سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 45
وَلَـٰكِنَّآ أَنشَأْنَا قُرُونًا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْعُمُرُ ۚ وَمَا كُنتَ ثَاوِيًا فِىٓ أَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ تَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا وَلَـٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِينَ ﴿45﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
But We created generations [after generations i.e. after Mûsâ (Moses) عليه السلام], and long were the ages that passed over them. And you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) were not a dweller among the people of Madyan (Midian), reciting Our Verses to them. But it is We Who kept sending (Messengers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَـٰكِنَّآ
walākinnā
But We
أَنشَأْنَا
anshanā
[We] produced
قُرُونًۭا
qurūnan
generations
فَتَطَاوَلَ
fataṭāwala
and prolonged
عَلَيْهِمُ
ʿalayhimu
for them
ٱلْعُمُرُ ۚ
l-ʿumuru
the life
وَمَا
wamā
And not
كُنتَ
kunta
you were
ثَاوِيًۭا
thāwiyan
a dweller
فِىٓ
fī
among
أَهْلِ
ahli
(the) people
مَدْيَنَ
madyana
(of) Madyan
تَتْلُوا۟
tatlū
reciting
عَلَيْهِمْ
ʿalayhim
to them
ءَايَـٰتِنَا
āyātinā
Our Verses
وَلَـٰكِنَّا
walākinnā
but We
كُنَّا
kunnā
[We] were
مُرْسِلِينَ
mur'silīna
the Senders
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 45) ➊ { وَ لٰكِنَّاۤ اَنْشَاْنَا قُرُوْنًا فَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعُمُرُ:} That is, you were not present at that time, but from Moses (peace be upon him) until you, We created many generations and nations, upon whom passed hundreds and thousands of years of long duration. Because of this, the original events and the correct rulings of the religion did not remain in their original form, therefore it was necessary that through a new prophet, the religion and the law be presented in a correct, complete, and final form. That is why We honored you with prophethood and conveyed all these events to you through revelation. Or it means that due to the passage of long periods, the people of Arabia had completely forgotten about prophethood and messengership, so they are astonished at your prophethood and are not ready to accept it.
➋ {وَ مَا كُنْتَ ثَاوِيًا فِيْۤ اَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ … :} That is, the way you have described the events that happened to Moses (peace be upon him) when he went to "Madyan," with such accuracy and excellence, it appears as if you were residing there at that time, witnessing everything with your own eyes, or learning from them, and reciting Our verses to them just as you now recite to the people of Makkah. Whereas the reality is that you were not residing among the people of Madyan at that time, reciting Our verses to them. Some commentators have taken {’’ تَتْلُوْا عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتِنَا ‘‘} as a circumstantial qualifier and {’’ عَلَيْهِمْ ‘‘} to refer to the people of Makkah. In that case, the meaning would be that when you recite Our verses about Moses (peace be upon him) and that noble person before the people of Makkah, you were not residing among the people of Madyan, witnessing everything and then narrating it to them, rather all this has happened through Our revelation.
➌ { وَ لٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِيْنَ:} But the fact is that We have always been sending prophets, who would awaken people from heedlessness and inform them of Our commands. Now, in accordance with this practice, We have sent you as a Messenger and revealed this final Book to you, so that after long periods have passed, people may once again become aware of the true religion and the original events.
➋ {وَ مَا كُنْتَ ثَاوِيًا فِيْۤ اَهْلِ مَدْيَنَ … :} That is, the way you have described the events that happened to Moses (peace be upon him) when he went to "Madyan," with such accuracy and excellence, it appears as if you were residing there at that time, witnessing everything with your own eyes, or learning from them, and reciting Our verses to them just as you now recite to the people of Makkah. Whereas the reality is that you were not residing among the people of Madyan at that time, reciting Our verses to them. Some commentators have taken {’’ تَتْلُوْا عَلَيْهِمْ اٰيٰتِنَا ‘‘} as a circumstantial qualifier and {’’ عَلَيْهِمْ ‘‘} to refer to the people of Makkah. In that case, the meaning would be that when you recite Our verses about Moses (peace be upon him) and that noble person before the people of Makkah, you were not residing among the people of Madyan, witnessing everything and then narrating it to them, rather all this has happened through Our revelation.
➌ { وَ لٰكِنَّا كُنَّا مُرْسِلِيْنَ:} But the fact is that We have always been sending prophets, who would awaken people from heedlessness and inform them of Our commands. Now, in accordance with this practice, We have sent you as a Messenger and revealed this final Book to you, so that after long periods have passed, people may once again become aware of the true religion and the original events.
