سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 47
وَلَوْلَآ أَن تُصِيبَهُم مُّصِيبَةٌۢ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُوا۟ رَبَّنَا لَوْلَآ أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولًا فَنَتَّبِعَ ءَايَـٰتِكَ وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿47﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if (We had) not (sent you to the people of Makkah) - in case a calamity should seize them for (the deeds) that their hands have sent forth, they would have said: "Our Lord! Why did You not send us a Messenger? We would then have followed Your Ayât (Verses of the Qur’ân) and would have been among the believers."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَوْلَآ
walawlā
And if not
أَن
an
[that]
تُصِيبَهُم
tuṣībahum
struck them
مُّصِيبَةٌۢ
muṣībatun
a disaster
بِمَا
bimā
for what
قَدَّمَتْ
qaddamat
had sent forth
أَيْدِيهِمْ
aydīhim
their hands
فَيَقُولُوا۟
fayaqūlū
and they would say
رَبَّنَا
rabbanā
Our Lord
لَوْلَآ
lawlā
Why not
أَرْسَلْتَ
arsalta
You sent
إِلَيْنَا
ilaynā
to us
رَسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a Messenger
فَنَتَّبِعَ
fanattabiʿa
so we (could have) followed
ءَايَـٰتِكَ
āyātika
Your Verses
وَنَكُونَ
wanakūna
and we (would) have been
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
l-mu'minīna
the believers
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 47) ➊ {وَ لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ تُصِيْبَهُمْ مُّصِيْبَةٌ … :} That is, the disbelief, polytheism, and rebellion of the people of Arabia had reached such an extent that even if Allah had sent punishment upon them without sending a messenger, it would not have been injustice, because whatever calamity befell them would have been the result of their own deeds. However, He showed kindness and left them no excuse so that they could not say: "Our Lord! Why did You not send a messenger to us so that we would have followed Your verses and become among the believers?" This theme—that Allah sent prophets so that people would have no excuse left for disbelief and polytheism—has been mentioned in several places in the Qur'an. See Surah An-Nisa (165), Al-An'am (156, 157), Al-Ma'idah (19), and Surah Fatir (24), etc.
➋ The answer to {’’ وَ لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ تُصِيْبَهُمْ مُّصِيْبَةٌ ‘‘} is omitted, which is understood from the context, that is, if it were not for the fact that, when punishment comes upon them because of their evil deeds, these people would say: "Our Lord! Why did You not send a messenger to us," {’’ لَعَجَّلْنَا لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ‘‘} (then We would have hastened punishment upon them), or {’’ لَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا رَسُوْلًا‘‘} (then We would not have sent any messenger).
➋ The answer to {’’ وَ لَوْ لَاۤ اَنْ تُصِيْبَهُمْ مُّصِيْبَةٌ ‘‘} is omitted, which is understood from the context, that is, if it were not for the fact that, when punishment comes upon them because of their evil deeds, these people would say: "Our Lord! Why did You not send a messenger to us," {’’ لَعَجَّلْنَا لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ‘‘} (then We would have hastened punishment upon them), or {’’ لَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا رَسُوْلًا‘‘} (then We would not have sent any messenger).
