سُوْرَةُ الْفُرْقَانِ
Surah Al-Furqaan (25) — Ayah 20
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۗ وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ ۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًا ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We never sent before you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) any of the Messengers but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you as a trial for others: will you have patience? And your Lord is Ever All-Seer (of everything).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَآ
wamā
And not
أَرْسَلْنَا
arsalnā
We sent
قَبْلَكَ
qablaka
before you
مِنَ
mina
any
ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
l-mur'salīna
Messengers
إِلَّآ
illā
but
إِنَّهُمْ
innahum
indeed, they
لَيَأْكُلُونَ
layakulūna
[surely] ate
ٱلطَّعَامَ
l-ṭaʿāma
food
وَيَمْشُونَ
wayamshūna
and walked
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۗ
l-aswāqi
the markets
وَجَعَلْنَا
wajaʿalnā
And We have made
بَعْضَكُمْ
baʿḍakum
some of you
لِبَعْضٍۢ
libaʿḍin
for others
فِتْنَةً
fit'natan
a trial
أَتَصْبِرُونَ ۗ
ataṣbirūna
will you have patience
وَكَانَ
wakāna
And is
رَبُّكَ
rabbuka
your Lord
بَصِيرًۭا
baṣīran
All-Seer
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 20) ➊ { وَ مَاۤ اَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ … :} This is the answer to the objection: What kind of Messenger is this who eats and drinks and walks in the markets? It is said, all previous Messengers also ate and drank and went to the markets to earn their livelihood and to buy necessities; they were human beings, not angels. (See Yusuf: 109; Anbiya: 7, 8) If, despite eating, drinking, and walking in the markets, you accepted them as Messengers—as you take pride in being the descendants of Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) and followers of their religion, and you accept Nuh, Musa, and Isa (peace be upon them) as Prophets—then why do you not believe in this Messenger?
➋ { وَ جَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً اَتَصْبِرُوْنَ:} This is the answer to the question: Why was the Prophet not given treasures of gold and silver, or gardens and palaces? It is said: “We have made some of you a trial for others.” This means that Allah generally keeps the Prophets in a modest worldly state; otherwise, if He gave them abundant wealth, many people would join them out of greed for wealth, the truthful and the false would mix together, and the purpose of the test would be lost. Iyad bin Hamar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that Allah says: [ إِنَّمَا بَعَثْتُكَ لِأَبْتَلِيَكَ وَ أَبْتَلِيَ بِكَ وَ أَنْزَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ كِتَابًا لَا يَغْسِلُهُ الْمَاءُ تَقْرَأُهُ نَائِمًا وَ يَقْظَانَ ] [ مسلم، الجنۃ و صفۃ نعیمھا و أھلھا ، باب الصفات التي یعرف بہا … : ۲۸۶۵ ] “I have only sent you so that I may test you and test (people) through you, and I have revealed to you a Book which water cannot wash away; you will recite it while asleep and awake.”
In short! Allah has made all people a trial for each other due to their different circumstances; thus, the Messenger and the believers are a trial for the deniers, and the deniers are a trial for the Messenger and the believers. The rich are a trial for the poor, the healthy are a trial for the sick, so that the latter may see those above them and show patience regarding their own condition or not. The poor and the sick are a trial for the rich and the healthy, so that the latter may see those below them and show gratitude or not. In reality, gratitude is based on patience; whoever is not patient with his own condition can never be grateful, which is why Allah, encouraging patience, said: «{ اَتَصْبِرُوْنَ }» “Will you be patient?” Meaning: Be patient.
➌ { وَ كَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيْرًا :} This has two meanings, and both are relevant here: one is that your Lord is doing whatever He does with full awareness; there is wisdom in all His actions. The second is that the sincerity and devotion with which you endure the opposition of the disbelievers—He is watching it, and He will never disregard your efforts.
➋ { وَ جَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً اَتَصْبِرُوْنَ:} This is the answer to the question: Why was the Prophet not given treasures of gold and silver, or gardens and palaces? It is said: “We have made some of you a trial for others.” This means that Allah generally keeps the Prophets in a modest worldly state; otherwise, if He gave them abundant wealth, many people would join them out of greed for wealth, the truthful and the false would mix together, and the purpose of the test would be lost. Iyad bin Hamar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that Allah says: [ إِنَّمَا بَعَثْتُكَ لِأَبْتَلِيَكَ وَ أَبْتَلِيَ بِكَ وَ أَنْزَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ كِتَابًا لَا يَغْسِلُهُ الْمَاءُ تَقْرَأُهُ نَائِمًا وَ يَقْظَانَ ] [ مسلم، الجنۃ و صفۃ نعیمھا و أھلھا ، باب الصفات التي یعرف بہا … : ۲۸۶۵ ] “I have only sent you so that I may test you and test (people) through you, and I have revealed to you a Book which water cannot wash away; you will recite it while asleep and awake.”
In short! Allah has made all people a trial for each other due to their different circumstances; thus, the Messenger and the believers are a trial for the deniers, and the deniers are a trial for the Messenger and the believers. The rich are a trial for the poor, the healthy are a trial for the sick, so that the latter may see those above them and show patience regarding their own condition or not. The poor and the sick are a trial for the rich and the healthy, so that the latter may see those below them and show gratitude or not. In reality, gratitude is based on patience; whoever is not patient with his own condition can never be grateful, which is why Allah, encouraging patience, said: «{ اَتَصْبِرُوْنَ }» “Will you be patient?” Meaning: Be patient.
➌ { وَ كَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيْرًا :} This has two meanings, and both are relevant here: one is that your Lord is doing whatever He does with full awareness; there is wisdom in all His actions. The second is that the sincerity and devotion with which you endure the opposition of the disbelievers—He is watching it, and He will never disregard your efforts.
