سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 50
فَإِن لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَكَ فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ ٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿50﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
But if they answer you not (i.e. do not bring the Book nor believe in your doctrine of Islâmic Monotheism), then know that they only follow their own lusts. And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allâh? Verily Allâh guides not the people who are Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, disobedient to Allâh, and polytheists).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَإِن
fa-in
But if
لَّمْ
lam
not
يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟
yastajībū
they respond
لَكَ
laka
to you
فَٱعْلَمْ
fa-iʿ'lam
then know
أَنَّمَا
annamā
that only
يَتَّبِعُونَ
yattabiʿūna
they follow
أَهْوَآءَهُمْ ۚ
ahwāahum
their desires
وَمَنْ
waman
And who
أَضَلُّ
aḍallu
(is) more astray
مِمَّنِ
mimmani
than (one) who
ٱتَّبَعَ
ittabaʿa
follows
هَوَىٰهُ
hawāhu
his own desire
بِغَيْرِ
bighayri
without
هُدًۭى
hudan
guidance
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guide
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
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 50) ➊ { فَاِنْ لَّمْ يَسْتَجِيْبُوْا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ … :} Then if they do not accept your demand, then know that they have no proof or argument, rather they are only following their desires. This does not mean that they can accept this demand, rather this is said to express their inability, because everyone knows from where such a book can come. It is just like it is said: «{ فَاِنْ لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوْا وَ لَنْ تَفْعَلُوْا فَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِيْ وَ قُوْدُهَا النَّاسُ وَ الْحِجَارَةُ }» [ البقرۃ : ۲۴ ] “Then if you do not do it—and you will never be able to do it—then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones.”
➋ { وَ مَنْ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوٰىهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللّٰهِ:} “And who is more astray than the one who follows his desire, leaving aside guidance from Allah?” In this verse, there is a strong refutation of blind following (taqlid), because the definition of taqlid is: {’’ أَخْذُ قَوْلِ الْغَيْرِ بِلاَ دَلِيْلٍ‘‘} to accept the statement of anyone other than Allah and His Messenger without proof. The guidance from Allah is proof, which is the Qur’an and Sunnah. Accepting anyone's statement while leaving this aside is following desire, and there is no greater misguidance than this. Razi has also considered this verse as evidence for the refutation of taqlid.
➌ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ:} Instead of saying that Allah does not guide those who follow their desires, it is said, Allah does not guide the wrongdoers, meaning those who follow their desires instead of Allah’s guidance are wrongdoers, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoers, because they prefer to remain in darkness and, instead of putting things where they belong, they put them elsewhere (this is the meaning of zulm), and whoever insists on remaining in darkness, how can he attain the light of guidance?
➋ { وَ مَنْ اَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوٰىهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِّنَ اللّٰهِ:} “And who is more astray than the one who follows his desire, leaving aside guidance from Allah?” In this verse, there is a strong refutation of blind following (taqlid), because the definition of taqlid is: {’’ أَخْذُ قَوْلِ الْغَيْرِ بِلاَ دَلِيْلٍ‘‘} to accept the statement of anyone other than Allah and His Messenger without proof. The guidance from Allah is proof, which is the Qur’an and Sunnah. Accepting anyone's statement while leaving this aside is following desire, and there is no greater misguidance than this. Razi has also considered this verse as evidence for the refutation of taqlid.
➌ { اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ:} Instead of saying that Allah does not guide those who follow their desires, it is said, Allah does not guide the wrongdoers, meaning those who follow their desires instead of Allah’s guidance are wrongdoers, and Allah does not guide the wrongdoers, because they prefer to remain in darkness and, instead of putting things where they belong, they put them elsewhere (this is the meaning of zulm), and whoever insists on remaining in darkness, how can he attain the light of guidance?
