سُوْرَةُ الْحَجِّ
Surah Al-Hajj (22) — Ayah 53
لِّيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِى ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ وَٱلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
That He (Allâh) may make what is thrown in by Shaitân (Satan) a trial for those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy and disbelief) and whose hearts are hardened. And certainly, the Zalimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers) are in an opposition far-off (from the truth against Allâh’s Messenger and the believers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لِّيَجْعَلَ
liyajʿala
That He may make
مَا
mā
what
يُلْقِى
yul'qī
the Shaitaan throws
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ
l-shayṭānu
the Shaitaan throws
فِتْنَةًۭ
fit'natan
a trial
لِّلَّذِينَ
lilladhīna
for those
فِى
fī
in
قُلُوبِهِم
qulūbihim
their hearts
مَّرَضٌۭ
maraḍun
(is) a disease
وَٱلْقَاسِيَةِ
wal-qāsiyati
and (are) hardened
قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ
qulūbuhum
their hearts
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
لَفِى
lafī
(are) surely, in
شِقَاقٍۭ
shiqāqin
schism
بَعِيدٍۢ
baʿīdin
far
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 54,53) ➊ { لِيَجْعَلَ مَا يُلْقِي الشَّيْطٰنُ فِتْنَةً … : ’’ شِقَاقٍ‘‘} is a verbal noun from the form "Mufa'alah," like {’’قِتَالٌ‘‘}, meaning a face-to-face confrontation, in which one party is on one side and the other party is on the other side. In this verse, the wisdom behind giving Satan the opportunity to cast doubts and suspicions into the call of the Prophets and the signs of Allah, and to mislead people, is explained: that the reason the devils are given such free rein is to provide an opportunity for trial and testing, so that as a result, the followers of falsehood, after indulging in their desires, may join the standard-bearers of falsehood, and the followers of truth, despite all the noise and uproar of the people of falsehood, may become even more steadfast on the path of truth. Because the more dispute is raised against the truth, the more its arguments become refined and clear, and those who have been given the light of knowledge become certain that the knowledge of the Book you have received from your Lord is absolutely true. Then this certainty becomes a means of strengthening and increasing their faith, as a result of which their hearts adopt humility for their Lord and bow before Him with complete satisfaction.
➋ By {’’ لِلَّذِيْنَ فِيْ قُلُوْبِهِمْ مَّرَضٌ ‘‘} is meant the hypocrites, and by {’’ وَ الْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوْبُهُمْ ‘‘} is meant the staunch disbelievers whose hearts have become hardened due to disbelief and stubbornness.
➌ The pronoun in { ’’ لِيَجْعَلَ ‘‘} refers to the word {’’ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} mentioned in {’’ فَيَنْسَخُ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} and {’’ ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}. The attribution of making Satan’s interference and doubts and suspicions a trial for the disbelievers and hypocrites is made to Allah, that He makes this act of Satan a trial for the disbelievers and hypocrites. The reason is that whatever is happening in the world is according to Allah’s wisdom and will. Whether one is a believer, disbeliever, or hypocrite, the Creator of each is Allah, and He is also the Creator of all their actions, so the attribution of making it a trial is made to Allah. However, the cause of the disbelievers and hypocrites being afflicted by the trial is considered to be the disease of hypocrisy in their hearts and the hardness and stubbornness of their hearts, as He said: «{ وَ مَا يُضِلُّ بِهٖۤ اِلَّا الْفٰسِقِيْنَ }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۶ ] “And He does not mislead with it except the defiantly disobedient.”
➍ { وَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهَادِ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ :} means that no matter how many doubts and suspicions Satan and his followers create, and no matter how many objections they raise, Allah certainly guides the believers to the straight path, by which they immediately realize that such-and-such matter is indeed divine revelation, so they remain firm upon it, and such-and-such matter is a satanic whisper or deception, so they avoid it. In this way, they attain happiness in both this world and the Hereafter.
➋ By {’’ لِلَّذِيْنَ فِيْ قُلُوْبِهِمْ مَّرَضٌ ‘‘} is meant the hypocrites, and by {’’ وَ الْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوْبُهُمْ ‘‘} is meant the staunch disbelievers whose hearts have become hardened due to disbelief and stubbornness.
➌ The pronoun in { ’’ لِيَجْعَلَ ‘‘} refers to the word {’’ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} mentioned in {’’ فَيَنْسَخُ اللّٰهُ ‘‘} and {’’ ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}. The attribution of making Satan’s interference and doubts and suspicions a trial for the disbelievers and hypocrites is made to Allah, that He makes this act of Satan a trial for the disbelievers and hypocrites. The reason is that whatever is happening in the world is according to Allah’s wisdom and will. Whether one is a believer, disbeliever, or hypocrite, the Creator of each is Allah, and He is also the Creator of all their actions, so the attribution of making it a trial is made to Allah. However, the cause of the disbelievers and hypocrites being afflicted by the trial is considered to be the disease of hypocrisy in their hearts and the hardness and stubbornness of their hearts, as He said: «{ وَ مَا يُضِلُّ بِهٖۤ اِلَّا الْفٰسِقِيْنَ }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۶ ] “And He does not mislead with it except the defiantly disobedient.”
➍ { وَ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَهَادِ الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِلٰى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ :} means that no matter how many doubts and suspicions Satan and his followers create, and no matter how many objections they raise, Allah certainly guides the believers to the straight path, by which they immediately realize that such-and-such matter is indeed divine revelation, so they remain firm upon it, and such-and-such matter is a satanic whisper or deception, so they avoid it. In this way, they attain happiness in both this world and the Hereafter.
