سُوْرَةُ النُّوْرِ
Surah An-Noor (24) — Ayah 53
۞ وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ لَئِنْ أَمَرْتَهُمْ لَيَخْرُجُنَّ ۖ قُل لَّا تُقْسِمُوا۟ ۖ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوفَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿53﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
They swear by Allâh their strongest oaths, that if only you would order them, they would leave (their homes for fighting in Allâh’s Cause). Say: "Swear you not; (this) obedience (of yours) is known (to be false). Verily, Allâh knows well what you do."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَأَقْسَمُوا۟
wa-aqsamū
And they swear
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
by Allah
جَهْدَ
jahda
strong
أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ
aymānihim
their oaths
لَئِنْ
la-in
that if
أَمَرْتَهُمْ
amartahum
you ordered them
لَيَخْرُجُنَّ ۖ
layakhrujunna
surely they (would) go forth
قُل
qul
Say
لَّا
lā
(Do) not
تُقْسِمُوا۟ ۖ
tuq'simū
swear
طَاعَةٌۭ
ṭāʿatun
Obedience
مَّعْرُوفَةٌ ۚ
maʿrūfatun
(is) known
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
خَبِيرٌۢ
khabīrun
(is) All-Aware
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
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 53) ➊ There can be two grammatical constructions of {وَ اَقْسَمُوْا بِاللّٰهِ جَهْدَ اَيْمَانِهِمْ … : ’’ جَهْدَ اَيْمَانِهِمْ ‘‘}: one is that it is the verbal noun (masdar) of an omitted verb, which is emphasizing that verb: {’’أَيْ أَقْسَمُوْا بِاللّٰهِ يَجْهَدُوْنَ أَيْمَانَهُمْ جَهْدًا‘‘} and {’’ جَهْدَ اَيْمَانِهِمْ ‘‘} mean that they swore by Allah with the utmost strength they possessed in swearing. This is derived from “jahada nafsahu,” which means he exerted his utmost effort. The second construction is that it is in the accusative case as a circumstantial qualifier (hal): {’’أَيْ أَقْسَمُوْا بِاللّٰهِ مُجْتَهِدِيْنَ فِيْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ‘‘} meaning they swore by Allah while exerting their utmost effort in swearing. (Shawkani) That is, the hypocrites, due to their behavior, felt that the Muslims did not trust their word, so they swore the strongest oaths possible before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), saying that if you command us to leave our homes and families, we will leave them, and if you command us to fight, we will surely go out with you for jihad; in short, whatever you command, we will do it. In reality, their very act of swearing oaths was itself an indication that their word was not trustworthy, as Mutanabbi said:
{وَ فِيْ يَمِيْنِكَ فِيْمَا أَنْتَ وَاعِدُهُ ¤ مَا دَلَّ أَنَّكَ فِي الْمِيْعَادِ مُتَّهَمُ}
“And in your swearing an oath upon what you promise, there is proof that you are not trustworthy in your promise.”
Allah Almighty said: Say to them, do not swear oaths.
➋ { طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوْفَةٌ: ’’أَيْ الْمَطْلُوْبُ مِنْكُمْ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوْفَةٌ‘‘} That is, what is required from you is not to swear oaths, but rather obedience according to the well-known way, and that is sufficient; there is no need for oaths. The second meaning is: {’’طَاعَتُكُمْ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوْفَةٌ‘‘} that do not swear oaths, your obedience is well-known and your falsehood is famous and recognized; everyone knows how you obey. By swearing oaths, you will not become obedient; whatever you are doing or will do, no matter how much you try to hide it, Allah Almighty is fully aware of it. This second interpretation is supported by this verse: «{ يَحْلِفُوْنَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَاِنْ تَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَرْضٰى عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفٰسِقِيْنَ }» [ التوبۃ : ۹۶ ] “They will swear oaths to you so that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, indeed Allah is not pleased with the defiantly disobedient people.”
{وَ فِيْ يَمِيْنِكَ فِيْمَا أَنْتَ وَاعِدُهُ ¤ مَا دَلَّ أَنَّكَ فِي الْمِيْعَادِ مُتَّهَمُ}
“And in your swearing an oath upon what you promise, there is proof that you are not trustworthy in your promise.”
Allah Almighty said: Say to them, do not swear oaths.
➋ { طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوْفَةٌ: ’’أَيْ الْمَطْلُوْبُ مِنْكُمْ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوْفَةٌ‘‘} That is, what is required from you is not to swear oaths, but rather obedience according to the well-known way, and that is sufficient; there is no need for oaths. The second meaning is: {’’طَاعَتُكُمْ طَاعَةٌ مَّعْرُوْفَةٌ‘‘} that do not swear oaths, your obedience is well-known and your falsehood is famous and recognized; everyone knows how you obey. By swearing oaths, you will not become obedient; whatever you are doing or will do, no matter how much you try to hide it, Allah Almighty is fully aware of it. This second interpretation is supported by this verse: «{ يَحْلِفُوْنَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَاِنْ تَرْضَوْا عَنْهُمْ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَرْضٰى عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْفٰسِقِيْنَ }» [ التوبۃ : ۹۶ ] “They will swear oaths to you so that you may be pleased with them, but if you are pleased with them, indeed Allah is not pleased with the defiantly disobedient people.”
