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱلنُّورِ
l-nūri
the light
بِإِذْنِ
bi-idh'ni
by the permission
رَبِّهِمْ
rabbihim
(of) their Lord
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
صِرَٰطِ
ṣirāṭi
the Path
ٱلْعَزِيزِ
l-ʿazīzi
(of) the All-Mighty
ٱلْحَمِيدِ
l-ḥamīdi
the Praiseworthy
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.
(Ayah2,1) ➊ { الٓرٰ: } For the disjointed letters, see the first verse of Surah Al-Baqarah.
➋ If you make {كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ اِلَيْكَ:’’ كِتٰبٌ ‘‘ } the predicate of {’’ الٓرٰ ‘‘}, then the meaning will be that {’’ الٓرٰ ‘‘} is a book, that is, the very alphabet from which your speech comes into existence, from those same letters this book has come into existence. If you have the courage to compete, then come and make just one surah from these same letters. One way is to make it the predicate of an omitted subject {’’هٰذَا‘‘}, then the meaning will be, this is a book. The word "sent down" proves its descent from above and that Allah Almighty is above. It is clear that Allah Almighty can neither be called without place nor can He be said to be everywhere, rather He is exalted, He is above the Throne. "We have sent it down to you" shows its greatness.
➌ { لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ:} That is, this book was sent down to you so that you may, through it, bring people out of misguidance. It is clear that the deniers of hadith who consider only the book, that is, the Quran, to be sufficient and regard the Messenger as merely a postman, their statement is not correct. Rather, Allah Almighty, by sending down this book, has repeatedly commanded in it to follow and obey the Messenger, for example, see Al-Imran (31, 32).
➍ {مِنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَى النُّوْرِ:} That is, from the darknesses of disbelief to the light of faith. {’’ اِلٰى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْحَمِيْدِ ‘‘} This is an apposition of {’’ اِلَى النُّوْرِ ‘‘} and its explanation, that is, what is that light? It is the path of that Mighty and Praiseworthy One whose blessed name is Allah, He who is the sole owner of whatever is in the earth and the heavens. By bringing the word { ’’ الظُّلُمٰتِ ‘‘ } in plural and { ’’ النُّوْرِ ‘‘} in singular, it is clear that the light, that is, the path of guidance, is only one, that is, Islam, whereas the darknesses and misguidances are countless, all of which are various forms of disbelief.
➎ {بِاِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ :} In this, there is an indication that no preacher, even if he is a prophet, can bring people to the straight path of Islam except by the ability given by Allah. Abu Talib, Azar, the son of Noah, and the wives of Noah and Lot (peace be upon them) are clear examples of this, that due to the lack of the Lord's permission, they could not come out of the darknesses of disbelief.
➏ { وَ وَيْلٌ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ: ’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘} The tanween on { وَ وَيْلٌ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ: ’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘} is for magnification, the meaning is great destruction, that is, even in this world, for them there is nothing but ruin. (See Tawbah: 55. Ta-Ha: 124 to 127) And on the Day of Resurrection, an even greater calamity is going to befall them. In this world, a small example of {’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘} for the disbelievers is that you will find the highest rate of suicide among the disbelievers, especially those who are more developed among them, for example, Japan, etc.
➋ If you make {كِتٰبٌ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ اِلَيْكَ:’’ كِتٰبٌ ‘‘ } the predicate of {’’ الٓرٰ ‘‘}, then the meaning will be that {’’ الٓرٰ ‘‘} is a book, that is, the very alphabet from which your speech comes into existence, from those same letters this book has come into existence. If you have the courage to compete, then come and make just one surah from these same letters. One way is to make it the predicate of an omitted subject {’’هٰذَا‘‘}, then the meaning will be, this is a book. The word "sent down" proves its descent from above and that Allah Almighty is above. It is clear that Allah Almighty can neither be called without place nor can He be said to be everywhere, rather He is exalted, He is above the Throne. "We have sent it down to you" shows its greatness.
➌ { لِتُخْرِجَ النَّاسَ:} That is, this book was sent down to you so that you may, through it, bring people out of misguidance. It is clear that the deniers of hadith who consider only the book, that is, the Quran, to be sufficient and regard the Messenger as merely a postman, their statement is not correct. Rather, Allah Almighty, by sending down this book, has repeatedly commanded in it to follow and obey the Messenger, for example, see Al-Imran (31, 32).
➍ {مِنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَى النُّوْرِ:} That is, from the darknesses of disbelief to the light of faith. {’’ اِلٰى صِرَاطِ الْعَزِيْزِ الْحَمِيْدِ ‘‘} This is an apposition of {’’ اِلَى النُّوْرِ ‘‘} and its explanation, that is, what is that light? It is the path of that Mighty and Praiseworthy One whose blessed name is Allah, He who is the sole owner of whatever is in the earth and the heavens. By bringing the word { ’’ الظُّلُمٰتِ ‘‘ } in plural and { ’’ النُّوْرِ ‘‘} in singular, it is clear that the light, that is, the path of guidance, is only one, that is, Islam, whereas the darknesses and misguidances are countless, all of which are various forms of disbelief.
➎ {بِاِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ :} In this, there is an indication that no preacher, even if he is a prophet, can bring people to the straight path of Islam except by the ability given by Allah. Abu Talib, Azar, the son of Noah, and the wives of Noah and Lot (peace be upon them) are clear examples of this, that due to the lack of the Lord's permission, they could not come out of the darknesses of disbelief.
➏ { وَ وَيْلٌ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ: ’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘} The tanween on { وَ وَيْلٌ لِّلْكٰفِرِيْنَ: ’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘} is for magnification, the meaning is great destruction, that is, even in this world, for them there is nothing but ruin. (See Tawbah: 55. Ta-Ha: 124 to 127) And on the Day of Resurrection, an even greater calamity is going to befall them. In this world, a small example of {’’ وَيْلٌ ‘‘} for the disbelievers is that you will find the highest rate of suicide among the disbelievers, especially those who are more developed among them, for example, Japan, etc.
