سُوْرَةُ الْقَصَصِ
Surah Al-Qasas (28) — Ayah 78
قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أُوتِيتُهُۥ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ عِندِىٓ ۚ أَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَهْلَكَ مِن قَبْلِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَأَكْثَرُ جَمْعًا ۚ وَلَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَن ذُنُوبِهِمُ ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ ﴿78﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allâh had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allâh knows them well, so they will be punished without being called to account).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
إِنَّمَآ
innamā
Only
أُوتِيتُهُۥ
ūtītuhu
I have been given it
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on (account)
عِلْمٍ
ʿil'min
(of) knowledge
عِندِىٓ ۚ
ʿindī
I have
أَوَلَمْ
awalam
Did not
يَعْلَمْ
yaʿlam
he know
أَنَّ
anna
that
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
قَدْ
qad
indeed
أَهْلَكَ
ahlaka
destroyed
مِن
min
before him
قَبْلِهِۦ
qablihi
before him
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْقُرُونِ
l-qurūni
the generations
مَنْ
man
who
هُوَ
huwa
[they]
أَشَدُّ
ashaddu
(were) stronger
مِنْهُ
min'hu
than him
قُوَّةًۭ
quwwatan
(in) strength
وَأَكْثَرُ
wa-aktharu
and greater
جَمْعًۭا ۚ
jamʿan
(in) accumulation
وَلَا
walā
And not
يُسْـَٔلُ
yus'alu
will be questioned
عَن
ʿan
about
ذُنُوبِهِمُ
dhunūbihimu
their sins
ٱلْمُجْرِمُونَ
l-muj'rimūna
the criminals
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 78) ➊ {قَالَ اِنَّمَاۤ اُوْتِيْتُهٗ عَلٰى عِلْمٍ عِنْدِيْ:} He said, "Allah has no favor upon me; all of this has been given to me only because of the knowledge that I possess." This is similar to what today's materialist scientists say, that all our progress is due to our sciences, and Allah has no part in it. They do not think about who is the one who grants this intellect, intelligence, and skill. Another interpretation is that instead of considering {’’ عِنْدِيْ ‘‘} to refer to {’’ عِلْمٍ ‘‘}, it should be considered to refer to {’’ اُوْتِيْتُهٗ ‘‘}, in which case the meaning would be: "In my view, all of this has been given to me by Allah because He knows my deeds and qualities." That is, He knew that I am worthy of it; if I were disliked in His sight, why would He give me this wealth?
➋ What was the knowledge that Qarun was given? Some people say it was the knowledge of alchemy, with which he could make gold, but there is no evidence for this. Allah grants provision to a servant through trade, industry, agriculture, or whatever means, and the servant considers that means to be the cause of provision and forgets the Owner who made that knowledge and skill a means for him.
➌ {اَوَ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ اَهْلَكَ …:} That is, did this person, who was so proud of his knowledge and skill, not know that Allah had destroyed people before him who were stronger, had more accumulated wealth, and larger groups? Their knowledge and skill could not save them from destruction, so how will his knowledge, of which he is so proud, save him from destruction? And if having more wealth and supporters in the world is a sign of Allah's pleasure, then why did punishment come upon those who were stronger and greater in number than him?
➍ { وَ لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَنْ ذُنُوْبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ :} That is, criminals do claim that they are very good people, but when their crime is proven and Allah's punishment comes, they are not asked before being seized as to what their sins are.
➎ In another place it is said: «{ فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَٔلَنَّهُمْ اَجْمَعِيْنَ (92) عَمَّا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ } » [ الحجر : ۹۲، ۹۳ ] (So by your Lord, We will surely question them all, about what they used to do), so this does not contradict this verse, because the Day of Resurrection is very long. At the time of destroying the criminals, they are not asked about their sins, but at other places and occasions, they are questioned.
➋ What was the knowledge that Qarun was given? Some people say it was the knowledge of alchemy, with which he could make gold, but there is no evidence for this. Allah grants provision to a servant through trade, industry, agriculture, or whatever means, and the servant considers that means to be the cause of provision and forgets the Owner who made that knowledge and skill a means for him.
➌ {اَوَ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ اَهْلَكَ …:} That is, did this person, who was so proud of his knowledge and skill, not know that Allah had destroyed people before him who were stronger, had more accumulated wealth, and larger groups? Their knowledge and skill could not save them from destruction, so how will his knowledge, of which he is so proud, save him from destruction? And if having more wealth and supporters in the world is a sign of Allah's pleasure, then why did punishment come upon those who were stronger and greater in number than him?
➍ { وَ لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَنْ ذُنُوْبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُوْنَ :} That is, criminals do claim that they are very good people, but when their crime is proven and Allah's punishment comes, they are not asked before being seized as to what their sins are.
➎ In another place it is said: «{ فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْـَٔلَنَّهُمْ اَجْمَعِيْنَ (92) عَمَّا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ } » [ الحجر : ۹۲، ۹۳ ] (So by your Lord, We will surely question them all, about what they used to do), so this does not contradict this verse, because the Day of Resurrection is very long. At the time of destroying the criminals, they are not asked about their sins, but at other places and occasions, they are questioned.
