سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْۣبِيَآءِ
Surah Al-Anbiyaa (21) — Ayah 44
بَلْ مَتَّعْنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَءَابَآءَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ طَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْعُمُرُ ۗ أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّا نَأْتِى ٱلْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَآ ۚ أَفَهُمُ ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ ﴿44﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Nay, We gave the luxuries of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will overcome?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
بَلْ
bal
Nay
مَتَّعْنَا
mattaʿnā
We gave provision
هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ
hāulāi
(to) these
وَءَابَآءَهُمْ
waābāahum
and their fathers
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
طَالَ
ṭāla
grew long
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
for them
ٱلْعُمُرُ ۗ
l-ʿumuru
the life
أَفَلَا
afalā
Then do not
يَرَوْنَ
yarawna
they see
أَنَّا
annā
that We
نَأْتِى
natī
We come
ٱلْأَرْضَ
l-arḍa
(to) the land
نَنقُصُهَا
nanquṣuhā
We reduce it
مِنْ
min
from
أَطْرَافِهَآ ۚ
aṭrāfihā
its borders
أَفَهُمُ
afahumu
So is (it) they
ٱلْغَـٰلِبُونَ
l-ghālibūna
(who will be) overcoming
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 44) ➊ { بَلْ مَتَّعْنَا هٰۤؤُلَآءِ وَ اٰبَآءَهُمْ …:} That is, their indifference to Allah’s punishment, mocking the Prophet, and demanding the hastening of punishment is because of the kindness We showed them, the opportunity We gave them and their forefathers to enjoy the provisions of the world. Instead of being grateful for this, they fell into the misconception that this blessing would last forever and would never be taken away, as He said: «{ اَوَ لَمْ تَكُوْنُوْۤا اَقْسَمْتُمْ مِّنْ قَبْلُ مَا لَكُمْ مِّنْ زَوَالٍ }» [ إبراہیم : ۴۴ ] “And did you not swear before that there would be no decline for you?” And then, gradually, they became so intoxicated with their prosperity that they completely forgot that there is a Lord above them, who can, whenever He wills, send punishment and wipe them out entirely.
➋ { اَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ اَنَّا نَاْتِي الْاَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ اَطْرَافِهَا …:} That is, do these polytheists who demand the hastening of punishment not see with their own eyes the signs of this punishment, that We are advancing towards their land, continuously reducing it from its borders? Muslims are conquering city after city and region after region, and the time is coming when their occupied land will shrink until it is all taken from their possession—so will they still be the victors? One meaning of reducing the land from its borders is that “land” refers to its inhabitants, as He said: «{ وَ سْـَٔلِ الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِيْ كُنَّا فِيْهَا }» [ یوسف : ۸۲ ] “And ask the town in which We were.” Here, “town” means the people living in the town. That is, do these disbelievers not see Our overwhelming power with their own eyes, that the number of helpless, oppressed, and subdued Muslims is increasing, and the companions of these leaders are becoming Muslim, causing the number of disbelievers to decrease day by day, which will eventually come to an end? A third meaning is: do these people not see Our overwhelming power, that through heavenly and earthly calamities—such as storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wars, plagues, and other punishments—We destroy thousands and millions of people, turning populated lands into desolate ones? The ruined towns of Hud (peace be upon him), Salih (peace be upon him), Lot (peace be upon him), and the people of Saba are before their very eyes—can these people ever prevail against Our magnificent power? The first meaning is closest to the words, but because the surah is Makki, the last two meanings have been mentioned, since the series of Muslim conquests had not yet begun in Makkah. See also Surah Ar-Ra’d (41).
➋ { اَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ اَنَّا نَاْتِي الْاَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ اَطْرَافِهَا …:} That is, do these polytheists who demand the hastening of punishment not see with their own eyes the signs of this punishment, that We are advancing towards their land, continuously reducing it from its borders? Muslims are conquering city after city and region after region, and the time is coming when their occupied land will shrink until it is all taken from their possession—so will they still be the victors? One meaning of reducing the land from its borders is that “land” refers to its inhabitants, as He said: «{ وَ سْـَٔلِ الْقَرْيَةَ الَّتِيْ كُنَّا فِيْهَا }» [ یوسف : ۸۲ ] “And ask the town in which We were.” Here, “town” means the people living in the town. That is, do these disbelievers not see Our overwhelming power with their own eyes, that the number of helpless, oppressed, and subdued Muslims is increasing, and the companions of these leaders are becoming Muslim, causing the number of disbelievers to decrease day by day, which will eventually come to an end? A third meaning is: do these people not see Our overwhelming power, that through heavenly and earthly calamities—such as storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wars, plagues, and other punishments—We destroy thousands and millions of people, turning populated lands into desolate ones? The ruined towns of Hud (peace be upon him), Salih (peace be upon him), Lot (peace be upon him), and the people of Saba are before their very eyes—can these people ever prevail against Our magnificent power? The first meaning is closest to the words, but because the surah is Makki, the last two meanings have been mentioned, since the series of Muslim conquests had not yet begun in Makkah. See also Surah Ar-Ra’d (41).
