سُوْرَةُ مَرْيَمَ
Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 73
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُنَا بَيِّنَـٰتٍ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَىُّ ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَيْرٌ مَّقَامًا وَأَحْسَنُ نَدِيًّا ﴿73﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when Our Clear Verses are recited to them, those who disbelieve (the rich and strong among the pagans of Quraish who live a life of luxury) say to those who believe (the weak, poor companions of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم who have a hard life): "Which of the two groups (i.e. believers or disbelievers) is best in (point of) position and as regards station (place of council for consultation)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
تُتْلَىٰ
tut'lā
are recited
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
ءَايَـٰتُنَا
āyātunā
Our Verses
بَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ
bayyinātin
clear
قَالَ
qāla
say
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
لِلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
to those who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believed
أَىُّ
ayyu
Which
ٱلْفَرِيقَيْنِ
l-farīqayni
(of) the two groups
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) better
مَّقَامًۭا
maqāman
(in) position
وَأَحْسَنُ
wa-aḥsanu
and best
نَدِيًّۭا
nadiyyan
(in) assembly
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 73){وَ اِذَا تُتْلٰى عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتُنَا بَيِّنٰتٍ … : ’’ مَقَامًا ‘‘} Place of residence, that is, a place to live, house, etc. {’’ نَدِيًّا ‘‘ ’’نَدَوْتُ الْقَوْمَ أَنْدُوْهُمْ‘‘ } (I gathered the people) is derived from. {’’اَلنَّادِيْ‘‘ ’’اَلنَّدِيُّ‘‘} and {’’ اَلْمُنْتَدَي‘‘} mean the assembly of people, a place where people gather. When the disbelievers would hear the clear signs of Allah and their truth would become so evident that they could neither respond to them nor declare them false, then to prove their superiority and to establish themselves as being on the truth, they would say to those weak in faith from a worldly perspective: Look at your condition and ours! Whose dwellings are better and whose assembly is more splendid and decorated? As if they considered worldly possessions and grandeur as proof of being on the truth and of Allah being pleased with them. In the Qur’an, this same mindset of the disbelievers of all the prophets’ times has been mentioned. See Surah Al-Ahqaf (11), Al-An’am (53), Saba (35), Al-Mu’minun (55, 56), Maryam (77), Al-Kahf (35, 36), and Ha Mim As-Sajdah (50).
