سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 36
وَإِذَا رَءَاكَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِن يَتَّخِذُونَكَ إِلَّا هُزُوًا أَهَـٰذَا ٱلَّذِى يَذْكُرُ ءَالِهَتَكُمْ وَهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ هُمْ كَـٰفِرُونَ ﴿36﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allâh) see you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), they take you not except for mockery (saying): "Is this the one who talks (badly) about your gods?" While they disbelieve at the mention of the Most Gracious (Allâh). [Tafsir Al-Qurtubî].
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
رَءَاكَ
raāka
they see you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوٓا۟
kafarū
disbelieve
إِن
in
not
يَتَّخِذُونَكَ
yattakhidhūnaka
they take you
إِلَّا
illā
except
هُزُوًا
huzuwan
(in) ridicule
أَهَـٰذَا
ahādhā
Is this
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the one who
يَذْكُرُ
yadhkuru
mentions
ءَالِهَتَكُمْ
ālihatakum
your gods
وَهُم
wahum
And they
بِذِكْرِ
bidhik'ri
at (the) mention
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ
l-raḥmāni
(of) the Most Gracious
هُمْ
hum
[they]
كَـٰفِرُونَ
kāfirūna
(are) disbelievers
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 36) ➊ { وَ اِذَا رَاٰكَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْۤا … : ’’ هُزُوًا ‘‘} is a verbal noun in the meaning of the object, that is, the one who is mocked. In the previous verse, it was mentioned that people are tested with good and evil. The greatest good for mankind is the noble person of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and his coming is also the greatest test for people: who values the blessing and believes in him, and who is ungrateful and disbelieves. In this verse, the attitude of those who are ungrateful for this blessing, that is, the disbelievers, is mentioned: when they see you, they make you a subject of mockery, neither do they listen to anything seriously nor do they understand.
➋ { اَهٰذَا الَّذِيْ يَذْكُرُ اٰلِهَتَكُمْ :} This sentence is an explanation of their mockery, that is, when they see you, they say: Is this the one who mentions your gods? Mentioning can mean mentioning in a good way or in a bad way; its determination depends on the context. For example, if someone tells you about your friend that he was mentioning you, it is obvious that he means he was praising you. And if he tells you about your opponent that he was mentioning you, then it will mean he was mentioning you in a bad way. Just as when the people of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, were searching for the idol-breaker, they said: «{ سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَّذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهٗۤ اِبْرٰهِيْمُ }» [ الأنبیاء : ۶۰ ] "We heard a young man mention them; he is called Ibrahim." {’’ اَهٰذَا ‘‘} (Is this the one?) The interrogative hamza is for expressing amazement, and {’’ هٰذَا ‘‘} is used for contempt.
➌ { وَ هُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمٰنِ هُمْ كٰفِرُوْنَ :} That is, how does it befit them to mock you for mentioning their gods in a bad way, when their own condition is that they deny the very mention of the Most Merciful? They cannot tolerate the mention of that Most Merciful who created them, bestowed favors upon them, and in whose hand alone is their benefit and harm. Then, who deserves to be mocked: these people or our Messenger? Some commentators have interpreted {’’ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمٰنِ ‘‘} as the Quran itself, that is, «{ اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ }» [الحجر : ۹ ] meaning they themselves deny the Reminder sent down by the Most Merciful.
➋ { اَهٰذَا الَّذِيْ يَذْكُرُ اٰلِهَتَكُمْ :} This sentence is an explanation of their mockery, that is, when they see you, they say: Is this the one who mentions your gods? Mentioning can mean mentioning in a good way or in a bad way; its determination depends on the context. For example, if someone tells you about your friend that he was mentioning you, it is obvious that he means he was praising you. And if he tells you about your opponent that he was mentioning you, then it will mean he was mentioning you in a bad way. Just as when the people of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, were searching for the idol-breaker, they said: «{ سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَّذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهٗۤ اِبْرٰهِيْمُ }» [ الأنبیاء : ۶۰ ] "We heard a young man mention them; he is called Ibrahim." {’’ اَهٰذَا ‘‘} (Is this the one?) The interrogative hamza is for expressing amazement, and {’’ هٰذَا ‘‘} is used for contempt.
➌ { وَ هُمْ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمٰنِ هُمْ كٰفِرُوْنَ :} That is, how does it befit them to mock you for mentioning their gods in a bad way, when their own condition is that they deny the very mention of the Most Merciful? They cannot tolerate the mention of that Most Merciful who created them, bestowed favors upon them, and in whose hand alone is their benefit and harm. Then, who deserves to be mocked: these people or our Messenger? Some commentators have interpreted {’’ بِذِكْرِ الرَّحْمٰنِ ‘‘} as the Quran itself, that is, «{ اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ }» [الحجر : ۹ ] meaning they themselves deny the Reminder sent down by the Most Merciful.
