سُوْرَةُ الْحَجِّ
Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 11
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَعْبُدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ حَرْفٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَصَابَهُۥ خَيْرٌ ٱطْمَأَنَّ بِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فِتْنَةٌ ٱنقَلَبَ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦ خَسِرَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْخُسْرَانُ ٱلْمُبِينُ ﴿11﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And among mankind is he who worships Allâh as it were, upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him, he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts to disbelief after embracing Islâm). He loses both this world and the Hereafter. That is the evident loss.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِنَ
wamina
And among
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
the mankind
مَن
man
(is he) who
يَعْبُدُ
yaʿbudu
worships
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
حَرْفٍۢ ۖ
ḥarfin
an edge
فَإِنْ
fa-in
And if
أَصَابَهُۥ
aṣābahu
befalls him
خَيْرٌ
khayrun
good
ٱطْمَأَنَّ
iṭ'ma-anna
he is content
بِهِۦ ۖ
bihi
with it
وَإِنْ
wa-in
and if
أَصَابَتْهُ
aṣābathu
befalls him
فِتْنَةٌ
fit'natun
a trial
ٱنقَلَبَ
inqalaba
he turns
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
وَجْهِهِۦ
wajhihi
his face
خَسِرَ
khasira
He has lost
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
the world
وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ
wal-ākhirata
and the Hereafter
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
هُوَ
huwa
[it]
ٱلْخُسْرَانُ
l-khus'rānu
(is) the loss
ٱلْمُبِينُ
l-mubīnu
clear
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 11) ➊ The meaning of { وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَّعْبُدُ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى حَرْفٍ …:’’ حَرْفٍ ‘‘} is "edge," that is, he does not enter into the center of the circle of religion, but remains only at the edge, or faith does not settle in his heart, only the tongue professes Islam, just as a person stays at the edge of an army; if victory seems apparent, he joins, otherwise he flees. This verse was revealed about those Bedouin Arabs who migrated from the desert. Then, if there was blessing in life and wealth, they would express great satisfaction with Islam, and if they were afflicted with hardship and pain, they would become apostates and run back. Some among the "Mu'allafatu al-Qulub" were also in this state. (Kabir) And see Surah Al-Baqarah (17 to 20). Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said in the explanation of this verse: [ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ يَقْدَمُ الْمَدِيْنَةَ، فَيُسْلِمُ، فَإِنْ وَلَدَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ غُلَامًا وَنُتِجَتْ خَيْلُهُ قَالَ هٰذَا دِيْنٌ صَالِحٌ وَ إِنْ لَّمْ تَلِدِ امْرَأَتُهُ وَ لَمْ تُنْتَجْ خَيْلُهُ قَالَ هٰذَا دِيْنُ سَوْءٍ ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب { و من الناس من یعبد اللہ علی حرف } : ۴۷۴۲ ] "A man would come to Madinah, then if his wife gave birth to a boy and his mares gave birth to foals, he would say, 'This is a good religion,' and if his wife did not give birth and his mares did not foal, he would say, 'This is a bad religion.'"
➋ { انْقَلَبَ عَلٰى وَجْهِهٖ :} That is, he became an apostate and then turned back to disbelief and polytheism.
➌ {ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِيْنُ :} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes, that is, if he sees worldly benefit and goodness, he remains steadfast in servitude, and if a trial comes and some hardship befalls him, he abandons servitude. On one side (due to hardship and calamity) the world is lost, on the other side (by abandoning servitude and becoming an apostate) the religion is lost. He stands at the edge, meaning his heart is neither on this side nor that side, just as someone stands at the edge of a building, ready to leave whenever he wishes. (Mawdih)
➋ { انْقَلَبَ عَلٰى وَجْهِهٖ :} That is, he became an apostate and then turned back to disbelief and polytheism.
➌ {ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الْخُسْرَانُ الْمُبِيْنُ :} Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes, that is, if he sees worldly benefit and goodness, he remains steadfast in servitude, and if a trial comes and some hardship befalls him, he abandons servitude. On one side (due to hardship and calamity) the world is lost, on the other side (by abandoning servitude and becoming an apostate) the religion is lost. He stands at the edge, meaning his heart is neither on this side nor that side, just as someone stands at the edge of a building, ready to leave whenever he wishes. (Mawdih)
