سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 61
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ ٱلشَّمْسَ وَٱلْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ ﴿61﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if you were to ask them: "Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?" they will surely reply: "Allâh." How then are they deviating (as polytheists and disbelievers)?
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَئِن
wala-in
And if
سَأَلْتَهُم
sa-altahum
you ask them
مَّنْ
man
Who
خَلَقَ
khalaqa
created
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضَ
wal-arḍa
and the earth
وَسَخَّرَ
wasakhara
and subjected
ٱلشَّمْسَ
l-shamsa
the sun
وَٱلْقَمَرَ
wal-qamara
and the moon
لَيَقُولُنَّ
layaqūlunna
Surely they would say
ٱللَّهُ ۖ
l-lahu
Allah
فَأَنَّىٰ
fa-annā
Then how
يُؤْفَكُونَ
yu'fakūna
are they deluded
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 61) ➊ { وَ لَىِٕنْ سَاَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضَ …:} From here, the discourse turns again towards the people of Makkah. In this verse, as evidence of Allah Almighty being the only deity, the confession of the polytheists of Makkah is mentioned, that the Creator of the universe is only Allah Almighty. Thus, it is said: O Messenger! Or O addressee! If you ask these polytheists, who is it that created all these heavens and created this earth? And who is it that has subjected the sun and the moon for your benefit? Then surely, without any hesitation, they will say, "Allah." This is an astonishing reality that, until today, no one besides Allah Almighty has even claimed that he created the heavens and the earth, or that he subjected the sun and the moon. Therefore, no matter how great a polytheist may be, he has no choice but to accept this reality.
➋ { فَاَنّٰى يُؤْفَكُوْنَ:} This is an expression of amazement at their inverted thinking and acting against their own statement. That is, when you admit that only Allah Almighty is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and the One who has subjected the sun and the moon, then why do you associate others in worship and why do you rely on anyone else? Allah Almighty, in many places, has presented His being the sole Lord and Owner as evidence of His being the only deity, because the polytheists acknowledged this.
➌ Some commentators have stated the relevance of this verse with the previous verse as being that the addressees of this verse are those individuals who hesitate to migrate due to concern for livelihood. The meaning is that the One who created the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, and set them to their respective tasks is Allah Almighty, and all of man's necessities of life are connected to this system. Among these necessities is the need for food and drink and means of livelihood. So, wherever Muslims migrate, this entire system will be present there as well, and Allah, the Exalted, will provide them sustenance there just as He is providing here, so where are these people being led astray?
➋ { فَاَنّٰى يُؤْفَكُوْنَ:} This is an expression of amazement at their inverted thinking and acting against their own statement. That is, when you admit that only Allah Almighty is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and the One who has subjected the sun and the moon, then why do you associate others in worship and why do you rely on anyone else? Allah Almighty, in many places, has presented His being the sole Lord and Owner as evidence of His being the only deity, because the polytheists acknowledged this.
➌ Some commentators have stated the relevance of this verse with the previous verse as being that the addressees of this verse are those individuals who hesitate to migrate due to concern for livelihood. The meaning is that the One who created the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, and set them to their respective tasks is Allah Almighty, and all of man's necessities of life are connected to this system. Among these necessities is the need for food and drink and means of livelihood. So, wherever Muslims migrate, this entire system will be present there as well, and Allah, the Exalted, will provide them sustenance there just as He is providing here, so where are these people being led astray?
