سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 2
قَيِّمًا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًا شَدِيدًا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًا ﴿2﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(He has made it) straight to give warning (to the disbelievers) of a severe punishment from Him, and to give glad tidings to the believers (in the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism), who do righteous deeds, that they shall have a fair reward (i.e. Paradise).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَيِّمًۭا
qayyiman
Straight
لِّيُنذِرَ
liyundhira
to warn
بَأْسًۭا
basan
(of) a punishment
شَدِيدًۭا
shadīdan
severe
مِّن
min
from
لَّدُنْهُ
ladun'hu
near Him
وَيُبَشِّرَ
wayubashira
and give glad tidings
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
(to) the believers
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
يَعْمَلُونَ
yaʿmalūna
do
ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ
l-ṣāliḥāti
righteous deeds
أَنَّ
anna
that
لَهُمْ
lahum
for them
أَجْرًا
ajran
(is) a good reward
حَسَنًۭا
ḥasanan
(is) a good reward
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 2) ➊ There is emphasis in {’’ قَيِّمًا ‘‘}, meaning absolutely straight. Previously it was stated that there is no crookedness in it, now it is said it is absolutely straight. The point is the same, but the benefit of this emphasis is that sometimes something appears to have no crookedness, but in reality and upon closer inspection, there is some crookedness in it, and this negates even that. Just as a place appears level, but if you check with an instrument, you find it is not level. The meaning of {’’ قَيِّمًا ‘‘} is also "overseer," and {’’مُهَيْمِنٌ‘‘ } has the same meaning. (See Ma'idah: 48) In this case, it would mean that this book is an overseer over all previous books, meaning the correctness or distortion of their contents is known by the confirmation or rejection of this book.
➋ { لِيُنْذِرَ بَاْسًا …:} Here it is stated that this book was revealed to His servant so that he may warn of the severe punishment from Him, but it is not mentioned whom he should warn. The reason for this is either that the meaning is general, i.e., to warn every disbeliever and believer of the severe punishment coming from Allah, or Allah has mentioned this in the next verse, as He said: «وَ يُنْذِرَ الَّذِيْنَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللّٰهُ وَلَدًا » [ الکہف : ۴ ] "And (so that) he may warn those who say Allah has taken a son." In this verse (4), it is not mentioned what he should warn against; its mention is in the verse under commentary (2), that he should warn of the severe punishment coming from Him. If both verses are combined, the meaning becomes: "So that he may warn those who say Allah has taken a son, of the severe punishment coming from Him." The mention of warning comes twice in both verses. From this, it is understood that among the duties of this book and the Prophet, the duty of warning is more important, because those who do not believe are more numerous, among whom some declare Jesus (peace be upon him) and some Uzair (peace be upon him) as the son of Allah, some call the angels the daughters of Allah, some call their prophets and saints a part of Allah's light, and some declare them to be Allah Himself, as the Christians said: «اِنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيْحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ » [ المائدۃ : ۷۲ ] "Indeed, Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary." And a tyrant from our Ummah has said:
He who was established on the Throne as God
Has descended to Madinah as Mustafa
By Allah's command, this book warns all of them of the severe punishment coming from Him, whether it be in this world and the Hereafter, or only in the Hereafter. For the refutation of Allah having a child, see Surah Maryam (88 to 95). {’’ مِنْ لَّدُنْهُ ‘‘} is intended to describe the horror of the punishment.
➋ { لِيُنْذِرَ بَاْسًا …:} Here it is stated that this book was revealed to His servant so that he may warn of the severe punishment from Him, but it is not mentioned whom he should warn. The reason for this is either that the meaning is general, i.e., to warn every disbeliever and believer of the severe punishment coming from Allah, or Allah has mentioned this in the next verse, as He said: «وَ يُنْذِرَ الَّذِيْنَ قَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللّٰهُ وَلَدًا » [ الکہف : ۴ ] "And (so that) he may warn those who say Allah has taken a son." In this verse (4), it is not mentioned what he should warn against; its mention is in the verse under commentary (2), that he should warn of the severe punishment coming from Him. If both verses are combined, the meaning becomes: "So that he may warn those who say Allah has taken a son, of the severe punishment coming from Him." The mention of warning comes twice in both verses. From this, it is understood that among the duties of this book and the Prophet, the duty of warning is more important, because those who do not believe are more numerous, among whom some declare Jesus (peace be upon him) and some Uzair (peace be upon him) as the son of Allah, some call the angels the daughters of Allah, some call their prophets and saints a part of Allah's light, and some declare them to be Allah Himself, as the Christians said: «اِنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيْحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ » [ المائدۃ : ۷۲ ] "Indeed, Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary." And a tyrant from our Ummah has said:
He who was established on the Throne as God
Has descended to Madinah as Mustafa
By Allah's command, this book warns all of them of the severe punishment coming from Him, whether it be in this world and the Hereafter, or only in the Hereafter. For the refutation of Allah having a child, see Surah Maryam (88 to 95). {’’ مِنْ لَّدُنْهُ ‘‘} is intended to describe the horror of the punishment.
