سُوْرَةُ الْكَهْفِ
Surah Al-Kahf (18) — Ayah 55
وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا ﴿55﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And nothing prevents men from believing, (now) when the guidance (the Qur’ân) has come to them, and from asking Forgiveness of their Lord, except that the ways of the ancients be repeated with them (i.e. their destruction decreed by Allâh), or the torment be brought to them face to face?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And nothing
مَنَعَ
manaʿa
prevents
ٱلنَّاسَ
l-nāsa
men
أَن
an
that
يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟
yu'minū
they believe
إِذْ
idh
when
جَآءَهُمُ
jāahumu
has come to them
ٱلْهُدَىٰ
l-hudā
the guidance
وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟
wayastaghfirū
and they ask forgiveness
رَبَّهُمْ
rabbahum
(of) their Lord
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
تَأْتِيَهُمْ
tatiyahum
comes to them
سُنَّةُ
sunnatu
(the) way
ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ
l-awalīna
(of) the former (people)
أَوْ
aw
or
يَأْتِيَهُمُ
yatiyahumu
comes to them
ٱلْعَذَابُ
l-ʿadhābu
the punishment
قُبُلًۭا
qubulan
before (them)
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 55) {وَ مَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ اَنْ يُّؤْمِنُوْۤا …: } This verse can have two meanings, and there are verses supporting both. One meaning is that, despite the messengers bringing clear signs, the only thing that prevented the people from believing and seeking forgiveness was that Allah knew that these people would not believe until Our punishment came upon them in the same way it came upon the previous peoples, such as the people of Nuh, ‘Ad, and Thamud, etc., which uprooted them completely, or until the punishment of the Day of Resurrection came before them, meaning that it was not in their destiny to believe. This is the proposition {’’مَانِعَةُ الْخَلْوِ‘‘}. That is, one of these two things will definitely happen: if they are spared from the punishment in this world like the previous peoples, then the punishment of the Hereafter will surely come before their eyes, and both can also occur together—that is, they may face punishment in this world like the previous peoples and also see the punishment in the Hereafter—but it cannot happen that neither occurs. In support of this meaning, it is said: « اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُوْنَ (96) وَ لَوْ جَآءَتْهُمْ كُلُّ اٰيَةٍ حَتّٰى يَرَوُا الْعَذَابَ الْاَلِيْمَ » [ یونس : ۹۶، ۹۷ ] “Indeed, those upon whom the word of your Lord has come into effect will not believe, even if every sign comes to them, until they see the painful punishment.” For more verses supporting this meaning, see Yunus (101) and Ma’idah (41).
The second meaning is that what prevented the people from believing and seeking forgiveness was only their demand that a punishment should come upon them like that which uprooted the previous peoples, or that the punishment of the Day of Resurrection should come before their eyes; that is, due to their arrogance, they persisted in this demand, neither believing nor seeking forgiveness for their sins. There are many verses with this meaning, for example, the people of Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) said, “So cause a piece of the sky to fall upon us, if you should be of the truthful.” (Ash-Shu‘ara: 187) Similarly, the demand of the people of Hud (Al-Ahqaf: 22), the demand of Thamud (Al-A‘raf: 77), the people of Lut (Al-‘Ankabut: 29), the people of Nuh (Hud: 32), and the demand of the polytheists of Makkah (Al-Anfal: 32). The verse accommodates both meanings, and both are correct.
The second meaning is that what prevented the people from believing and seeking forgiveness was only their demand that a punishment should come upon them like that which uprooted the previous peoples, or that the punishment of the Day of Resurrection should come before their eyes; that is, due to their arrogance, they persisted in this demand, neither believing nor seeking forgiveness for their sins. There are many verses with this meaning, for example, the people of Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him) said, “So cause a piece of the sky to fall upon us, if you should be of the truthful.” (Ash-Shu‘ara: 187) Similarly, the demand of the people of Hud (Al-Ahqaf: 22), the demand of Thamud (Al-A‘raf: 77), the people of Lut (Al-‘Ankabut: 29), the people of Nuh (Hud: 32), and the demand of the polytheists of Makkah (Al-Anfal: 32). The verse accommodates both meanings, and both are correct.
