سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 51
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرُّسُلُ كُلُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَٱعْمَلُوا۟ صَـٰلِحًا ۖ إِنِّى بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ ﴿51﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O (you) Messengers! Eat of the Tayyibât [all kinds of Halâl foods which Allâh has made lawful (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.] and do righteous deeds. Verily! I am Well-Acquainted with what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O Messengers
ٱلرُّسُلُ
l-rusulu
O Messengers
كُلُوا۟
kulū
Eat
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ
l-ṭayibāti
the good things
وَٱعْمَلُوا۟
wa-iʿ'malū
and do
صَـٰلِحًا ۖ
ṣāliḥan
righteous (deeds)
إِنِّى
innī
Indeed, I Am
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knower
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 51) ➊ { يٰۤاَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوْا مِنَ الطَّيِّبٰتِ …:} Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Allah Almighty is commanding all the messengers to eat what is lawful and to do righteous deeds. From this, it is understood that eating what is lawful helps in performing righteous deeds.” (Ibn Kathir) Obviously, one must also work hard to obtain what is lawful. Thus, before prophethood, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) herded goats for wages and also engaged in trade, and in the end, Allah Almighty enriched him with the purest sustenance through war booty, so it was said: « فَكُلُوْا مِمَّا غَنِمْتُمْ حَلٰلًا طَيِّبًا » [ الأنفال : ۶۹ ] “So eat from what you have obtained as booty, while it is lawful and good.” Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ مَا أَكَلَ أَحَدٌ طَعَامًا قَطُّ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَنْ يَّأْكُلَ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ وَ إِنَّ نَبِيَّ اللّٰهِ دَاوٗدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ كَانَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ عَمَلِ يَدِهِ ] [ بخاري، البیوع، باب کسب الرجل و عملہ بیدہ : ۲۰۷۲ ] “No one has ever eaten food better than that which he earned with his own hands, and Allah’s Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) used to eat from what he earned with his own hands.” And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ كَانَ زَكَرِيَّا نَجَّارًا ] [ ابن ماجہ، التجارات، باب الصناعات : ۲۱۵۰، عن أبي ھریرۃ رضی اللہ عنہ و صححہ الألباني ] “Zakariya (peace be upon him) was a carpenter.” For further details and regarding the supplication of one who eats what is unlawful not being accepted, see Surah Al-Baqarah (172).
This verse also refutes monasticism, those who make Allah’s blessings unlawful upon themselves. After mentioning Isa (peace be upon him), perhaps this command is mentioned for this reason, that monasticism was never prescribed for any messenger.
➋ { إِنِّيْ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ عَلِيْمٌ:} In this, there is a promise of reward for eating what is lawful and doing righteous deeds, and a warning of punishment for the opposite.
This verse also refutes monasticism, those who make Allah’s blessings unlawful upon themselves. After mentioning Isa (peace be upon him), perhaps this command is mentioned for this reason, that monasticism was never prescribed for any messenger.
➋ { إِنِّيْ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ عَلِيْمٌ:} In this, there is a promise of reward for eating what is lawful and doing righteous deeds, and a warning of punishment for the opposite.
