سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 21
ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَلْـَٔاخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَـٰتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلًا ﴿21﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
See how We prefer one above another (in this world), and verily, the Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱنظُرْ
unẓur
See
كَيْفَ
kayfa
how
فَضَّلْنَا
faḍḍalnā
We preferred
بَعْضَهُمْ
baʿḍahum
some of them
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
over
بَعْضٍۢ ۚ
baʿḍin
others
وَلَلْـَٔاخِرَةُ
walalākhiratu
And surely the Hereafter
أَكْبَرُ
akbaru
(is) greater
دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ
darajātin
(in) degrees
وَأَكْبَرُ
wa-akbaru
and greater
تَفْضِيلًۭا
tafḍīlan
(in) excellence
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 21){اُنْظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ … : } That is, in this world, all people are not equal in sustenance, beauty, intelligence, strength, authority, or anything else, whether they are believers or disbelievers. These things can be with a believer as well as with a disbeliever. But this entire perishable world has no value at all in the sight of Allah. Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: [ لَوْ كَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا تَعْدِلُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ جَنَاحَ بَعُوْضَةٍ مَا سَقَی كَافِرًا مِنْهَا شَرْبَةَ مَاءٍ] [ ترمذی، الزھد، باب ما جاء في ھوان الدنیا علی اللّٰہ عزوجل : ۲۳۲۰، صححہ الألباني ] “If the world were worth even the wing of a mosquito to Allah, He would not give a disbeliever even a sip of water to drink.” And see Surah Al-An’am (165) and Surah Az-Zukhruf (32).
In the Hereafter, the difference between the levels of Hell and the ranks of Paradise will be even greater than this. Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) is the narrator that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَرَاءَوْنَ أَهْلَ الْغُرَفِ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ، كَمَا تَتَرَاءَوْنَ الْكَوْكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الْغَابِرَ فِي الْأُفُقِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ أَوِ الْمَغْرِبِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ قَالُوْا يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ! تِلْكَ مَنازِلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ لاَ يَبْلُغُهَا غَيْرُهُمْ ؟ قَالَ بَلٰی ، وَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ رِجَالٌ آمَنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَصَدَّقُوا الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ ] [ بخاری، بدء الخلق، باب ما جاء في صفۃ الجنۃ و أنہا مخلوقۃ : ۳۲۵۶۔ مسلم : ۲۸۳۱ ] “The people of Paradise will look at those above them in lofty chambers as you see a shining star far away in the east or west, due to the difference in ranks among them.” The people said: “O Messenger of Allah! Will these be the stations of the Prophets, which no one else can reach?” He said: “Yes, indeed! By the One in Whose hand is my soul! These will be men who believed in Allah and affirmed the Messengers.”
In the Hereafter, the difference between the levels of Hell and the ranks of Paradise will be even greater than this. Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) is the narrator that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: [ إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ يَتَرَاءَوْنَ أَهْلَ الْغُرَفِ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ، كَمَا تَتَرَاءَوْنَ الْكَوْكَبَ الدُّرِّيَّ الْغَابِرَ فِي الْأُفُقِ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ أَوِ الْمَغْرِبِ لِتَفَاضُلِ مَا بَيْنَهُمْ قَالُوْا يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ! تِلْكَ مَنازِلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ لاَ يَبْلُغُهَا غَيْرُهُمْ ؟ قَالَ بَلٰی ، وَالَّذِيْ نَفْسِيْ بِيَدِهِ رِجَالٌ آمَنُوْا بِاللّٰهِ وَصَدَّقُوا الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ ] [ بخاری، بدء الخلق، باب ما جاء في صفۃ الجنۃ و أنہا مخلوقۃ : ۳۲۵۶۔ مسلم : ۲۸۳۱ ] “The people of Paradise will look at those above them in lofty chambers as you see a shining star far away in the east or west, due to the difference in ranks among them.” The people said: “O Messenger of Allah! Will these be the stations of the Prophets, which no one else can reach?” He said: “Yes, indeed! By the One in Whose hand is my soul! These will be men who believed in Allah and affirmed the Messengers.”
