سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 63
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿63﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if you were to ask them: "Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death?" they will surely reply: "Allâh." Say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allâh!" Nay, most of them have no sense.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَئِن
wala-in
And if
سَأَلْتَهُم
sa-altahum
you ask them
مَّن
man
Who
نَّزَّلَ
nazzala
sends down
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلسَّمَآءِ
l-samāi
the sky
مَآءًۭ
māan
water
فَأَحْيَا
fa-aḥyā
and gives life
بِهِ
bihi
thereby
ٱلْأَرْضَ
l-arḍa
(to) the earth
مِنۢ
min
after
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَوْتِهَا
mawtihā
its death
لَيَقُولُنَّ
layaqūlunna
Surely, they would say
ٱللَّهُ ۚ
l-lahu
Allah
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱلْحَمْدُ
l-ḥamdu
All Praises
لِلَّهِ ۚ
lillahi
(are) for Allah
بَلْ
bal
But
أَكْثَرُهُمْ
aktharuhum
most of them
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْقِلُونَ
yaʿqilūna
use reason
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 63) ➊ {وَ لَىِٕنْ سَاَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ مَآءً …:} In the previous two verses, the attribute of Allah, {’’خلق‘‘} and {’’رزق‘‘}, was mentioned; in this verse, the attribute of Allah, {’’إِحْيَاءٌ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ ‘‘} (giving life after death), is mentioned. It is said, if you ask them, who is it that sent down water from the sky, then with it revived the earth after its death? Surely, they will say, “Allah.”
➋ { قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ :} After presenting the confession of the disbelievers as evidence for monotheism, it is said, “Say: Alhamdulillah,” because when an argument is presented to the addressee that is accepted by him and he cannot answer it, then upon the completion of the proof, “Alhamdulillah” is said. Another reason for saying “Alhamdulillah” could be that thanks be to Allah that after this confession of blessings, we are safe from the polytheism in which you are entangled, and also that when all these blessings are granted by Allah and you also acknowledge it, then it is necessary that gratitude be shown to Him alone.
➌ { بَلْ اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ:} Because if they had understood, then after such an admission, they would not have been caught in the curse of polytheism.
➍ Most of them are called {’’ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ ‘‘}, not all, because some among them did understand, some of whom accepted faith, and some, despite understanding, persisted in disbelief due to stubbornness.
➋ { قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ :} After presenting the confession of the disbelievers as evidence for monotheism, it is said, “Say: Alhamdulillah,” because when an argument is presented to the addressee that is accepted by him and he cannot answer it, then upon the completion of the proof, “Alhamdulillah” is said. Another reason for saying “Alhamdulillah” could be that thanks be to Allah that after this confession of blessings, we are safe from the polytheism in which you are entangled, and also that when all these blessings are granted by Allah and you also acknowledge it, then it is necessary that gratitude be shown to Him alone.
➌ { بَلْ اَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ:} Because if they had understood, then after such an admission, they would not have been caught in the curse of polytheism.
➍ Most of them are called {’’ لَا يَعْقِلُوْنَ ‘‘}, not all, because some among them did understand, some of whom accepted faith, and some, despite understanding, persisted in disbelief due to stubbornness.
