سُوْرَةُ النَّمْلِ
Surah An-Naml (27) — Ayah 25
أَلَّا يَسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى يُخْرِجُ ٱلْخَبْءَ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ ﴿25﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
[As Shaitân (Satan) has barred them from Allâh’s Way] so they do not worship (prostrate themselves before) Allâh, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. [Tafsir At-Tabarî]
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَلَّا
allā
That not
يَسْجُدُوا۟
yasjudū
they prostrate
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
the One Who
يُخْرِجُ
yukh'riju
brings forth
ٱلْخَبْءَ
l-khaba-a
the hidden
فِى
fī
in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَيَعْلَمُ
wayaʿlamu
and knows
مَا
mā
what
تُخْفُونَ
tukh'fūna
you conceal
وَمَا
wamā
and what
تُعْلِنُونَ
tuʿ'linūna
you declare
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 25) ➊ {اَلَّا يَسْجُدُوْا لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ … : ’’ الْخَبْءَ ‘‘} is a verbal noun in the meaning of a passive participle {’’اَلْمَخْبُوْئُ ‘‘}, a hidden thing, that is, why do these people not prostrate to Allah who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth. The second translation of this verse is the same as mentioned above: so that they do not prostrate to Allah who brings forth the hidden things in the heavens and the earth. The hoopoe presented three magnificent proofs for this fundamental reality that the only true deity worthy of worship is Allah alone, without partner, and no one else is worthy of prostration. The first is that He alone brings forth the hidden and concealed things of the heavens and the earth. Among the hidden things of the heavens are included the sun, moon, stars, planets, rain, wind, lightning, etc., and among the hidden things of the earth are all plants, trees, rivers, springs, underground water, oil, gas, and countless minerals. Some scholars have said that the hoopoe’s food is generally those insects that are hidden under the bark of trees or beneath the earth. This seemingly insignificant bird gave the proof of Allah’s oneness according to its own understanding and experience: that the only one worthy of worship and prostration is Allah, who provides every creature access to its hidden sustenance. The sun, which does not even have respite from its own orbit, nor has it created anything that it would have knowledge or authority to conceal or reveal, how could it be worthy of worship or prostration? Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: “The hoopoe’s sustenance is to eat insects by extracting them from the sand, it does not eat grain nor fruit, its work is with this very power of Allah.”
➋ {وَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُوْنَ وَ مَا تُعْلِنُوْنَ:} This is the second proof for prostrating to Allah alone, that is, the one worthy of prostration is the One whose knowledge is so vast that not only does He know the hidden forces and things of the heavens and the earth, but He also knows everything that you reveal or keep hidden. What knowledge does the sun or any other creature have of anyone’s apparent or hidden conditions that it could be worthy of prostration?
➋ {وَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُوْنَ وَ مَا تُعْلِنُوْنَ:} This is the second proof for prostrating to Allah alone, that is, the one worthy of prostration is the One whose knowledge is so vast that not only does He know the hidden forces and things of the heavens and the earth, but He also knows everything that you reveal or keep hidden. What knowledge does the sun or any other creature have of anyone’s apparent or hidden conditions that it could be worthy of prostration?
