سُوْرَةُ اٰلِ عِمْرٰنَ
Surah Aal-i-Imraan (3) — Ayah 191
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلًا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ﴿191﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Those who remember Allâh (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
Those who
يَذْكُرُونَ
yadhkurūna
remember
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
قِيَـٰمًۭا
qiyāman
standing
وَقُعُودًۭا
waquʿūdan
and sitting
وَعَلَىٰ
waʿalā
and on
جُنُوبِهِمْ
junūbihim
their sides
وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ
wayatafakkarūna
and they reflect
فِى
fī
on
خَلْقِ
khalqi
(the) creation
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
رَبَّنَا
rabbanā
Our Lord
مَا
mā
not
خَلَقْتَ
khalaqta
You have created
هَـٰذَا
hādhā
this
بَـٰطِلًۭا
bāṭilan
(in) vain
سُبْحَـٰنَكَ
sub'ḥānaka
Glory be to You
فَقِنَا
faqinā
so save us
عَذَابَ
ʿadhāba
(from the) punishment
ٱلنَّارِ
l-nāri
(of) the Fire
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 191) ➊ {الَّذِيْنَ يَذْكُرُوْنَ اللّٰهَ …:} In the previous verse, it was mentioned that Allah is the Creator and Lord of everything; now the worship of Him alone is mentioned, meaning those {”أُوْلُوا الْاَلْبَابِ“} remember Allah in every state—with heart, tongue, and all other limbs—standing, sitting, and lying down. Even keeping Allah’s command in mind while earning a livelihood is His remembrance; not forgetting Him while sitting on the seat of justice is also remembrance; not letting the gaze become unrestrained is also His remembrance; being engaged in preparation for jihad for the elevation of Islam is also His remembrance. Unfortunately, Muslims have considered only prayer and tasbih and tahmid as remembrance, and the remembrance of Allah and the longing for meeting Him, with which the hearts of the Companions and Followers were illuminated and they used to seek death in the places of death, has been removed from their daily lives, whereas this remembrance, after the fundamental pillars of Islam, is superior to all other forms of remembrance. It is said: «اَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَآجِّ وَ عِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْاٰخِرِ وَ جٰهَدَ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ لَا يَسْتَوٗنَ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ» [التوبۃ : ۱۹ ] “Have you made the giving of water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of Masjid al-Haram equal to the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day and strives in the way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah.” And the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [ مَوْقِفُ سَاعَةٍ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ قِيَامِ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ عِنْدَ الْحَجَرِ الْاَسْوَدِ ] “An hour in the path of Allah (jihad) is better than standing in prayer at the Black Stone on the Night of Decree.” [ابن حبان : ۴۶۰۳ و صححہ الألبانی، الصحیحۃ : ۴۵۸۴ ]
➋ {وَ يَتَفَكَّرُوْنَ فِيْ خَلْقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ:} That is, they reflect on the wisdom that Allah has placed in the creation of the heavens and the earth. If the sciences of astronomy and mathematics are studied from a religious perspective, then in general, they are included in worship.
➌ {رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هٰذَا بَاطِلًا:} That is, He did not create it without purpose, but the end of this world is in the next world, where there will be reckoning. (Muwaddih) In this is a refutation of materialists and atheists who consider the universe to be merely the result of coincidence, meaning that through reflection and contemplation, it becomes clear to them that this entire system of the universe was not created in vain, but behind it is the purpose that if a person lives in this world according to the commands of Allah, he will receive reward, and if he disobeys, he will suffer punishment in the Hereafter. Therefore, they keep praying to be protected from the Fire.
➋ {وَ يَتَفَكَّرُوْنَ فِيْ خَلْقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ:} That is, they reflect on the wisdom that Allah has placed in the creation of the heavens and the earth. If the sciences of astronomy and mathematics are studied from a religious perspective, then in general, they are included in worship.
➌ {رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هٰذَا بَاطِلًا:} That is, He did not create it without purpose, but the end of this world is in the next world, where there will be reckoning. (Muwaddih) In this is a refutation of materialists and atheists who consider the universe to be merely the result of coincidence, meaning that through reflection and contemplation, it becomes clear to them that this entire system of the universe was not created in vain, but behind it is the purpose that if a person lives in this world according to the commands of Allah, he will receive reward, and if he disobeys, he will suffer punishment in the Hereafter. Therefore, they keep praying to be protected from the Fire.
