سُوْرَةُ الْحِجْرِ
Surah Al-Hijr (15) — Ayah 9
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا ٱلذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ ﴿9﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’ân) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, We
نَحْنُ
naḥnu
We
نَزَّلْنَا
nazzalnā
have sent down
ٱلذِّكْرَ
l-dhik'ra
the Reminder
وَإِنَّا
wa-innā
and indeed, We
لَهُۥ
lahu
of it
لَحَـٰفِظُونَ
laḥāfiẓūna
(are) surely Guardians
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 9) ➊ {اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ … :} Here, Allah Almighty has used the word "Dhikr" instead of "Qur'an," in which the Qur'an comes first, as He said: «{ اِنَّاۤ اَنْزَلْنٰهُ قُرْءٰنًا عَرَبِيًّا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُوْنَ }» [ یوسف : ۲ ] "Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an so that you may understand." And after that, the sayings, actions, and conditions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), that is, Hadith, are also Dhikr (reminder), because Allah Almighty Himself has declared the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as His revealed Dhikr, as He said: «{ قَدْ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ اِلَيْكُمْ ذِكْرًا (10) رَّسُوْلًا يَّتْلُوْا عَلَيْكُمْ اٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ مُبَيِّنٰتٍ }» [ الطلاق : ۱۰، ۱۱ ] "Indeed, Allah has sent down to you a Dhikr (reminder), a Messenger who recites to you the clear verses of Allah." Moreover, in the Noble Qur'an, Allah Almighty has repeatedly commanded to do what the Prophet (peace be upon him) does and to accept what he says; the first is called following (ittiba'), the second is obedience (ita'at). Thus, He said: «{ قُلْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّوْنَ اللّٰهَ فَاتَّبِعُوْنِيْ۠ }» [ آل عمران : ۳۱ ] "Say, if you love Allah, then follow me." And He said: «{ قُلْ اَطِيْعُوا اللّٰهَ وَ الرَّسُوْلَ }» [ آل عمران : ۳۲ ] "Say, obey Allah and the Messenger."
➋ {اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا:} In this sentence, Allah Almighty has repeated the word "We" three times for great emphasis: in {’’ اِنَّا ‘‘} in {’’ نَا ‘‘} (We), the second in {’’ نَحْنُ ‘‘} (We), and the third in {’’ نَزَّلْنَا ‘‘} in {’’نَا‘‘} (We). Even with great effort, it is difficult to translate all three emphases into eloquent Urdu.
➋ That is, this "Dhikr" whose bringer you are calling mad, We ourselves have revealed it, and surely We are its protectors. Qazi Ismail Basri was asked what is the secret that the previous books could not remain preserved like the Qur'an? He replied, Allah Almighty had assigned their protection to humans, as He said: «{ اِنَّاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرٰىةَ … بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوْا مِنْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ }» [ المائدۃ : ۴۴ ] "Indeed, We sent down the Torah... so that they were made guardians of Allah's Book." Whereas the protection of the Qur'an, Allah Almighty took upon Himself. (Al-Wasit) Another wisdom is that the Qur'an and Hadith are for all people until the Day of Judgment, whereas every previous book was for one nation and for a specific time. Just as the Qur'an is a miracle in its words and meanings, that even if jinn and humans gather, they cannot produce a surah like it, similarly, it is also its miracle that no alteration can be made in it. This promise of the protection of the Qur'an is being fulfilled in an amazing way. There is no book in the world except the Qur'an that, after fourteen hundred years, has remained so preserved that not a single letter has been altered. Among all the copies of the Qur'an present in the world, there is not even the slightest difference. Besides this, it is preserved in the hearts of millions of people. Even in the days of decline and slavery of Muslims, there was no difference in the protection of the Qur'an. This is the protection from Allah Almighty which no other book has received, and even non-Muslim opponents acknowledge this unique preservation of the Qur'an.
➍ The deniers of Hadith generally say, to reject Hadith, that Allah has promised the protection of the Qur'an, but has not promised the protection of Hadith, therefore it is not reliable. Ask them, what is their evidence? They will recite this verse, although the word "Qur'an" is not in it, rather {’’ الذِّكْرَ ‘‘} is, which includes Hadith as well, and Allah Almighty has made such a powerful and astonishing arrangement for its protection that no person's sayings, actions, and conditions in the world are preserved as those of our Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). For this, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Tabi'in (the Successors), and the Hadith scholars worked so hard that the entire life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been preserved for us, whose following and obedience is obligatory for us. For this protection, Allah Almighty inspired the hearts of Muslims with the sciences of biographical evaluation (Rijal) and the principles of Hadith, and they preserved the life details of more than one hundred thousand individuals, their reliability or unreliability, their year of birth and death, by which it is known whether the narration attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) is Sahih or not. No nation has ever had such an arrangement for the sayings, actions, and conditions of any prophet, nor are even a thousandth part of any prophet's life details found as have been preserved about Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The reality is that if Hadith were not preserved, it would be impossible to act upon the Qur'an; prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj, etc.—nothing can be performed without the details found in Hadith. As for the matter that weak narrations have been mixed into the Hadith, the answer is that since there is a solution for this, it makes no difference, because the Hadith scholars have separated the Sahih from the weak. Just as the Shia belief that this Qur'an is not the one that was with Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) or the Ahl al-Bayt does not affect the authenticity and greatness of the Noble Qur'an, because a claim without evidence has no weight, and to this day, their alleged Qur'an has never been found anywhere, similarly, the objection of the deniers of Hadith does not affect the preservation of Hadith, because all these objections are the result of ignorance or atheism, and the scholars of Islam have answered all of them in the best way.
➋ {اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا:} In this sentence, Allah Almighty has repeated the word "We" three times for great emphasis: in {’’ اِنَّا ‘‘} in {’’ نَا ‘‘} (We), the second in {’’ نَحْنُ ‘‘} (We), and the third in {’’ نَزَّلْنَا ‘‘} in {’’نَا‘‘} (We). Even with great effort, it is difficult to translate all three emphases into eloquent Urdu.
➋ That is, this "Dhikr" whose bringer you are calling mad, We ourselves have revealed it, and surely We are its protectors. Qazi Ismail Basri was asked what is the secret that the previous books could not remain preserved like the Qur'an? He replied, Allah Almighty had assigned their protection to humans, as He said: «{ اِنَّاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرٰىةَ … بِمَا اسْتُحْفِظُوْا مِنْ كِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ }» [ المائدۃ : ۴۴ ] "Indeed, We sent down the Torah... so that they were made guardians of Allah's Book." Whereas the protection of the Qur'an, Allah Almighty took upon Himself. (Al-Wasit) Another wisdom is that the Qur'an and Hadith are for all people until the Day of Judgment, whereas every previous book was for one nation and for a specific time. Just as the Qur'an is a miracle in its words and meanings, that even if jinn and humans gather, they cannot produce a surah like it, similarly, it is also its miracle that no alteration can be made in it. This promise of the protection of the Qur'an is being fulfilled in an amazing way. There is no book in the world except the Qur'an that, after fourteen hundred years, has remained so preserved that not a single letter has been altered. Among all the copies of the Qur'an present in the world, there is not even the slightest difference. Besides this, it is preserved in the hearts of millions of people. Even in the days of decline and slavery of Muslims, there was no difference in the protection of the Qur'an. This is the protection from Allah Almighty which no other book has received, and even non-Muslim opponents acknowledge this unique preservation of the Qur'an.
➍ The deniers of Hadith generally say, to reject Hadith, that Allah has promised the protection of the Qur'an, but has not promised the protection of Hadith, therefore it is not reliable. Ask them, what is their evidence? They will recite this verse, although the word "Qur'an" is not in it, rather {’’ الذِّكْرَ ‘‘} is, which includes Hadith as well, and Allah Almighty has made such a powerful and astonishing arrangement for its protection that no person's sayings, actions, and conditions in the world are preserved as those of our Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). For this, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), the Tabi'in (the Successors), and the Hadith scholars worked so hard that the entire life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been preserved for us, whose following and obedience is obligatory for us. For this protection, Allah Almighty inspired the hearts of Muslims with the sciences of biographical evaluation (Rijal) and the principles of Hadith, and they preserved the life details of more than one hundred thousand individuals, their reliability or unreliability, their year of birth and death, by which it is known whether the narration attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) is Sahih or not. No nation has ever had such an arrangement for the sayings, actions, and conditions of any prophet, nor are even a thousandth part of any prophet's life details found as have been preserved about Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The reality is that if Hadith were not preserved, it would be impossible to act upon the Qur'an; prayer, zakat, fasting, hajj, etc.—nothing can be performed without the details found in Hadith. As for the matter that weak narrations have been mixed into the Hadith, the answer is that since there is a solution for this, it makes no difference, because the Hadith scholars have separated the Sahih from the weak. Just as the Shia belief that this Qur'an is not the one that was with Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) or the Ahl al-Bayt does not affect the authenticity and greatness of the Noble Qur'an, because a claim without evidence has no weight, and to this day, their alleged Qur'an has never been found anywhere, similarly, the objection of the deniers of Hadith does not affect the preservation of Hadith, because all these objections are the result of ignorance or atheism, and the scholars of Islam have answered all of them in the best way.
