سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 37
وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ ٱلْجِبَالَ طُولًا ﴿37﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth, nor can you attain a stature like the mountains in height.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَا
walā
And (do) not
تَمْشِ
tamshi
walk
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَرْضِ
l-arḍi
the earth
مَرَحًا ۖ
maraḥan
(with) insolence
إِنَّكَ
innaka
Indeed, you
لَن
lan
will never
تَخْرِقَ
takhriqa
tear
ٱلْأَرْضَ
l-arḍa
the earth
وَلَن
walan
and will never
تَبْلُغَ
tablugha
reach
ٱلْجِبَالَ
l-jibāla
the mountains
طُولًۭا
ṭūlan
(in) height
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 37) ➊ {وَ لَا تَمْشِ فِي الْاَرْضِ مَرَحًا : ’’ مَرَحًا ‘‘} Actually, it refers to excessive joy, accompanied by arrogance and displaying superiority over others. The purpose of {’’ فِي الْاَرْضِ ‘‘} is to draw attention to the fact that you were created from this very earth and will return to its embrace. (See Ta-Ha: 5; Mursalat: 25 to 27) Then what is the reason for this arrogance? According to the etiquette taught by Islam, adopt humility and moderation in your walk. See Surah Luqman (18, 19) and Furqan (63).
➋ { اِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الْاَرْضَ … :} In this, man is reminded of his status. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has described the evil consequences of arrogance in many hadiths. Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِيْ قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ ، قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَّكُوْنَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا، وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً، قَالَ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ، الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ] [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب تحریم الکبر وبیانہ :۹۱ ] “He will not enter Paradise who has even a mustard seed’s weight of arrogance in his heart.” A man asked: “A person likes that his clothes and shoes are beautiful?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Indeed, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” And Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ مَنْ جَرَّ ثَوْبَهُ خُيَلاَءَ لَمْ يَنْظُرِ اللّٰهُ إِلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ بخاری، اللباس، باب من جر إزارہ… : ۵۷۸۴۔ مسلم : ۲۰۸۵ ] “Allah will not look at the person on the Day of Resurrection who drags his garment out of arrogance.”
It is unfortunate that Muslim men, imitating the disbelievers, have made it a habit to wear their trousers and pants below the ankles, and they excuse themselves by saying that they do not do so out of arrogance. However, if the garment hangs down unintentionally or unknowingly, it can be said that it was not done out of arrogance, but deliberately tailoring long trousers and intentionally keeping them below the ankles is clearly disobedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and obvious arrogance. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself counted dragging the garment as arrogance. Thus, in a long hadith narrated by Jabir bin Sulaim (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ وَارْفَعْ إِزَارَكَ إِلٰی نِصْفِ السَّاقِ فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَإِلَی الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَإِسْبَالَ الْإِزَارِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنَ الْمَخِيْلَةِ وَإِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمَخِيْلَةَ] [أبوداوٗد، اللباس، باب ما جاء في إسبال الإزار : ۴۰۸۴ ] “And raise your garment to the middle of your shin, but if you refuse, then to the ankles, and beware of letting the garment hang below (the ankles), for indeed this is arrogance, and verily Allah does not like arrogance.” Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it Sahih.
As for irreligious people, there is nothing to be said, but nowadays many people, even several groups who are raising the banner of establishing the religion in Pakistan and indeed all over the world, their men openly keep their garments below the ankles, and even mock those who raise their garments. On the contrary, the majority of Muslim women, who were supposed to cover even their feet, are raising their garments and displaying their beauty, thus becoming the target of Allah’s curse.
➋ { اِنَّكَ لَنْ تَخْرِقَ الْاَرْضَ … :} In this, man is reminded of his status. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has described the evil consequences of arrogance in many hadiths. Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ لاَ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِيْ قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبْرٍ ، قَالَ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَّكُوْنَ ثَوْبُهُ حَسَنًا، وَنَعْلُهُ حَسَنَةً، قَالَ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ جَمِيْلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَالَ، الْكِبْرُ بَطَرُ الْحَقِّ وَغَمْطُ النَّاسِ ] [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب تحریم الکبر وبیانہ :۹۱ ] “He will not enter Paradise who has even a mustard seed’s weight of arrogance in his heart.” A man asked: “A person likes that his clothes and shoes are beautiful?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Indeed, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” And Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ مَنْ جَرَّ ثَوْبَهُ خُيَلاَءَ لَمْ يَنْظُرِ اللّٰهُ إِلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ] [ بخاری، اللباس، باب من جر إزارہ… : ۵۷۸۴۔ مسلم : ۲۰۸۵ ] “Allah will not look at the person on the Day of Resurrection who drags his garment out of arrogance.”
It is unfortunate that Muslim men, imitating the disbelievers, have made it a habit to wear their trousers and pants below the ankles, and they excuse themselves by saying that they do not do so out of arrogance. However, if the garment hangs down unintentionally or unknowingly, it can be said that it was not done out of arrogance, but deliberately tailoring long trousers and intentionally keeping them below the ankles is clearly disobedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and obvious arrogance. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself counted dragging the garment as arrogance. Thus, in a long hadith narrated by Jabir bin Sulaim (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ وَارْفَعْ إِزَارَكَ إِلٰی نِصْفِ السَّاقِ فَإِنْ أَبَيْتَ فَإِلَی الْكَعْبَيْنِ وَإِيَّاكَ وَإِسْبَالَ الْإِزَارِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنَ الْمَخِيْلَةِ وَإِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمَخِيْلَةَ] [أبوداوٗد، اللباس، باب ما جاء في إسبال الإزار : ۴۰۸۴ ] “And raise your garment to the middle of your shin, but if you refuse, then to the ankles, and beware of letting the garment hang below (the ankles), for indeed this is arrogance, and verily Allah does not like arrogance.” Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) graded it Sahih.
As for irreligious people, there is nothing to be said, but nowadays many people, even several groups who are raising the banner of establishing the religion in Pakistan and indeed all over the world, their men openly keep their garments below the ankles, and even mock those who raise their garments. On the contrary, the majority of Muslim women, who were supposed to cover even their feet, are raising their garments and displaying their beauty, thus becoming the target of Allah’s curse.
