سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 81
بَلْ قَالُوا۟ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ ﴿81﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Nay, but they say the like of what the men of old said.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
بَلْ
bal
Nay
قَالُوا۟
qālū
they say
مِثْلَ
mith'la
(the) like
مَا
mā
(of) what
قَالَ
qāla
said
ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ
l-awalūna
the former (people)
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 82,81) ➊ { بَلْ قَالُوْا مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الْاَوَّلُوْنَ:} Here again, Allah Almighty, to express His displeasure, stopped addressing them directly and began mentioning them in the third person, as if, after such clear proofs, their persistence in denial makes them unworthy of being addressed.
➋ Denial of life after death is not just denial of the Resurrection, but also denial of Allah Almighty’s power and wisdom, and is a consequence of shirk itself. A person who believes in the Oneness of the Lord Almighty and has faith in His power and wisdom can never deny the Resurrection.
➌ That is, these people have no rational or transmitted evidence for denying the Resurrection and for their other false beliefs and actions except for following their forefathers.
➍ {قَالُوْۤا ءَاِذَا مِتْنَا وَ كُنَّا تُرَابًا …:} “When we have died” would have been sufficient, but with the words “and become dust and bones” afterwards, they, in their view, are making the idea of life after death seem very far-fetched and well-argued, and in {’’ ءَاِنَّا لَمَبْعُوْثُوْنَ‘‘} with {’’إِنَّ‘‘} and “lam,” they mention the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stating the belief in the Resurrection with great emphasis, and then, with the interrogative hamzah, they strongly deny it, as if to say, “Can such a thing ever happen?”
➋ Denial of life after death is not just denial of the Resurrection, but also denial of Allah Almighty’s power and wisdom, and is a consequence of shirk itself. A person who believes in the Oneness of the Lord Almighty and has faith in His power and wisdom can never deny the Resurrection.
➌ That is, these people have no rational or transmitted evidence for denying the Resurrection and for their other false beliefs and actions except for following their forefathers.
➍ {قَالُوْۤا ءَاِذَا مِتْنَا وَ كُنَّا تُرَابًا …:} “When we have died” would have been sufficient, but with the words “and become dust and bones” afterwards, they, in their view, are making the idea of life after death seem very far-fetched and well-argued, and in {’’ ءَاِنَّا لَمَبْعُوْثُوْنَ‘‘} with {’’إِنَّ‘‘} and “lam,” they mention the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stating the belief in the Resurrection with great emphasis, and then, with the interrogative hamzah, they strongly deny it, as if to say, “Can such a thing ever happen?”
