سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 57
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ يَبْتَغُونَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمُ ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ وَيَرْجُونَ رَحْمَتَهُۥ وَيَخَافُونَ عَذَابَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّكَ كَانَ مَحْذُورًا ﴿57﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those whom they call upon [like ‘Îsâ (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzair (Ezra), angel] desire (for themselves) means of access to their Lord (Allâh), as to which of them should be the nearest; and they [‘Îsâ (Jesus), ‘Uzair (Ezra), angels and others] hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily, the Torment of your Lord is (something) to be afraid of!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ
ulāika
Those
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
whom
يَدْعُونَ
yadʿūna
they call
يَبْتَغُونَ
yabtaghūna
seek
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
رَبِّهِمُ
rabbihimu
their Lord
ٱلْوَسِيلَةَ
l-wasīlata
the means of access
أَيُّهُمْ
ayyuhum
which of them
أَقْرَبُ
aqrabu
(is) nearest
وَيَرْجُونَ
wayarjūna
and they hope
رَحْمَتَهُۥ
raḥmatahu
(for) His mercy
وَيَخَافُونَ
wayakhāfūna
and fear
عَذَابَهُۥٓ ۚ
ʿadhābahu
His punishment
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
عَذَابَ
ʿadhāba
(the) punishment
رَبِّكَ
rabbika
(of) your Lord
كَانَ
kāna
is
مَحْذُورًۭا
maḥdhūran
(ever) feared
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 57){اُولٰٓىِٕكَ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ … : ’’ الْوَسِيْلَةَ ‘‘ ’’ قُرْبٌ ‘‘} (Drawing near) For details about wasilah, see Surah Al-Ma'idah (35). That is, all those whom these polytheists call upon, such as angels, prophets, and the righteous, they themselves seek nearness to their Lord, meaning among them, those who are closer to Allah (they desire even more nearness to Him), and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. So when all those whom the polytheists call upon for help are themselves seekers of Allah’s nearness, hopeful of His mercy, and fearful of His punishment, then what is the benefit of calling upon them and seeking help from them? The One whose nearness they seek, whose mercy they hope for, and whose punishment they fear, you too should strive to attain nearness to Him, hope for His mercy, and fear His punishment. It is unfortunate that today’s Muslims also hold the same belief about the saints and righteous of the Ummah, pirs, elders, and martyrs, and call upon them for help in the same way that the polytheists called upon them, considering them as fulfillers of needs and removers of difficulties, or thinking that they can have Allah solve their problems. See Surah Yunus (18) and Surah Az-Zumar (3). And they call this wasilah, whereas these actions have no relation to the true wasilah; these actions are clear shirk. The wasilah mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah means to seek nearness to Allah through obedience and worship of Him.
