سُوْرَةُ الْحِجْرِ
Surah Al-Hijr (15) — Ayah 90
كَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَى ٱلْمُقْتَسِمِينَ ﴿90﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
As We have sent down on the dividers, (Quraish pagans or Jews and Christians).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
كَمَآ
kamā
As
أَنزَلْنَا
anzalnā
We sent down
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱلْمُقْتَسِمِينَ
l-muq'tasimīna
those who divided
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 91, 90) ➊ {كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى الْمُقْتَسِمِيْنَ … : ’’ الْمُقْتَسِمِيْنَ ‘‘} is the active participle from the form "ifti‘āl" of {’’قَسْمٌ‘‘}, meaning "those who divide." Qurtubi said: {’’ عِضِيْنَ ‘‘ ’’عِضَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of which the meaning is a part or a piece of something. {’’عَضَا يَعْضُوْ عَضْوًا الشَّيْءَ‘‘ } and {’’عَضّٰي يُعَضِّي الشَّيْءَ‘‘} mean "to break something into pieces." Each piece is called {’’عِضَةٌ‘‘ }, from which the final wāw is omitted and replaced with a tā’. {’’ الْقُرْاٰنَ ‘‘} is the name of the Noble Qur’an, and the previous prophets’ books were also called "Qur’an" because they were recited as well, so the word "book" and "Qur’an" applies to all of them. For our Qur’an, usually {’’هٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ‘‘ } or { ’’ذٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ‘‘} etc. is indicated along with it. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ خُفِّفَ عَلٰی دَاوٗدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ الْقُرْآنُ فَكَانَ يَأْمُرُ بِدَوَابِّهِ فَتُسْرَجُ فَيَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُسْرَجَ دَوَابُّهُ ] [ بخاری، أحادیث الأنبیاء، باب قول اللہ تعالٰی : «و آتینا داود زبورا » : ۳۴۱۷ ] "Reciting the Qur’an was made very easy for Dawud (peace be upon him), so when he would order his mounts to be saddled, the saddles would be placed on them, and he would finish reciting the Qur’an before the saddles were placed on the mounts."
➋ Various interpretations have been given for these verses, one of which is the one preferred by the Imam of the commentators, Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him). The point to understand here is: to which previous verse and word does {’’ كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى الْمُقْتَسِمِيْنَ ‘‘} (as We sent down upon those who divided) relate, and what is the comparison being made, and what is meant by {’’ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} (We sent down)? The answer is that the object of {’’ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} is omitted { ’’اَلْعَذَابَ‘‘ }, meaning We sent down punishment, and {’’ كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} relates to the previous verse: «{ وَ قُلْ اِنِّيْۤ اَنَا النَّذِيْرُ الْمُبِيْنُ }», and the meaning is: O Prophet! Say, "Indeed, I am a clear warner to you, of a punishment like that which We sent down upon those who divided, who broke up their book into pieces." That is, they accepted some parts of it and rejected others. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah mentioned some of their actions of this kind and said: «{ اَفَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتٰبِ وَ تَكْفُرُوْنَ بِبَعْضٍ }» [ البقرۃ : ۸۵ ] "Do you then believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part?" And its recompense was stated as disgrace in this world and the most severe punishment in the Hereafter. Here, the Israelites of your time are being warned of the same kind of punishment that befell those before them, because they too openly denied some parts of the Torah, such as the verses emphasizing faith in the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And the Quraysh are also being warned that just as punishment befell those who denied parts of the Book of Allah, I am a clear warner to you of the same punishment, because you too have adopted the way of denial and are not at all ready to accept some parts of the Qur’an. Thus, you even offer to believe if the verses condemning idols are removed, as He said: «{ وَدُّوْا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُوْنَ }» [ القلم : ۹ ] "They wish that you would be flexible, so they would be flexible (in return)." Similarly, their demand was also mentioned that, "Bring a Qur’an other than this, or change it." (See Yunus: 15) The second interpretation is that {’’ كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} relates to verse (87) « { وَ لَقَدْ اٰتَيْنٰكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِيْ وَ الْقُرْاٰنَ الْعَظِيْمَ }», and the object of {’’ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} is omitted {’’اَلْكِتَابَ‘‘ }, and the meaning is that We have given you the Seven Oft-Repeated (verses) and the Great Qur’an, just as We sent down the Book upon those who broke up their book into pieces, accepting some parts and rejecting others. If We could send down the Book upon them, then why could We not send down the Seven Oft-Repeated and the Great Qur’an upon you, whose pure life these people have witnessed for forty years! This interpretation is also good.
➋ Various interpretations have been given for these verses, one of which is the one preferred by the Imam of the commentators, Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him). The point to understand here is: to which previous verse and word does {’’ كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا عَلَى الْمُقْتَسِمِيْنَ ‘‘} (as We sent down upon those who divided) relate, and what is the comparison being made, and what is meant by {’’ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} (We sent down)? The answer is that the object of {’’ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} is omitted { ’’اَلْعَذَابَ‘‘ }, meaning We sent down punishment, and {’’ كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} relates to the previous verse: «{ وَ قُلْ اِنِّيْۤ اَنَا النَّذِيْرُ الْمُبِيْنُ }», and the meaning is: O Prophet! Say, "Indeed, I am a clear warner to you, of a punishment like that which We sent down upon those who divided, who broke up their book into pieces." That is, they accepted some parts of it and rejected others. In Surah Al-Baqarah, Allah mentioned some of their actions of this kind and said: «{ اَفَتُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِبَعْضِ الْكِتٰبِ وَ تَكْفُرُوْنَ بِبَعْضٍ }» [ البقرۃ : ۸۵ ] "Do you then believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part?" And its recompense was stated as disgrace in this world and the most severe punishment in the Hereafter. Here, the Israelites of your time are being warned of the same kind of punishment that befell those before them, because they too openly denied some parts of the Torah, such as the verses emphasizing faith in the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And the Quraysh are also being warned that just as punishment befell those who denied parts of the Book of Allah, I am a clear warner to you of the same punishment, because you too have adopted the way of denial and are not at all ready to accept some parts of the Qur’an. Thus, you even offer to believe if the verses condemning idols are removed, as He said: «{ وَدُّوْا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُوْنَ }» [ القلم : ۹ ] "They wish that you would be flexible, so they would be flexible (in return)." Similarly, their demand was also mentioned that, "Bring a Qur’an other than this, or change it." (See Yunus: 15) The second interpretation is that {’’ كَمَاۤ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} relates to verse (87) « { وَ لَقَدْ اٰتَيْنٰكَ سَبْعًا مِّنَ الْمَثَانِيْ وَ الْقُرْاٰنَ الْعَظِيْمَ }», and the object of {’’ اَنْزَلْنَا ‘‘} is omitted {’’اَلْكِتَابَ‘‘ }, and the meaning is that We have given you the Seven Oft-Repeated (verses) and the Great Qur’an, just as We sent down the Book upon those who broke up their book into pieces, accepting some parts and rejecting others. If We could send down the Book upon them, then why could We not send down the Seven Oft-Repeated and the Great Qur’an upon you, whose pure life these people have witnessed for forty years! This interpretation is also good.
