سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 3
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allâh will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allâh knows all that before putting them to test).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And indeed
فَتَنَّا
fatannā
We tested
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
مِن
min
(were) before them
قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ
qablihim
(were) before them
فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ
falayaʿlamanna
And Allah will surely make evident
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah will surely make evident
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
صَدَقُوا۟
ṣadaqū
(are) truthful
وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ
walayaʿlamanna
and He will surely make evident
ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
l-kādhibīna
the liars
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 3) ➊ {وَ لَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِيْنَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ:} That is, this is not a new matter that has happened to you, rather this has always been the established practice of Allah, and the people before were also tested. Khabbab bin Al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that we complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), at that time he was reclining in the shade of the Ka'bah with a cloak as a pillow. We said to him: [ أَلاَ تَسْتَنْصِرُ لَنَا؟ أَلاَ تَدْعُوْ لَنَا؟ فَقَالَ قَدْ كَانَ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ يُؤْخَذُ الرَّجُلُ فَيُحْفَرُ لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيُجْعَلُ فِيْهَا فَيُجَاءُ بِالْمِنْشَارِ فَيُوْضَعُ عَلٰی رَأْسِهِ فَيُجْعَلُ نِصْفَيْنِ وَ يُمْشَطُ بِأَمْشَاطِ الْحَدِيْدِ مَا دُوْنَ لَحْمِهِ وَعَظْمِهِ فَمَا يَصُدُّهُ ذٰلِكَ عَنْ دِيْنِهِ، وَاللّٰهِ! لَيَتِمَّنَّ هٰذَا الْأَمْرُ حَتّٰی يَسِيْرَ الرَّاكِبُ مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ إِلٰی حَضْرَ مَوْتَ لاَ يَخَافُ إِلاَّ اللّٰهَ وَالذِّئْبَ عَلٰی غَنَمِهِ وَ لٰكِنَّكُمْ تَسْتَعْجِلُوْنَ ] [بخاري، الإکراہ، باب من اختار الضرب و القتل و الھوان علی الکفر : ۶۹۴۳ ] "Will you not seek help for us? Will you not pray for us?" So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Among those before you, a man would have a pit dug for him in the ground and he would be placed in it, then a saw would be brought and placed on his head and he would be cut into two halves, and iron combs would be used to tear the flesh from his bones, but this would not turn him away from his religion. By Allah! This matter will surely be completed, until a rider will travel from Sana'a to Hadramawt fearing none but Allah, or fearing the wolf for his sheep, but you are being impatient."
➋ { فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ صَدَقُوْا …:} "So Allah will surely know those who are truthful." Here is a famous question: it is agreed upon by all that Allah knows everything of the past, present, and future, so what does it mean that He will know the truthful and the liars? The commentator Ibn Kathir has answered that here, knowledge refers to the knowledge that is obtained by seeing. General knowledge also includes things that have not yet come into existence, but the knowledge obtained by seeing (or the knowledge that something has come into existence) only happens after something comes into existence. See also the commentary of Surah Al-Imran (142) for further details.
➋ { فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيْنَ صَدَقُوْا …:} "So Allah will surely know those who are truthful." Here is a famous question: it is agreed upon by all that Allah knows everything of the past, present, and future, so what does it mean that He will know the truthful and the liars? The commentator Ibn Kathir has answered that here, knowledge refers to the knowledge that is obtained by seeing. General knowledge also includes things that have not yet come into existence, but the knowledge obtained by seeing (or the knowledge that something has come into existence) only happens after something comes into existence. See also the commentary of Surah Al-Imran (142) for further details.
