سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 97
وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَلَن تَجِدَ لَهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۖ وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ عَلَىٰ وُجُوهِهِمْ عُمْيًا وَبُكْمًا وَصُمًّا ۖ مَّأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنَـٰهُمْ سَعِيرًا ﴿97﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And he whom Allâh guides, he is led aright; but he whom He sends astray, for such you will find no Auliyâ’ (helpers and protectors), besides Him, and We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces,blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell; whenever it abates, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَهْدِ
yahdi
Allah guides
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah guides
فَهُوَ
fahuwa
then he (is)
ٱلْمُهْتَدِ ۖ
l-muh'tadi
the guided one
وَمَن
waman
and whoever
يُضْلِلْ
yuḍ'lil
He lets go astray
فَلَن
falan
then never
تَجِدَ
tajida
you will find
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
أَوْلِيَآءَ
awliyāa
protectors
مِن
min
besides Him
دُونِهِۦ ۖ
dūnihi
besides Him
وَنَحْشُرُهُمْ
wanaḥshuruhum
And We will gather them
يَوْمَ
yawma
(on) the Day
ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ
l-qiyāmati
(of) the Resurrection
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
وُجُوهِهِمْ
wujūhihim
their faces
عُمْيًۭا
ʿum'yan
blind
وَبُكْمًۭا
wabuk'man
and dumb
وَصُمًّۭا ۖ
waṣumman
and deaf
مَّأْوَىٰهُمْ
mawāhum
Their abode
جَهَنَّمُ ۖ
jahannamu
(is) Hell
كُلَّمَا
kullamā
every time
خَبَتْ
khabat
it subsides
زِدْنَـٰهُمْ
zid'nāhum
We (will) increase (for) them
سَعِيرًۭا
saʿīran
the blazing fire
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 97) ➊ {وَ مَنْ يَّهْدِ اللّٰهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ … :} After answering their doubts about Prophethood, now they are given a warning. The meaning is that no human can find the path of truth on his own strength, or on the basis of his intellect, knowledge, or anything else, nor can he remain steadfast on it. Rather, it is only Allah’s grace and support that shows someone the path of truth, and if, due to a person’s wretchedness and stubbornness, Allah’s grace does not accompany him, then no power in the world can bring him to the right path. The purpose of this is to console you, O Prophet (peace be upon him). (Razi) In {’’ وَ مَنْ يَّهْدِ اللّٰهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ‘‘}, the rightly guided is mentioned in the singular form, and in {’’وَ مَنْ يُّضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُمْ اَوْلِيَآءَ ‘‘}, the misguided are mentioned in the plural form. The wisdom in this is that the path of guidance is one, and those who walk on it are one group, whereas the paths of misguidance are countless, and the groups walking on them are innumerable. (And Allah knows best)
➋ { وَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ … :} That is, they will walk on their faces, just as in the world they used to walk on their feet. It is narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked: “How will people be gathered on their faces?” So he (peace be upon him) said: [ أَلَيْسَ الَّذِيْ أَمْشَاهُ عَلَی الرِّجْلَيْنِ فِي الدُّنْيَا قَادِرًا عَلٰی أَنْ يُمْشِيَهُ عَلٰی وَجْهِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ؟ ] “The One who made them walk on their feet is able to make them walk on their faces on the Day of Resurrection.” [ بخاری، التفسیر، سورۃ الفرقان، باب قولہ : « الذین یحشرون علٰی وجوہہم إلٰی جہنم » : ۴۷۶۰۔ مسلم : ۲۸۰۶ ] Another meaning is that on the Day of Resurrection, they will be dragged on their faces and thrown into Hell, as He said: «يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُوْنَ فِي النَّارِ عَلٰى وُجُوْهِهِمْ ذُوْقُوْا مَسَّ سَقَرَ » [ القمر : ۴۸ ] “The Day they are dragged on their faces into the Fire, [it will be said], ‘Taste the touch of Hell.’” Both situations can be meant: that on the Day of Gathering, they will come walking upside down on their faces, then the angels will drag them on their faces and throw them into Hell.
➌ { عُمْيًا وَّ بُكْمًا وَّ صُمًّا :} Blind, dumb, and deaf. In some verses, their seeing, speaking, and hearing on the Day of Resurrection is mentioned, so one reconciliation is that during the different times of the Day, which is equal to fifty thousand years, their states will be different. Another is that they will be deprived of seeing the Divine Beauty and the blessings of Paradise, will not hear any pleasant news, nor will they have the power to present any argument. Otherwise, in terms of the apparent five senses, they will be very much able to hear and see. See Surah Maryam (38) and Surah Tur (15, 14).
➍ {كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنٰهُمْ سَعِيْرًا : ’’ خَبَتْ ‘‘} The original is {’’خَبَوَتْ‘‘}, from {’’خَبَا يَخْبُوْ‘‘} it is the third person feminine singular past tense, active voice, the verbal noun is {’’خَبْوًا وَ خُبُوًّا‘‘}, meaning the lessening or extinguishing of the fire’s intensity, i.e., the punishment will never be lightened, as He said: «فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَ لَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۸۶ ] “So the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be helped.”
➋ { وَ نَحْشُرُهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ … :} That is, they will walk on their faces, just as in the world they used to walk on their feet. It is narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked: “How will people be gathered on their faces?” So he (peace be upon him) said: [ أَلَيْسَ الَّذِيْ أَمْشَاهُ عَلَی الرِّجْلَيْنِ فِي الدُّنْيَا قَادِرًا عَلٰی أَنْ يُمْشِيَهُ عَلٰی وَجْهِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ؟ ] “The One who made them walk on their feet is able to make them walk on their faces on the Day of Resurrection.” [ بخاری، التفسیر، سورۃ الفرقان، باب قولہ : « الذین یحشرون علٰی وجوہہم إلٰی جہنم » : ۴۷۶۰۔ مسلم : ۲۸۰۶ ] Another meaning is that on the Day of Resurrection, they will be dragged on their faces and thrown into Hell, as He said: «يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُوْنَ فِي النَّارِ عَلٰى وُجُوْهِهِمْ ذُوْقُوْا مَسَّ سَقَرَ » [ القمر : ۴۸ ] “The Day they are dragged on their faces into the Fire, [it will be said], ‘Taste the touch of Hell.’” Both situations can be meant: that on the Day of Gathering, they will come walking upside down on their faces, then the angels will drag them on their faces and throw them into Hell.
➌ { عُمْيًا وَّ بُكْمًا وَّ صُمًّا :} Blind, dumb, and deaf. In some verses, their seeing, speaking, and hearing on the Day of Resurrection is mentioned, so one reconciliation is that during the different times of the Day, which is equal to fifty thousand years, their states will be different. Another is that they will be deprived of seeing the Divine Beauty and the blessings of Paradise, will not hear any pleasant news, nor will they have the power to present any argument. Otherwise, in terms of the apparent five senses, they will be very much able to hear and see. See Surah Maryam (38) and Surah Tur (15, 14).
➍ {كُلَّمَا خَبَتْ زِدْنٰهُمْ سَعِيْرًا : ’’ خَبَتْ ‘‘} The original is {’’خَبَوَتْ‘‘}, from {’’خَبَا يَخْبُوْ‘‘} it is the third person feminine singular past tense, active voice, the verbal noun is {’’خَبْوًا وَ خُبُوًّا‘‘}, meaning the lessening or extinguishing of the fire’s intensity, i.e., the punishment will never be lightened, as He said: «فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَ لَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُوْنَ » [ البقرۃ : ۸۶ ] “So the punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be helped.”
