سُوْرَةُ اِبْرَاهِيْمَ
Surah Ibrahim (14) — Ayah 18
مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ ۖ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ ٱشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍ ۖ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلضَّلَـٰلُ ٱلْبَعِيدُ ﴿18﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The parable of those who disbelieved in their Lord is that their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day; they shall not be able to get aught of what they have earned. That is the straying, far away (from the Right Path).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَّثَلُ
mathalu
(The) example
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(of) those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieve
بِرَبِّهِمْ ۖ
birabbihim
in their Lord
أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ
aʿmāluhum
their deeds
كَرَمَادٍ
karamādin
(are) like ashes
ٱشْتَدَّتْ
ish'taddat
blows furiously
بِهِ
bihi
on it
ٱلرِّيحُ
l-rīḥu
the wind
فِى
fī
in
يَوْمٍ
yawmin
a day
عَاصِفٍۢ ۖ
ʿāṣifin
stormy
لَّا
lā
No
يَقْدِرُونَ
yaqdirūna
control (they have)
مِمَّا
mimmā
of what
كَسَبُوا۟
kasabū
they have earned
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
شَىْءٍۢ ۚ
shayin
anything
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
هُوَ
huwa
[it]
ٱلضَّلَـٰلُ
l-ḍalālu
(is) the straying
ٱلْبَعِيدُ
l-baʿīdu
far
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.
(Ayah18){مَثَلُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا بِرَبِّهِمْ …:} Whatever good deeds the disbelievers do in this world, such as helping the weak and giving charity, will be of no use to them in the Hereafter, because their reward has already been given to them in this world. (See Al-Ahqaf: 20) {’’عَاصِفٍ‘‘ ’’ عَصَفَ يَعْصِفُ ‘‘} is from this root, meaning 'to break'. {’’كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُوْلٍ‘‘} means shattered straw, that is, a strong and violent wind that breaks everything in its path. In this verse, an example is given of the worthlessness of the deeds of the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection: if a strong wind blows on ashes on a stormy day, it is difficult to catch even a particle of ash in one's hand; similarly, the righteous deeds of the disbelievers will be useless on that day, because none of their deeds were for that day, nor did they have faith in that day. See also Surah Al-Furqan (23), Al-Kahf (103–106), and Aal-e-Imran (117).
