سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 144
وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ ۚ أَفَإِي۟ن مَّاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَعْقَـٰبِكُمْ ۚ وَمَن يَنقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَن يَضُرَّ ٱللَّهَ شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَسَيَجْزِى ٱللَّهُ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ ﴿144﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allâh; and Allâh will give reward to those who are grateful.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And not
مُحَمَّدٌ
muḥammadun
(is) Muhammad
إِلَّا
illā
except
رَسُولٌۭ
rasūlun
a Messenger
قَدْ
qad
certainly
خَلَتْ
khalat
passed away
مِن
min
from
قَبْلِهِ
qablihi
before him
ٱلرُّسُلُ ۚ
l-rusulu
[the] (other) Messengers
أَفَإِي۟ن
afa-in
So if
مَّاتَ
māta
he died
أَوْ
aw
or
قُتِلَ
qutila
is slain
ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ
inqalabtum
will you turn back
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
on
أَعْقَـٰبِكُمْ ۚ
aʿqābikum
your heels
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يَنقَلِبْ
yanqalib
turns back
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
عَقِبَيْهِ
ʿaqibayhi
his heels
فَلَن
falan
then never
يَضُرَّ
yaḍurra
will he harm
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
شَيْـًۭٔا ۗ
shayan
(in) anything
وَسَيَجْزِى
wasayajzī
And will reward
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ
l-shākirīna
the grateful ones
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 144) ➊ {وَ مَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوْلٌ :} In the Battle of Uhud, some Companions attained the rank of martyrdom, and some began to flee from the battlefield. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was also wounded, and a devil spread the rumor of his martyrdom. The hearts of the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) broke from this rumor, and they lost courage, and the hypocrites began to taunt and criticize, saying, "If Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) were truly Allah's Prophet, why would he be killed?!" Upon this, these verses were revealed: «وَ مَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوْلٌ » "Muhammad is nothing but a Messenger." In this, there is exclusive restriction, that what you have understood about Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) — that he is Allah, or that he possesses Allah's powers — is not so; he is merely the conveyor of Allah's message. He can be killed, he can die, and before him many Messengers have passed away. Will you abandon Allah's religion if Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), is killed or dies a natural death? You should continue striving in Allah's path. (Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi) Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "And by indication, it is established that upon his (peace and blessings be upon him) death, some people will turn back. This is what happened: many people became apostates after him (peace and blessings be upon him), so Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) brought them back to Islam, and some he killed." (Muwadhih)
➋ It is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that (when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away) Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) came riding on his horse from his house, which was in {’’ اَلسُّنْح ‘‘}, dismounted from his horse, entered the mosque, and did not speak to anyone. Instead, he went straight to Aisha's (may Allah be pleased with her) house and approached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who at that time was covered with a Yemeni striped sheet. He uncovered the face of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), leaned over him, kissed him, then began to weep and said: "May my parents be sacrificed for you! O Prophet of Allah! Allah will not combine two deaths upon you. The death that was written for you, you have now passed away." Abu Salamah says, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) told me that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came out while Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was speaking to the people. He said, "Sit down." Umar did not accept. He said again, "Sit down." He still did not accept, so Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon, and now the people turned their attention to him and left Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "As for what follows! Whoever among you used to worship Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), then indeed Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has died. And whoever used to worship Allah, then indeed Allah is alive and will never die. Allah the Exalted has said: «وَ مَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوْلٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ »" He recited the complete verse. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: "By Allah! It was as if the people did not know that Allah had revealed this verse until Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) recited it, and then the people took it from him, so whoever you heard was reciting this verse." It is narrated from Sa'id bin Musayyib that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah! When I heard Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) recite this verse, I was stunned, my legs could not carry me, until I fell down." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب مرض النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ووفاتہ : ۴۴۵۲، ۴۴۵۳، ۴۴۵۴ ]
➋ It is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that (when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away) Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) came riding on his horse from his house, which was in {’’ اَلسُّنْح ‘‘}, dismounted from his horse, entered the mosque, and did not speak to anyone. Instead, he went straight to Aisha's (may Allah be pleased with her) house and approached the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who at that time was covered with a Yemeni striped sheet. He uncovered the face of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), leaned over him, kissed him, then began to weep and said: "May my parents be sacrificed for you! O Prophet of Allah! Allah will not combine two deaths upon you. The death that was written for you, you have now passed away." Abu Salamah says, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) told me that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came out while Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was speaking to the people. He said, "Sit down." Umar did not accept. He said again, "Sit down." He still did not accept, so Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon, and now the people turned their attention to him and left Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "As for what follows! Whoever among you used to worship Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), then indeed Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) has died. And whoever used to worship Allah, then indeed Allah is alive and will never die. Allah the Exalted has said: «وَ مَا مُحَمَّدٌ اِلَّا رَسُوْلٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ »" He recited the complete verse. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: "By Allah! It was as if the people did not know that Allah had revealed this verse until Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) recited it, and then the people took it from him, so whoever you heard was reciting this verse." It is narrated from Sa'id bin Musayyib that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah! When I heard Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) recite this verse, I was stunned, my legs could not carry me, until I fell down." [ بخاری، المغازی، باب مرض النبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ووفاتہ : ۴۴۵۲، ۴۴۵۳، ۴۴۵۴ ]
